For those of you with the Ixon IQ: Are the NiMH batteries & charger a 'necessity' for good lighting, or do you think you'd get the same out of regular AA rechargeable?

The Ixon IQ is looking like my best option, and if I shaved off the price of buying the batteries and charger, I might be able to afford two of the lights. If the batteries are recommended though, I'd rather not sacrifice lighting

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, it's really helped me out.