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[Goerge Thomas]

This may have been beaten to death but I am looking to buy 36-40 fixtures for my venue to replace traditional Par 56 300 and 500 watt MFL fixtures. I currently am looking at Blizzard LB Quad RGBW fixtures for about $160 each for high output. Looking to see what else you all may recommend? Do not care about brand name. Must have RGB +W. Don't care too much about UV or Amber. These will be inside and need basic dmx control 4/8 channel. Size or heat or power draw doesn't matter. Just looking for high output and reliable. They will be installed once and never touched again 20-25 feet in the air. These would be shipped to Ohio, USA.

What do you all recommend? If it can match 500-750-watt traditional fixtures I would be thrilled. Think of traditional rock show lights.

Thanks,

G

[James Feenstra]

500-750w lights in white, or if they were gel'd?

If you're looking for something that bright in white, you'll likely need to spend more. Concentrated colors like blue, red and green you should be fine.

[Goerge Thomas]

500-750w lights in white, or if they were gel'd?

If you're looking for something that bright in white, you'll likely need to spend more. Concentrated colors like blue, red and green you should be fine.

I apologize I should've been more specific, I am keeping about 10 of our traditional lights for a bright white, these LED cans are for color

[Steve Garris]

This may have been beaten to death but I am looking to buy 36-40 fixtures for my venue to replace traditional Par 56 300 and 500 watt MFL fixtures. I currently am looking at Blizzard LB Quad RGBW fixtures for about $160 each for high output. Looking to see what else you all may recommend? Do not care about brand name. Must have RGB +W. Don't care too much about UV or Amber. These will be inside and need basic dmx control 4/8 channel. Size or heat or power draw doesn't matter. Just looking for high output and reliable. They will be installed once and never touched again 20-25 feet in the air. These would be shipped to Ohio, USA.

What do you all recommend? If it can match 500-750-watt traditional fixtures I would be thrilled. Think of traditional rock show lights.

Thanks,

G

Those Blizzards look very nice - I was just looking at them yesterday. I've had some Hotbox 5's for a couple of years (7) 15w LED's. They're really bright, and nice lights if used with a controller. I like the look of those LB lights (round fixture), but their LED's are only 10w. If you want them for color, why wouldn't you get RBGA?

[eric lenasbunt]

I find the Blizzard Hotbox unbeatable for the money.

Disclaimer, Blizzard dealer

[Goerge Thomas]

I looked into the hotbox as well. That may go on my list of fixtures to try. I have a budget enough to buy 3-4 different fixtures as demo units before we commit to buying all units.

I think I found a Chinese source where you can buy the product that blizzard makes without their own brand...or at least close to it.

I'm going to buy one blizzard light and one Chinese light and open them both up and compare and do a write-up on the differences in quality and output. 1 year vs 2 year warranty and local vs overseas blah blah... I'll at least give it a try.

http://www.wingolight.com.cn/html/products/ledparlight/

Blizzard fixture I am looking at is $180... Chinese fixture is $90. It'll be worth the money to at least test.

[Mike Sullivan]

I looked into the hotbox as well. That may go on my list of fixtures to try. I have a budget enough to buy 3-4 different fixtures as demo units before we commit to buying all units.

I think I found a Chinese source where you can buy the product that blizzard makes without their own brand...or at least close to it.

I'm going to buy one blizzard light and one Chinese light and open them both up and compare and do a write-up on the differences in quality and output. 1 year vs 2 year warranty and local vs overseas blah blah... I'll at least give it a try.

http://www.wingolight.com.cn/html/products/ledparlight/

Blizzard fixture I am looking at is $180... Chinese fixture is $90. It'll be worth the money to at least test.

I'm tuned in.  Let me know what you think.  I was looking at their site and they do have some similar lights to Blizzard and Chauvet (namely one that looks like the Freedom PAR uplights, which is really interesting)

[eric lenasbunt]

Will the Chinese light have a 2 year warranty? Blizzard is 2 years and have been GREAT with fixing fast and free. Chauvet has always just sent replacements.

I have had so many LED fixtures from several companies fail. They just aren't that robust at that price point. I would not want to buy 4 of the Chinese ones when I could have bought 1 from a company with a real warranty.

Disclaimer, Blizzard and Chauvet dealer, though my opinion applies to buying "major brands" in general vs cheap knock offs. 

[Goerge Thomas]

Will the Chinese light have a 2 year warranty? Blizzard is 2 years and have been GREAT with fixing fast and free. Chauvet has always just sent replacements.

I have had so many LED fixtures from several companies fail. They just aren't that robust at that price point. I would not want to buy 4 of the Chinese ones when I could have bought 1 from a company with a real warranty.

Disclaimer, Blizzard and Chauvet dealer, though my opinion applies to buying "major brands" in general vs cheap knock offs.

You make a fair point and with all due respect I will have to see for myself. I hear horror stories too. If my test unit becomes a dud I will move on to another product that works.

They have one year warranties and essentially will either send you a replacement or refund some money to compensate. Not perfect but not bad. This is the point of buying one blizzard, one chauvet and one Chinese light. To test. Even if the Chinese made light is only 70-80% as good as the other two... for half the price it would still be worth it to some. The issue will be if I run into the unit failing completely. The other reason I am buying these Chinese lights in particular is that a production company here uses about 25 of the wireless uplights (freedom pars) and has for the past 2 years and raved about the quality for price reporting 0 failures so far with heavy use. Have to see that for myself. Sometimes the name brand is completely worth it. Sometimes less so.

 I have a few months before I have to make a big order so you can be sure I'll put the fixtures through some paces to decide on quality. I also like sharing this stuff because there don't seem to be many reviews on fixtures at this price point like I want. I am migrating from 300-500 watt par 56s and finally have been afforded to do so with current LED tech/prices.

Once I get my orders in I will do some testing and write up a review from whatever I may find. Comparing each light to the other and to traditional par 56s. Then I will update after a month, two months, three months...ect..for durability. I will also write about the buying process as I have never imported anything before or dealt with overseas suppliers.

At the end of the day. What is $500~ to learn a lesson and help shape a future purchase? I've lost more on burnt drivers in one night...and I got nothing out of that but angry. 

Disclaimer, dealer for none. Just a dude trying to see if I can save a few $$ reasonably.

[William Schnake]

I have a few months before I have to make a big order so you can be sure I'll put the fixtures through some paces to decide on quality. I also like sharing this stuff because there don't seem to be many reviews on fixtures at this price point like I want. I am migrating from 300-500 watt par 56s and finally have been afforded to do so with current LED tech/prices.

Once I get my orders in I will do some testing and write up a review from whatever I may find. Comparing each light to the other and to traditional par 56s. Then I will update after a month, two months, three months...ect..for durability. I will also write about the buying process as I have never imported anything before or dealt with overseas suppliers.

I think that you are doing the exact right thing.  When we first started purchasing lights we purchased two Blizzard ProPar7-4 and two BeCen 429 LED lights.  Both have 7 x 10 quad LEDs RGBW.  A friend of mine, who is a LD for many national acts, and I went to his shop and tested them at 5', 10' and 24'...they produced virtually the same amount of intensity.  The only real difference between the lights is in the programming.  The Blizzard uses 7 channels and the BeCen uses 8.  The case is the same and the connectors are the same.  We have been using the BeCen as rental lights and for small shows for the last 3 years.  We currently own 28 of them.  They seem to have held up as well as the Blizzard ProPars that we have.  Cost wise the Blizzards were about $179 when we bought them and the BeCen cost $54 a light with shipping from China. 

The only modification we have made to the BeCen lights has been to replace the electrical cable on the back.  We had two of them fail due to crappy wire so we replace the cable on all 28 with some nice 18 gauge cable from Lowe's.  We haven't had any problems since then.

Best of luck with your purchase

Bill

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