I have one of these in an older Zone VI head. It is so BRIGHT that for normal enlargements up to 8x10 I had to permanently insert a 2-stop ND filter above the negative stage to bring my exposure times down to 20-30 seconds at f/11. These are excellent for those making larger prints.
They also work well with Ilford's Multigrade filter set, showing a good, usable range of contrasts, especially with MGIV FB and RC papers. Not perfectly spaced, but quite workable.
However, if you are a bit more fanatical and have a bit of a DIY leaning, and if you can lay your hands on a supply of magenta and yellow filter sheets (Roscoe, Lee, etc.) of different gradations, it wouldn't take more than an afternoon with your standard paper and a step wedge to work up a set of perfectly spaced custom filter packs for use above the lens.
Regarding the asking price, Louise Kessler at LCD/Aristo had this to say about the manufacture of these latest, new Aristo lamps:
"These lamps are all done by hand the old fashioned way - which is the only way to make sure it’s done correctly. I’ve never seen a machine that can even start to make this complicated a lamp. They are totally done by hand and cannot be produced on a massive scale."
If I hadn't just place my order for one of the new VCL4500 dual-grid lamps, I would have already purchased this new single-grid lamp as a lifetime backup for my Zone VI head.
Ken