Just to close the loop and provide future reference for anyone in a similar situation, I got the 6-pack v2 kit from my LHS. No shipping and price slightly lower than MBK if you can believe that! I decided I have to see it in person under the lighting conditions that I run my trains under. And if it didn't work I'll just sell the kit.
So far I have only tried it in one car of the ONP set. Installation was easy peasy. Typical Kato precision on everything.
I put it on my layout which is powered by a Digitrax Zephyr so it gets the full DCC voltage on the tracks. Before I put the shell back on, I decided to try it out and wow, it was definitely bright! But once I had the shell on it was perfect! I think the outside simulated vinyl wrap painting really reduced the brightness. Not necessarily so with normal coaches and no "vinyl wrap".
With no lights on the brightness was a touch too bright but not offensive. With the lights on, I think it was just right, maybe a bit dimmer than I like if I had to be really really picky. Mind you lighting is two 4 foot shop lights overhead with Cool White tubes. When the car is closest to the shop light, it barely looks like it had interior lighting. Not your best lighting but it's certainly bright and perfect for the basement.
I have not tried it around the tree in the living room where the lighting conditions is completely different. Certainly no where as bright and definitely warmer with mixed lighting. Give me a few weeks to find out and I'll report back. (Tree is not even up yet.) It will be a DC setup until I get my hands on a decoder for the loco.
