I've stuck with sealed beams, using the Sylvania SilverStar replacements to good effect. Rarely is the car out at headlight time, but these do fine for what I'm doing.
Halogens run hot, or have historically (still?), and I wouldn't want to drop my buckets down and melt something. LEDs are too expensive for what I am after.
One thing that helps sealed beams deliver better light is direct wiring to the battery, using an aftermarket headlight harness. Better voltage delivery provides better light. I put one in my Jeep and it made a difference.
And, overall, I'm not terribly impressed with the headlight conversion kits out there.
Steve