Night Vision Looking to buy a Armasight N-14 gen 2+ or gen 3

[az-bred]

Hey guys,

I'm in the market for a multi-purpose monocular, I have checked out a lot of threads here about gen comparison and it was really helpful. I had a gen 3 scope that was 4x that was amazing but I want something lighter and more versatile for mounting. I would like to go with a gen 3 again but I would just have to wait longer. Ya see down here in AZ we really don't have wild boars where a 4x would be perfect we have an open border with cockroaches invading us so you have to lace up your boots to be on the move. LOL

Anyways has anyone tried out the Armasight N-14 line ? Armasight also makes a pvs-14 and the N-14 is suppose to be better ? not sure.

FYI Armasight makes 6 or 8 of these in the N-14 line

Here are the specs and a few pics

Armasight N-14 Gen 2+ SD $1600

SPECIFICATION
IIT Generation Gen 2+ SD
Resolution 45-51 lp/mm
Magnification 1x standard; 3x, 5x, 8x optional
Lens System F1.2; 27 mm
FOV 40°
Range of Focus 0.25 m to infinity
Diopter Adjustment -6 to +2 dpt
Controls Direct
Automatic Brightness Control Yes
Bright Light Cut-off Yes
Automatic Shut-off System Yes
Infrared Illuminator Yes (With built-in flood lens)
IR Indicator Yes (in FOV)
Low Battery Indicator Yes (in FOV)
Power Supply CR123 Lithium 3V (1) or AA Alkaline 1.5V (1) or any AA or CR123 type rechargeable batteries with voltage from 1.2V to 3.2V (1)
Battery Life up to 60 Hrs
Environmental Rating Waterproof
Operating Temperature -40 to +50°C
Storage Temperature -50 to +70°C
Dimensions 140 x 49 x 69 mm / 5.5 x 1.9 x 2.7 in
Weight 0.34 kg /0.75 lbs
Warranty 2 Years

 

[Delta4-3]

It's not better than 14, it's different. It uses the MUM style mounts, has a different style housing and so on.

 

[az-bred]

Thanks Delta
I have seen a lot of your posts through out the NV section so I will take your word.
Who would you recommend for a PVS-14 ? and is there a PVS-14 that can with stand the recoil of a 308 ?

 

[Delta4-3]

If you want a PVS-14 that will handle .308 recoil, call MOD Armory, Ident Marking, or I2 Technologies. Thiers is the only 14 rated for 7.62. They are all people I trust with my money, and have been honest to a fault. As far as a PVS-14 in general, pretty much every vendor on this forum have a good product, and proven customer service, not to mention, all of them could probably beat my price on a PVS-14. I am just a little guy, so my PVS-14 prices are not super competitive.
I have all three of the above dealers contact info, so if you need it, let me know and I'll put you in touch with them.

That said, the N-14 is a good great unit, and finding a 14 in gen 2 can be difficult. If you go with gen 2, I would recommend getting the best gen 2 you can, such as the Gen 2 HD. Gen 2 ID will be noticeably better than SD, and so on. How do you plan to use the monocular most. Weapons mounted? Head mounted? Helmet mounted? If helmet mounted, do you already have a certain helmet and/or mounts? This will help you narrow down what might be best for you.

 

[az-bred]

Good info
I will be using it mostly head mounted but I would like to have the option of mounting it on a few different calibers 556, 300 blk and possible 308. I currently do not have any head or helmets for mounting, I just figured I would buy it after I select a unit.
If I went with a gen 2+ and later down the road I wanted to upgrade the tube to a gen 3 or 4 what would the cost range be for a new tube ?
Whats the difference between the N-14 and the PVS-14 ? Is the N-14 just a newer design with less weight ?

 

[rich20730]

The N-14 uses a Russian housing (COT NVM-14) Night Vision Equipment: Night Vision Scopes, Goggles and Binoculars, Night Vision Riflescopes It also uses a MX10160-style tube and therefore will not have a manual gain control like a PVS-14. I have the NYX-14, which is basically the same as the N-14, but with manual gain control.

I have tried the SD and HD versions and have been happy with both. The tube in the SD version was a Photonis xx1441 and the HD tube is an Ekran-FEP EPM-215g-11-26AR. It appears they sort and grade tubes based on specs rather than manufacturer so it's kind of a grab bag as to what you'll get. Could be Russian (Ekran, Katod), French/Dutch (Photonis-DEP) or German (Harder Digital?).

As to upgrading, the way I understand it, if you start with a Gen 2+ and later (within a year) decide you want a Gen 3, they will let you upgrade by paying the difference between the price you paid and the MAP price for the upgraded version. Be aware that you can often find Armasight stuff for less than MAP at places like Optics Planet so it's not always a quite as good as it sounds.

I wrote a detailed review on the NYX-14 on another forum and I will probably post one here when I get around to it. In the meantime I'm happy to share my experiences and answer any other questions if you have any.

Here are a couple comparison pictures of the SD and HD versions of the NYX-14:

(SD on the left, HD on the right)

 

[TxHoghunter]

Nice review.

 

[az-bred]

rich,
Great review, this was exactly what i wanted to know and more.
Thanks for the great post