So just a quick update and frustration. The item finally come yesterday and I am a bit disappointing with HLG, I will explain. I ordered a 600 Rspec and the tag on the panel states it is a 550. The driver is a 600 but the panel sticker itself says it is from 2019, it is a 550 rspec and has a power consumption of 490 watts. Now from what I have read the 600 has a larger heat sync so I called HLG and the guy told me that 550 and 600 are the same light with different drivers. He said they discontinued the 550 and just used the panels to make the 600. That made no sense to me, you don't sell a product with the wrong model number on it. Even if it were the case you have to be pretty cheap and lazy to not even change the sticker to show what the model that is being sold. Now According to the comparison at
https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/blogs/news/comparing-hlg-600-rspec-vs-hlg-550-rspec it shows the 600 heat sync to be 2" bigger. After confirming this on HLG web site I sent them an email this morning. Mandy from HLG responded to me, a point for them for getting back to me quickly, and told me "The HLG600R has a larger heatsink then the HLG550, so the parts couldn’t have been repurposed." So much for the guy who answered the call yesterday. Now with conflicting answers from HLG I have sent pics of the light and sticker to Mandy as she requested. Now I wait to find out what is going on. After going with what I thought would be a top tier light I have say I am not impressed by what has happened. I would expect this type of stuff to happen with crappy companies but everyone said HLG was a top tier great company. So far I am not getting that impression.
I also asked them why their dimmer knob has no marks to indicate what it is set on, they told me to download an app to figure it out. A simple 25%/50 etch would have been nice but apparently if I want to know what percentage the light is running on I have to have a smartphone and 3rd party app. While most have smartphones these days it still feels like a bad solution to be given. I would have thought when spending so much on a light that such basic things would be able to be done on the light itself without guessing or the need for extra equipment/software. Easy to get around, just annoying.
I will pass along another update when they get back to me.
PS, I was also surprised to see they are not using Meanwell drivers on these now. FYI