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[Dave Batistig]

I am looking to add to our light rig with the addition of some moving head fixtures.

I have a good price on Chauvet Intimidator 255 and also their new Trio moving head. I can't get a good feel for how bright the Intimidator 255 really is from the limited reviews online.

The rest of our light rig consists of bothback and front trussing with mainly Chauvet Slim PAR Quad 12's and some Quad 6's.

I dont' want to buy the 255's and them wish I had a brigher mover's. At the same time, Martin and fixtures on that level our out of the budget. This is a mobile application.

What are your thoughts on a good moving head fixture for bands playing venues that are from 300-1000 ppl?

Thanks in advance..

Dave

[Rick Powell]

I am looking to add to our light rig with the addition of some moving head fixtures.

I have a good price on Chauvet Intimidator 255 and also their new Trio moving head. I can't get a good feel for how bright the Intimidator 255 really is from the limited reviews online.

The rest of our light rig consists of bothback and front trussing with mainly Chauvet Slim PAR Quad 12's and some Quad 6's.

I dont' want to buy the 255's and them wish I had a brigher mover's. At the same time, Martin and fixtures on that level our out of the budget. This is a mobile application.

What are your thoughts on a good moving head fixture for bands playing venues that are from 300-1000 ppl?

Thanks in advance..

Dave

We have some generic 45w Chinese movers that live on a truss with some Blizzard Q12's, similar in output to your Slim Pars. They cut through OK, especially with a white beam. If I was buying today, I'd probably go a little higher with the wattage, 75 to 90. We do several outdoor shows a year in the attendance range you are describing. The Chauvet 255 is 60w with 10,000+ lux at 2m, should work OK for your app.

[Dave Batistig]

We have some generic 45w Chinese movers that live on a truss with some Blizzard Q12's, similar in output to your Slim Pars. They cut through OK, especially with a white beam. If I was buying today, I'd probably go a little higher with the wattage, 75 to 90. We do several outdoor shows a year in the attendance range you are describing. The Chauvet 255 is 60w with 10,000+ lux at 2m, should work OK for your app.

Thanks Rick...I appreciate the info!

[Lance Hallmark]

These might be overkill but this is what has me excited lately:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x9jgcra3h4

So many different looks available from just a few lights plus all the latest features - spinning gobos, 32 facet prism, beam wash and focus, etc...
Next light on my buy list for sure.

[Rob Gow]

These might be overkill but this is what has me excited lately:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x9jgcra3h4

So many different looks available from just a few lights plus all the latest features - spinning gobos, 32 facet prism, beam wash and focus, etc...
Next light on my buy list for sure.

Wow. How much are those???

[Don T. Williams]

Dave, I have eight if the Intimidator Trio's.  Very bright, interesting effects, and a very smooth wash at a reasonable price.  I would stick to LED (over sealed arc) lamps unless you are in larger venues.  There are several LED BSW (beam-spot-wash) lights coming into the market right now that look good.

Rob, this is the first I have seen or heard about this light.  I've never seen a 32 facet prism before.  They look good.  Anybody out there using these?  I want a hands on report!

[Rick Powell]

Wow. How much are those???

Looks like $762 apiece minimum order 4 direct from China (did an Alibaba search). I looked up the lighting element (YODN 330w) and it looks to be some kind of ultra bright halogen bulb, and they look as bright as a 575w incandescent in the video. A light that versatile and bright would be unthinkable at that price just a few years ago. I agree the brightness would be overkill in a lot of situations, and you'd need 2 free 15 amp circuits to run eight as in the video. Our whole light show will run off of one circuit now, with power to spare.

[Graham Spice]

I have four Intimidator 255, they are very bright. I would worry about having enough PARs to keep up with them to be honest. They are very small and light which is great. I've paired them with the Monoprice 18x18 LED wash fixtures and they do well together.

I'm really interested in those movers that David posted about, the 16R ge3319. Love to find a US-based distributor for those...they look pretty amazing.

[Jeff Lelko]

Hi Dave,

How large of venues are you talking about lighting?  Saying 300-1000 people can mean a lot of different things!  Also, what kind of effects are you looking to do and will there be fog or haze in use?

Lighting is very subjective, however in my opinion, any LED mover below the 80 or 90w range is better suited to a smaller bar or club act where you have good control over the atmosphere and ambient light.  Something along the lines of the Intimidator 355Z would be the absolute smallest fixture I'd consider for medium to large(ish) venues, but again that's a rather subjective opinion.  A short-arc equivalent would likely be a 5R fixture, though optics and beam angles are often more important than wattage when determining how visible an effect will be.  Some 5R Sharpy fixtures are very fitting for larger settings, though unless you get a 3-in-1 model and/or use haze on a regular basis you won't be getting the most out of them.     

I looked up the lighting element (YODN 330w) and it looks to be some kind of ultra bright halogen bulb, and they look as bright as a 575w incandescent in the video. A light that versatile and bright would be unthinkable at that price just a few years ago. I agree the brightness would be overkill in a lot of situations, and you'd need 2 free 15 amp circuits to run eight as in the video. Our whole light show will run off of one circuit now, with power to spare.

I believe the YODN 330w is an off-brand offering of the Philips Platinum 16R, which would make is an MSD lamp.

Power is one thing to think about though.  The bigger you get the more power you need, and LED lighting isn't negligible either when it comes to power consumption.  PowerCon linking is always a nice plus to look for as it greatly cleans up the wiring aspect of your rig!   

[John Fruits]

One thing to be aware of when linking via Powercon, check the fixture manual.  With lower priced units, fhe internal small gauge wiring can be a limiting factor.

[Jerome Casinger]

I have the 355z intimidators.  I love them.  They cut through extremely well, I was pretty shocked at the output.

[Steve Garris]

These might be overkill but this is what has me excited lately:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x9jgcra3h4

So many different looks available from just a few lights plus all the latest features - spinning gobos, 32 facet prism, beam wash and focus, etc...
Next light on my buy list for sure.

Wow, those are awesome! Someone did some nice programming there as well.

[Dave Batistig]

One thing to be aware of when linking via Powercon, check the fixture manual.  With lower priced units, fhe internal small gauge wiring can be a limiting factor.

They typical venue we play in is would be in the 400-1000 ppl range. Some are laid out such that we are playing across the short wall of the venue...think a wedding reception hall with the dance floor down the middle and the tables to the right and left of the band. Other halls we play the length of the venue, in typical fashion. Stage size at these venues varies in size from 20wide x 12 deep to as large as 30 wide and 15 deep. I wouldn't use this expanded light rig in a bar scenario, with the exception of one room we play that holds 300 ppl.

Outdoors is a different situation. We are routinely on stages 30-235 ft wide and 20 ft (or more) deep, with adequate height to be able to get our trussing up 15 f-20 ft or more.

The lights mentioned in a earlier post look pretty interesting. Any venue where we would be using the full rig, which includes confetti cannons and CO2 cannons, we have adequate power, so that isn't a concern. The weight of those lights is a bit of a concern. Our crew complain enough as it is!

The Chauvet Trio look really good...I keep going back to the videos of those lights and they do a lot at their price point. We do use 2 hazers on the stage, so there is some haze for the lights to cut thru.

[Jeff Lelko]

Outdoors is a different situation. We are routinely on stages 30-235 ft wide and 20 ft (or more) deep, with adequate height to be able to get our trussing up 15 f-20 ft or more.

If you're honestly playing stages 235ft wide, outdoors, with rigging 20ft+ off the deck, then you need to be shopping for a whole other level of fixture.  Something along the lines of the Chauvet Rogue RH1 Hybrid might be a good place to start.  You'll likely get more bang to buck out of the discharge fixtures versus LED too.  I'd also question the quantity/quality of the other lights you're using to fill such a stage (as in what else are you using besides your Slimpars, and how many do you have?).

I find it interesting that you quote stage sizes and not venue sizes.  What are you trying to achieve with these new fixtures?  Wash the stage, scan the crowd, fire beams into the air?  The reason I keep questioning venue size and desired effect is that understanding this is crucial to making sure the fixture packs enough power and "throw" to achieve what you're looking to do.  If you just want a little movement on stage, some Rogue R1 Washes or similar might be just fine.  That same light won't project a crisp tight beam 300ft! 

You also might want to take a hard look at what the 'average' venue you play is, and where you can best justify the expense (you still haven't given us a ballpark figure you're looking to invest).  I use a completely different inventory of equipment for smaller indoor shows versus larger outdoor ones.  Maybe buy what you need for indoors and rent what you need for outdoors?  Hope this helps!

[Dave Batistig]

If you're honestly playing stages 235ft wide, outdoors, with rigging 20ft+ off the deck, then you need to be shopping for a whole other level of fixture.  Something along the lines of the Chauvet Rogue RH1 Hybrid might be a good place to start.  You'll likely get more bang to buck out of the discharge fixtures versus LED too.  I'd also question the quantity/quality of the other lights you're using to fill such a stage (as in what else are you using besides your Slimpars, and how many do you have?).

I find it interesting that you quote stage sizes and not venue sizes.  What are you trying to achieve with these new fixtures?  Wash the stage, scan the crowd, fire beams into the air?  The reason I keep questioning venue size and desired effect is that understanding this is crucial to making sure the fixture packs enough power and "throw" to achieve what you're looking to do.  If you just want a little movement on stage, some Rogue R1 Washes or similar might be just fine.  That same light won't project a crisp tight beam 300ft! 

You also might want to take a hard look at what the 'average' venue you play is, and where you can best justify the expense (you still haven't given us a ballpark figure you're looking to invest).  I use a completely different inventory of equipment for smaller indoor shows versus larger outdoor ones.  Maybe buy what you need for indoors and rent what you need for outdoors?  Hope this helps!

Sorry...that was a typo... outdoors we do get on stages 30-35 feet wide. The max height we can take our back truss is 18 ft, which is the max for the lifts we use for the back. Up front can be as high as 20 ft, which is the max for the line array lifts we use. I set the truss across the forks of the lifts with the array hanging underneath. We typically rent Eventer 25's for these larger outdoor shows.

[Dave Batistig]

If you're honestly playing stages 235ft wide, outdoors, with rigging 20ft+ off the deck, then you need to be shopping for a whole other level of fixture.  Something along the lines of the Chauvet Rogue RH1 Hybrid might be a good place to start.  You'll likely get more bang to buck out of the discharge fixtures versus LED too.  I'd also question the quantity/quality of the other lights you're using to fill such a stage (as in what else are you using besides your Slimpars, and how many do you have?).

I find it interesting that you quote stage sizes and not venue sizes.  What are you trying to achieve with these new fixtures?  Wash the stage, scan the crowd, fire beams into the air?  The reason I keep questioning venue size and desired effect is that understanding this is crucial to making sure the fixture packs enough power and "throw" to achieve what you're looking to do.  If you just want a little movement on stage, some Rogue R1 Washes or similar might be just fine.  That same light won't project a crisp tight beam 300ft! 

You also might want to take a hard look at what the 'average' venue you play is, and where you can best justify the expense (you still haven't given us a ballpark figure you're looking to invest).  I use a completely different inventory of equipment for smaller indoor shows versus larger outdoor ones.  Maybe buy what you need for indoors and rent what you need for outdoors?  Hope this helps!

I thought I had addressed the venue sizes, art least indoors. I am not looking to scan the crowd out to 300 feet. We have 6 LED blinders on the front truss for outdoor shows, and they do what we are expecting from a "light up the crowd" aspect for the first 50 ft from the stage. We also use these blinders indoors, just fewer of them, when we are in a firehall or a reception hall with enough ceiling height to use the front truss. My intent with the movers is to add a new visual dimension to our show, not light up the crowd or scan the dancefloor. . There are 18 SlimPar Q12's on the back truss, 14 on the front plus 6 Colorado1's on the front. We are an 80s Tribute band, but we (my keyboard player and I) own a production company where we run community days type festivals, fundraisers, etc. We did a 6 band festival at the end of last summer as a fundraiser for 2 wounded Vet's organizations, using a Stageline SL50 stage. The front lights were at about 18.5 feet when hung from their truss. I would like to keep the budget under $1K per fixture. I was hoping one of the 90W LED movers would fit the bill. There are none anywhere near here to rent to try.

[Jeff Lelko]

Sorry...that was a typo...

Ah, that makes more sense then.  Something just wasn't adding up for me!  For the money, the 355z's will be hard to beat unless you either step up to the Rogue Series and settle with fewer but brighter fixtures for the same money or try your luck with Chinese no-name imports.  Of course for outdoor use, the brighter the better, but I'd wager the 355z would be a suitable compromise between output and applicability for the size of events you're playing.  It should also be a decent fit with the rest of your current system.  Good luck!

[Dave Batistig]

Ah, that makes more sense then.  Something just wasn't adding up for me!  For the money, the 355z's will be hard to beat unless you either step up to the Rogue Series and settle with fewer but brighter fixtures for the same money or try your luck with Chinese no-name imports.  Of course for outdoor use, the brighter the better, but I'd wager the 355z would be a suitable compromise between output and applicability for the size of events you're playing.  It should also be a decent fit with the rest of your current system.  Good luck!

Thanks Jeff....I think the 355z's might be the ticket. The Chinese "no-name" imports scare me. Granted, they are lower cost, but my experience with imports hasn't been good. I had a handful of the Colorado 1 knock offs from DaisyLight and when they quit, they quit. Unlike the Colorado 1, which has an actual fuse internal on the power supply board, the DaisyLight has this little capacitor that decides to give up the ghost and that's the end of that. It is a thru hole component, so I was able to fix them (all 4 I had did it) and sell them. For the money, they are a decent light, but reliability-wise I'll pass on the imports.

[Lyle Williams]

An issue with no name lights is the difficulty in getting an identical replacement in two years time.

[Michael Gorecki]

An issue with no name lights is the difficulty in getting an identical replacement in two years time.

That is an issue with lights from major manufacturers as well. It seems like Chauvet has been replacing fixtures every year for the last 5 years or so.


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[Caleb Dueck]

That is an issue with lights from major manufacturers as well. It seems like Chauvet has been replacing fixtures every year for the last 5 years or so.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What I was told regarding Chauvet is that the Chauvet DJ is pretty generic, just tweaked versions of the better Chinese mass-market stuff.  When the manufacturer stops making the model, Chauvet/Elation/Blizzard/etc have to drop it as well.  Hence the very short lifespans on the DJ side. 

The Pro models are contract manufactured, so they stick around longer.  They are more influenced by advances in LED technology than the simple monthly sales reports. 

[Jeff Lelko]

The transition to Chauvet DJ and Chauvet Professional has always bugged me.  I'm sure it made business sense to the powers at be, but I still don't particularly care for it.  At least American DJ and Elation are actually two separate brands despite really being the same company.  This also made a lot more sense back when the average ADJ light was around $200.  These days probably around a quarter of ADJ's lights sell at or above $1000, so there seems to be a bit of identity crisis over there.  For that kind of money I'd prefer a Martin or even Elation printed on the side.  The same goes for not wanting Chauvet "DJ" on any of my fixtures.

The one nice thing about the generic fixtures is that the high-wear items like belts and motors are usually pretty easy to track down, even if the fixture itself is discontinued (since said parts can usually be found in dozens of similar lights).  PCBs are a bit trickier as are structural components of the light, but at the same time, you saved money to begin with so hopefully you've turned a profit before items like those begin to fail. 

[duane massey]

What I do like about the Elation/ADJ model is that ADJ seems to benefit from the Elation products, as quite often ADJ will come out with a fixture utilizing some of the better features a year after an Elation product is released, even if that product has been scaled back a bit.
What I DON'T like is the reduction in the quality of customer service we now get, but that has been a major complaint from me throughout the industry for quite a while.

[ProSoundWeb Community]