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[Michael Gorecki]

Hey guys, I'm in the process of upgrading my lighting rig. I've owned and used the SlimPar Pro lights before and for the price I like the lights (mainly the housing). My main concern right now is choosing between the Hex and Quad fixtures. I offer full production services but we specialize in audio. When I need to do a larger show I rent additional lighting and hire an LD. I would like to purchase something that is still usable even though any real LD will balk at them, but my primary work is local city, blues jazz festivals. Sometimes we build a goal post in front of the stage and fly the PA and lights from it, or we'll do lights on tripods, or I'll rent Lekos and use the LED's as stage wash. Most of the smaller stages are 16x24. I've attached little bits of info about the two lights in question and I've already talked with a couple people. I'm merely looking for more opinions on these lights and possible suggestions on other lights, but for the money I don't think I can beat the build quality.

Quad (RGBA)
 Beam Angle:16°
 Field Angle: 31°
 Illuminance: 5,690 lux @ 2 m

Hex (RGBAW+UV)
Beam Angle:24°
 Field Angle: 41°
 Illuminance: 3,218 lux @ 2 m



Thanks in advance for any info.

Mike

[TJ (Tom) Cornish]

Hey guys, I'm in the process of upgrading my lighting rig. I've owned and used the SlimPar Pro lights before and for the price I like the lights (mainly the housing). My main concern right now is choosing between the Hex and Quad fixtures. I offer full production services but we specialize in audio. When I need to do a larger show I rent additional lighting and hire an LD. I would like to purchase something that is still usable even though any real LD will balk at them, but my primary work is local city, blues jazz festivals. Sometimes we build a goal post in front of the stage and fly the PA and lights from it, or we'll do lights on tripods, or I'll rent Lekos and use the LED's as stage wash. Most of the smaller stages are 16x24. I've attached little bits of info about the two lights in question and I've already talked with a couple people. I'm merely looking for more opinions on these lights and possible suggestions on other lights, but for the money I don't think I can beat the build quality.

Quad (RGBA)
 Beam Angle:16°
 Field Angle: 31°
 Illuminance: 5,690 lux @ 2 m

Hex (RGBAW+UV)
Beam Angle:24°
 Field Angle: 41°
 Illuminance: 3,218 lux @ 2 m



Thanks in advance for any info.

Mike

I own/use a bunch of SlimParPro RGBA fixtures and like you I have gotten a lot of mileage out of them for the money.  I looked at the Colordash quad and hex fixtures which are a little bit upmarket of the SlimParPros, but the same general technology. 

The Hex is going to have a wider color gamut than the quad, and the W emitter will help make natural whites compared to the RGBA.  For smaller stages, the wider beam angle of the Hex may allow you to get enough light with fewer fixtures.  The down side is more control channels to use all of those colors, and not all boards can handle color mixing of fixtures like that.

For what it's worth, I ended up talking myself into the Colordashes since they were only slightly more expensive than the SlimPar Pros; immediately followed by talking myself into the Rogue R1 moving wash lights which were only slightly more expensive than the static Colordash pars; immediately followed by talking myself into the Rogue R2 moving wash lights which were only slightly more expensive than the Rogue R1 moving wash lights.

I'm very happy with them, but they are 3 "slightly's" more expensive than what you're looking at. 

[jason misterka]

Mike  -

Like you we have small lights and hire a lighting company for anything more than a general stage wash.

We had 8 SlimPar Pro RGBA which I liked well enough but we switched to an IP65 Blizzard WW-COB fixture. Rain proof was a big deal to me, and two of our SlimPars were damaged that way.

Also the Blizzards do only white but it is a great looking white, unlike the SlimPars.  I use the SlimPars now primarily upstage as decor or uplighting for corporate events.

The  Blizzard lights are also extremely bright and much wider so you can probably  get away with using 4 or 6 instead of 8 on a smaller stage.

Lastly, arent the SlimPars discontinued? At least that is what I was told. I still found some new on Ebay recently.

Jason

[TJ (Tom) Cornish]

Mike  -

Like you we have small lights and hire a lighting company for anything more than a general stage wash.

We had 8 SlimPar Pro RGBA which I liked well enough but we switched to an IP65 Blizzard WW-COB fixture. Rain proof was a big deal to me, and two of our SlimPars were damaged that way.

Also the Blizzards do only white but it is a great looking white, unlike the SlimPars.  I use the SlimPars now primarily upstage as decor or uplighting for corporate events.

The  Blizzard lights are also extremely bright and much wider so you can probably  get away with using 4 or 6 instead of 8 on a smaller stage.

Lastly, arent the SlimPars discontinued? At least that is what I was told. I still found some new on Ebay recently.

Jason

The SlimPar Pro RGBAs are discontinued, but there are new generation products.

[Michael Gorecki]

I own/use a bunch of SlimParPro RGBA fixtures and like you I have gotten a lot of mileage out of them for the money.  I looked at the Colordash quad and hex fixtures which are a little bit upmarket of the SlimParPros, but the same general technology. 

The Hex is going to have a wider color gamut than the quad, and the W emitter will help make natural whites compared to the RGBA.  For smaller stages, the wider beam angle of the Hex may allow you to get enough light with fewer fixtures.  The down side is more control channels to use all of those colors, and not all boards can handle color mixing of fixtures like that.

For what it's worth, I ended up talking myself into the Colordashes since they were only slightly more expensive than the SlimPar Pros; immediately followed by talking myself into the Rogue R1 moving wash lights which were only slightly more expensive than the static Colordash pars; immediately followed by talking myself into the Rogue R2 moving wash lights which were only slightly more expensive than the Rogue R1 moving wash lights.

I'm very happy with them, but they are 3 "slightly's" more expensive than what you're looking at. 

I just sold my SlimPar Pro W fixtures. I really liked having the white but my clients didn't care at all. So instead of buying more I've decided to sell everything and buy 16 of the same fixture. I talked with a couple people from Chauvet about the color dash lights and they couldn't sell me on the difference. They said the new SlimPar pro fixtures were designed more as a pro fixture than a Dj fixture.

I think I'm leaning towards the hex because of the wider angle and the fact that most of my gigs the lights are closer to the stage. I just don't want to waste the money on the W and UV bulbs if I'm never going to use them.

For the record Tom that's how I ended up here. I own a Chinese version of the SlimPar and I just sold my slim par Tri 12's to free up some money and case space to purchase the SlimPar pros.

Ive been saving money for movers but I think that's all going to a 30 channel distro at this point. No sense in wasting it on DJ level fixtures when I still have real gear I need to buy.

[Jeff Lelko]

This is another one of those "it depends" answers, and I totally understand where you're at with this.  I'm also casually in the market for a few dozen of latest-generation LED Pars and it really comes down to what you want out of the lights and what you want to pay.  Quantity versus quality!  Also, I'm an LD and would definitely not balk at using SlimPars so long as they're used within their given scope of application.  They're very hard to beat for the price.

So as far as the colors go (Hex versus Quad), you can't deny that the more discrete colors you have, the more mixing options you get.  As you point out though - are they the right discrete colors?  The UV is really a wildcard.  Very neat if your designs call for some more exotic colors but generally a waste if you're just going to mix soft facial light. 

Now here's where it gets interesting, and this is what I believe your question is getting at...  Is it worth getting the SlimPar Pro Hex and having 6 in 1 LEDs, or instead getting RGBW or RGBA fixtures that have a lot more horsepower - something such as the Chauvet Colorado Solo or Elation Fuze Series.  That's a tougher question, and one that I still need to answer for my own investment. 

You can't beat the price for the SlimPars, but at the same time if you don't need the precise color mixing, consistency, and beam control of an ETC Source 4 LED than you'd be paying good money for things you won't use.  It's really a balance!  I'm hoping to visit the Elation and Chauvet showrooms in the next few months to see side by side a Hex LED Par compared to a higher output COB Par.  I get what TJ is saying too about always being able to go "another slight step up".  At the same time, if all you're going to do is blast primary colors on a wall while a cover band is struggling to get through a song, you'd be wasting money to get something beyond a basic reliable fixture.   

Water resistance is another interesting point to consider.  I'm on the fence with this too.  Technically for outdoor use they should be IP65, but the question comes up as to how necessary that is.  For permanent unattended installation - mandatory.  However, per this article, apparently these lights are good enough to be used outdoors for American Ninja Warrior.  I don't believe any fixtures on that inventory list are IP65.  So...I guess it depends on how much you're willing to gamble!  Good luck!

[Michael Gorecki]

This is another one of those "it depends" answers, and I totally understand where you're at with this.  I'm also casually in the market for a few dozen of latest-generation LED Pars and it really comes down to what you want out of the lights and what you want to pay.  Quantity versus quality!  Also, I'm an LD and would definitely not balk at using SlimPars so long as they're used within their given scope of application.  They're very hard to beat for the price.

So as far as the colors go (Hex versus Quad), you can't deny that the more discrete colors you have, the more mixing options you get.  As you point out though - are they the right discrete colors?  The UV is really a wildcard.  Very neat if your designs call for some more exotic colors but generally a waste if you're just going to mix soft facial light. 

Now here's where it gets interesting, and this is what I believe your question is getting at...  Is it worth getting the SlimPar Pro Hex and having 6 in 1 LEDs, or instead getting RGBW or RGBA fixtures that have a lot more horsepower - something such as the Chauvet Colorado Solo or Elation Fuze Series.  That's a tougher question, and one that I still need to answer for my own investment. 

You can't beat the price for the SlimPars, but at the same time if you don't need the precise color mixing, consistency, and beam control of an ETC Source 4 LED than you'd be paying good money for things you won't use.  It's really a balance!  I'm hoping to visit the Elation and Chauvet showrooms in the next few months to see side by side a Hex LED Par compared to a higher output COB Par.  I get what TJ is saying too about always being able to go "another slight step up".  At the same time, if all you're going to do is blast primary colors on a wall while a cover band is struggling to get through a song, you'd be wasting money to get something beyond a basic reliable fixture.   

Water resistance is another interesting point to consider.  I'm on the fence with this too.  Technically for outdoor use they should be IP65, but the question comes up as to how necessary that is.  For permanent unattended installation - mandatory.  However, per this article, apparently these lights are good enough to be used outdoors for American Ninja Warrior.  I don't believe any fixtures on that inventory list are IP65.  So...I guess it depends on how much you're willing to gamble!  Good luck!

Jeff you really hit the nail on the head with this post. Literally everything that you're saying has been a thought in my mind. I've got access to a demo of most of the Chauvet lights so I'll be going next week to check some of those out. I'm hoping that it's a no brainer after switching them on.
 Since my original post I've heard that the UV section isn't really worth it's weight in the SPP H. When trying to blend the UV with other colors the rest of the colors are over powering. Which reduces the overall output even more than the SPP Q to gain that larger color palette. It's making the quad look much better, but everything could change once I see those lights in person.


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[Michael Thompson]

Hey guys, I'm in the process of upgrading my lighting rig. I've owned and used the SlimPar Pro lights before and for the price I like the lights (mainly the housing). My main concern right now is choosing between the Hex and Quad fixtures. I offer full production services but we specialize in audio. When I need to do a larger show I rent additional lighting and hire an LD. I would like to purchase something that is still usable even though any real LD will balk at them, but my primary work is local city, blues jazz festivals. Sometimes we build a goal post in front of the stage and fly the PA and lights from it, or we'll do lights on tripods, or I'll rent Lekos and use the LED's as stage wash. Most of the smaller stages are 16x24. I've attached little bits of info about the two lights in question and I've already talked with a couple people. I'm merely looking for more opinions on these lights and possible suggestions on other lights, but for the money I don't think I can beat the build quality.

Quad (RGBA)
 Beam Angle:16°
 Field Angle: 31°
 Illuminance: 5,690 lux @ 2 m

Hex (RGBAW+UV)
Beam Angle:24°
 Field Angle: 41°
 Illuminance: 3,218 lux @ 2 m



Thanks in advance for any info.

Mike

I was in a similar situation, but recently went with the SlimPar Pro H USB.  The added flexibility of HEX has been great so far.  I'm usually not going for "beams" of light so the wider angle works well for me.  They still make great up lights. The Hex has allowed me to do any color the client wants (ambers and pastels...no problem).  The yoke design is way nicer then anything else I've seen at the price point.  I'm really glad I didn't go RGBA.

[Jeff Lelko]

Jeff you really hit the nail on the head with this post. Literally everything that you're saying has been a thought in my mind. I've got access to a demo of most of the Chauvet lights so I'll be going next week to check some of those out. I'm hoping that it's a no brainer after switching them on.
 Since my original post I've heard that the UV section isn't really worth it's weight in the SPP H. When trying to blend the UV with other colors the rest of the colors are over powering. Which reduces the overall output even more than the SPP Q to gain that larger color palette. It's making the quad look much better, but everything could change once I see those lights in person.

Great!  Once in a while I say something useful...  But yes, I'm going through the same thing albeit at a possibly slower pace.  Like you, I also have other investments on the table for consideration this year and with how quickly these units are still evolving I've been trying to put the purchase off as long as I can too.  Please follow up with how your demo goes!

I'm not sure if the argument that adding more colors takes away from the others is always valid though.  Some colors might mask others from a visual standpoint, but I don't think there's a set wattage that must be divided to all the colors present.  Similar to sound but for different reasons, wattage isn't a definite indicator of output nor is it always an apples to apples comparison when trading off units.  Some will say 10w RGBAW LEDs, others 12w RGBAW+UV LEDs...  It really depends. There's also no guarantee that the LEDs will be driven to their full output capability (to help prolong fixture life and minimize failures).  A better way is to predict performance is to look at the photometrics when available.  Even still, it can be hard to compare since beam/field angle plays a big part in this. 

As an example, the Elation SIXPAR 300 has a similar illuminance as the Fuze Par Z60, though that's comparing a 15 degree beam to a 7 degree beam.  So...despite the homogeneous beam and even field from the Z60, I'd expect the SIXPAR to be an overall brighter fixture despite the fact it's output won't be as even.  However...those numbers are with all colors at full.  If you only need white with a bit of red and green, it's quite possible that the Z60 will overtake the SIXPAR.  That said, the illuminance also really deteriorates with any of these COB fixtures as the beam angle widens.  It really all comes down to what you intend to use the fixtures for.  The SIXPARs might also be an option for you if you haven't checked them out already.  Having that demo will be by far the most valuable experience to you though.

At least in my case, it's whether or not I want these lights to be FOH friendly.  If I just need uplights, eye candy, generic-use units that might see front fill application on small shows, than in my opinion it's hard to justify more than the SlimPar Pro or SIXPAR-level fixtures...MAYBE Fuze or Colorado Solo Series, but that's pushing it.  If I want an LED unit that can replace my 1kw Par 64s and 700w CMY movers on front fill duty, we're at a whole new level of fixture now and I'd better be ready to pay for that.     

I know that being a professional we want to use the higher level gear, but at the same time more than likely no one will know/care/appreciate you bringing Broadway-class fixtures to their event nor would they be willing to pay the price to justify those.  I have yet to see an eye candy pixel grid built with ETC Source 4 LEDs, and even then, it'd be a complete waste of the fixtures!  In my case what I'll probably end up doing is splitting the difference - get a few dozen of the lower end LEDs for generic use and run my halogen/discharge rig a little longer while the upper end of LED fixtures gets better and cheaper.  It's hard to say though, but hopefully this helps add food for thought with your purchase!

[Steve Garris]

This has been a good thread for me. I've been searching for a low cost (150ish) light, for speaker mounting as a front wash. I want about a 30 deg beam angle, and it must have amber. I like the look of the COB's, but the ones with amber are expensive.

After looking at all of these lights I stumbled across the ADJ Hex 5. A 30 deg beam, with RBGAWU, for $135 (B stock). Probably not the brightest in this style, but I don't need it to be.

[ProSoundWeb Community]