I just finished construction of a new home with a lot of LED lighting. I used the CR6 as my budget light while installing the 'higher-end' LR6 in common areas. In total, I installed about 30 CR6 retrofit in Halo 6" cans and about 15 LR6 in the CREE can with CREE trim. I splurged the extra cost for the LR6 cans and lights in the most important rooms (library, kitchen, etc) thinking I really wanted the best there. Unfortunately, the very poor dimming curve of the LR6 in comparison to the CR6 makes me regret that decision. I can not really tell the difference in light quality between the two when they are on, but as they are turning on and off, the LR6 is much worse. I use a Vantage Controls lighting system and the dimming is terrible with the LR6 - I am looking into ripping them out and replacing with CR6 if you can believe it. In retrospect, I wish I had used the CR series everywhere - to be more specific, I used a lot of CR6's but I think the CR4's look the best. In general, it seems new construction is moving more towards the 4" form factor than the 6" and both CREEs give off the same amount of light (the LED chip appears to be the same in both models). If I were starting again (even though the CR6's are now a total bargain at ~$25 at Home Depot and the CR4's are still $50), I would do the entire house in CR4 edisons with halo 4" cans. They are a nice light that both I and my wife (who is very particular) like, the light is warm (~2800K), energy efficient, and easy to install. For What It's Worth, -Andy

Hey there. Actually, whether you use a 5.75" diameter or a 6.25" diameter can which works with the LR6, it doesn't make a difference. Because when you install the unit and look up at it, the outside diameter of the LR6 will be the same. So the hole it's covering doesn't really matter. So no, the can will not make a difference. As to what can to use- pretty much any solid 6" can. I'd probably avoid the $5.00 Big Box special cans. But you can probably find some good ones for under $20.00. So what was the deal you got for the LR6's?

We tried both the CR6 and LR6 lights in our house. Except for some high-powered LR6-1000 in a room with high ceilings, we greatly prefer the CR6 lights. First, our electrician had a nightmare fooling with the dimmers on the LR6 lights, even following the list of recommended dimmers from Cree. Second, I really like the built-in trim on the CR6 lights. Third, the CR6 dims low MUCH BETTER than the LR6s -- if this was the only difference it would be enough to choose the CR6. I can't emphasize enough how important this was for us, especially in the dining room and the kitchen. Last, the CR6 is cheaper. It lasts 50,000 hours just like the LR6 if you buy it from Cree. The Home Depot version lasts 30,000 hours. So, I suggest you stay away from the LR6 lights, but if you're not sure, buy some of each and compare them yourself with dimmers attached. Billy

If their spec sheets are to be believed - and IMO Cree are a reputable firm - these are some of the more efficient production LED systems. At 54 lumens per watt, they approach, but don't exceed, the typical 60-85 lumen per watt efficacy of compact fluorescent lamps. This is pretty good for a production LED. Many of the fixtures and retrofits being offered are far below this efficacy. Some expensive ones have struggled to achieve California's minimum requirements. Many of the cheap LED retrofits are major snow jobs, barely exceeding a 100 watt incandescent's efficacy. Another LED shady area (sorry) entails claims of their incandescent equivalence. I saw retailers claiming the LR6 has an output comparable to a 65 watt incandescent. I'm pretty skeptical about this. The LR6 is rated for an initial 650 lumens, declining to 455 lumens at 50,000 hours. This is roughly equivalent to a 45 watt incandescent when new, and slightly less than a 40 watt incandescent when aged. However, the fact that all the light is directed downward, rather than being partly absorbed by the fixture as with CFs, may improve the effective (usable) efficacy and lumen output of these emitters when fitted to recessed lights. Situations in which the LR6 would seem to be a strong candidate: 1. Where the fixture is tough to access, or where you have to pay someone union hourly rates to relamp, the long operating life is a real plus. 2. If you're planning to dim the lights, you may find the LR6 units respond more agreeably than CFs would. CFs sort of turn grey, at least in my experience. (The LR6s still dim down to only 20% or 30% output, however, and reportedly don't work with all brands/types of incandescent dimmers.) 3. If you're annoyed by CFs' slight delay in reaching full brightness, the lack of such a delay here may be right up your alley. At $25-$30 I'd call them a winner; with adjustment for inflation, that's what I spent for the first CF retrofits I bought in the early 1990s. But at the prices I've seen for them ($80-$110 each), it's hard for me to see much advantage to the LR6. Maybe the price will fall with time.