Open to ideas....

[Imagine]

Evening all,

After lugging my rig upstairs again yesterday for a wedding (and lugging it out again at 1am)....I'm looking at a "simpler" setup with lighting.

At the moment, I'd usually use either a t-bar or equinox overhead kit with pars, a couple of Inno Pocketspots and a gobo projector.
I like the look of what some people are doing with sticking a Wizard on an upright each side of the booth - they're well and truly out of my budget though unfortunately, and really don't fancy messing around with bulbs which could blow mid show either.

So my question....is there anything similar to the Wizards, preferably LED, which will achieve a similar effect of filling the room with only a couple of units (plus a little uplighting), rather than lugging t-bars/overhead bars in and out every night?

Whatever I go for will obviously be backed up with either movers or Spherions on uplit podiums so it's not too basic.

Lasers are out of the question. I very rarely go anywhere that'll let me even take a hazer in the door let alone turn it on.

So my learned friends....open to suggestions :)

[Excalibur]

I think there are quite a few options. Simplest one is a Gigbar. All in one solution. Not quite as versatile or compact is a Powerbar. Thomann now appear to do a compact version, though. I'm happy enough to run with no more than that. Stick a cluster laser ( no need for smoke ) and/or a couple of 50w LED flowers on it, and you can fill any venue.

I think there's an LED Wizard type effect, but I'm not sure.

One I fancy immensely is the latest Swarm. I'm told the programming isn't as good as a Gigbar, but they're half the price.

More if they spring to mind.

[Imagine]

I own a brace of Gigbars, mad fool that I am. The problem I find is that they're not really bright enough and it's lots of "dots" rather than something like gobos going across the floor (something I like about the Martins and the Inno Pocket Spots).

I also own a pair of Swarm 5 FX's, maybe I just need to look a little further into the programming side of them but again I've not found them to be that bright, although to be honest they sit in my storage unit alongside my Domin8r which itself has only had two trips out.

I've got to pop up to the unit tomorrow to tidy up after yesterday's 18hr shift (didn't fancy doing it at 2:30 this morning), so may bring those home and have a play - I've got a kid's/teens party on Wednesday night so suppose I could re-try those to see if I can achieve a similar effect and take the gig bars for backup.

[Nakatomi]

I'd be interested to know if there's anything remotely like the Martin Wizard in LED too. I've yet to see any LED projector effect with as wide a throw as halogen based effects over a short distance. An ACME Mirrage or Cheetah - both of which I've witnessed in action many times at one of my old walkin venues (and indeed my own Equinox LED Power Flower) can go big & be bright enough but they need a long distance to be anything like room filling.

The awful dotty Revo style gear on the other hand have very wide angle lenses & can spread much further - but the problem with those is dots (ugh!).

Maybe an ADJ Inno Roll would be a good bet.. They're a fair bit cheaper than even 2nd hand Wizards while being less than half the weight.

I've not seen an ACME Dynamic 25 Roller Barrel in action though.. maybe 2 of those would be up to snuff..

[Imagine]

I've just looked at the Cheetahs based on a thread Peter posted earlier. 50 watt LEDS sound impressive and they're gobo based as well, so a possibility (they're in budget too!). I like the ACME stuff - I own an ImpossiLED (yes...dot's on the floor but it just WORKS), and to be honest....it's impressive with the throw.

I recently did a freebie for the Scouts on my way home from a gig...from 2am to 4am (it's only an hour a week you sign up to when you're a Scout leader!) on the beach of a local disused sand quarry. The power supply wasn't huge, so I stuck the ImpossiLED on a pole and was blown away by the coverage of the thing. I was really impressed. But....it's "dots" on the floor.

Inno Rolls - haven't really looked at...off to YouTube now :)

Maybe I'm just being snobbish and fussy. Personally I don't like dots, but I've never had a complaint about lighting.

As I said in my reply to Peter, I own a brace of Swarms and I'll bring those home tomorrow for a play and then take those out on Wednesday for the teenage party (not a NaD gig so not too fussed about feedback) and report back (hopefully with photos/videos if I'm allowed to do such things). Seeing as I'm being asked to play Sex on Fire (again!!!! for a kids party!!!????), I don't think it's going to be too much of an issue ;)

***edit***

Having now looked at the Inno Rolls - they seem to be exactly what I'm after!
50w LED, gobo, colour wheel.....hmmmm!

Anyone got any experience of these in a real world gig?

[yourdj]

Tobys default response :p

I have a lighting system that gets stored in a large case pre assembled. its wireless DMX and only has one power cable to plug in.
I am going to change the dots to wireless pars (gets rid of the receiver box and puts the sender up high in the room) soon.
The case is not too hard to carry up stairs, but you can put it in a padded bag?

17331
17332

[Excalibur]

With respect Toby, we know the units light up, that's what they do. The crux of this discussion is what is available without dots? I'm guessing that your rig produces dots, and is thus immediately disbarred. That's why piccies of the floor/walls would be more helpful.

If I'm wrong, I apologise in advance.


Cased inno rolls. (http://www.forum.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?42407-Pr-ADJ-Inno-Rolls-and-custom-made-SwanFlight-Case) from one of our own, don't know if they're still available, and Dave Jackson ( DJDJ ) had some Acme samuraI also, which I believe are not dissimilar.

[Andy P]

Ill second the full size inno rolls, no spots, good power and get about the room and can be mounted on poles very easy - I use the pockets myself and they are fine for smaller gigs.

[DJIanScott]

Cased inno rolls. (http://www.forum.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?42407-Pr-ADJ-Inno-Rolls-and-custom-made-SwanFlight-Case) from one of our own, don't know if they're still available

Yep, still available!!!

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I got some https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W1iWCt4aQ8 recently (Equinox Power Flower) and they are a nice small, LED unit that doesn't produce dots and can be controlled with speed settings and nice gobos for a first dance.

[DJColsie]

I have just ordered 2 of these, they are cheaper elsewhere,

https://www.djkit.com/american-dj/american-dj-inno-pocket-spot-twins.html

I love the effect of have 4 heads from one T bar pole, as in the video's on Youtube.

[Nakatomi]

I got some https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W1iWCt4aQ8 recently (Equinox Power Flower) and they are a nice small, LED unit that doesn't produce dots and can be controlled with speed settings and nice gobos for a first dance.

They need a good distance to get their effect any size though. I've got one. Coverage is about a quarter of that made by a dotty Revo :( I'm going to add another though..

[Benny Smyth]

Whatever I go for will obviously be backed up with either movers or Spherions on uplit podiums so it's not too basic.

If it's going to be backed up by the above, why not just use them instead of adding to it? Having seen the plinth combination you use, I'd be happy to have that at any event I'd book you for. If you're going to use them, I really don't think that you need to add to it. :)

[Nakatomi]

I think my next purchase might well be 2 of these: Higher output (on paper) than the ADJ pocket roll, and separate gobo & colour wheels.. for about the same money.

http://www.whybuynew.co.uk/lighting-effects/scanners-/dynamic-25-barrel.htm

[funkymook]

If it's going to be backed up by the above, why not just use them instead of adding to it? Having seen the plinth combination you use, I'd be happy to have that at any event I'd book you for. If you're going to use them, I really don't think that you need to add to it. :)

A pair of spherions and a parbar of some sort is a simple and classy look, especially for weddings. (I always get a ‘oooh’ when I turn on the spherions for the first dance).

But the Cheetahs are good as well, here’s a picture of a pair in action on white open gobo on slow rotate (which is my first dance scene with them).

17333

The spread isn’t great so they aren’t really a room filler, they’ll just cover the dancefloor. I use mine with a 6ch battery powered DMX controller, they can be a bit manic on s2l.

[Excalibur]

Having seen the plinth combination you use, I'd be happy to have that at any event I'd book you for.
Well yes, but do huge chunks of plinth go upstairs easily? I thought portability/lightness was the main issue.:confused:




But the Cheetahs are good as well, here’s a picture of a pair in action on white open gobo on slow rotate (which is my first dance scene with them).

The spread isn’t great so they aren’t really a room filler, they’ll just cover the dancefloor. I use mine with a 6ch battery powered DMX controller, they can be a bit manic on s2l.
Well, well, well. Great minds and all that. Snap. :)

Re filling a room, I don't want them to do that, they're for the dancefloor only. The Powerbar is to light the room, with a cluster laser if I want effects.

[Benny Smyth]

Well yes, but do huge chunks of plinth go upstairs easily? I thought portability/lightness was the main issue.:confused:

But if he is going to use them to back up whatever else he uses, then there is no issue as he'll be bringing them anyway. :confused: (At least, my interpretation of what was said was that the plinths will be used in addition to whichever new lighting will be suggested)

On top of that, I don't think plinths are any more difficult to carry upstairs than anything else.

[Imagine]

Blimey - have a day away from the interwobble and it goes mad :)

Thanks for the advice so far - lots of ideas there to work with.

Peter - chunks of aluminium truss aren't a problem - in fact they're the least of my worries ;)
Benny - yes the plinth setup works well (although I only tend to use the front ones lately....the back ones need a damned good t-cutting at the moment). It does give off a lot of light, but just feels like I'm missing something out on the floor. I'm from a generation that's used to LOTS of flashing lights, but at the same time, I'm trying to move away from tacky dots if that makes sense (although nobody's ever complained to me about dots yet).

I like the look of the Cheetahs, and the InnoRolls even better just to get something out on the dance floor that isn't quite as tacky as the ImpossiLED/Domin8r/Dualize effects if that makes sense. I like my InnoPocket Spots, but ideally they need to be hung from something to get onto the floor, otherwise they're just making pretty patterns on the ceiling. It's either that or they sit on the floor and get kicked by the punters.

Ideally, I'd like to come away from overhead/t-bars in favour of a pair of something just on the uprights that come with the Equinox overhead kit which is why I was looking for a Wizard alternative...

As for the Acme rollers - they're only 25 watts, whereas the InnoRolls are 50 watts, so probably a better investment long term.

Lots to ponder. Next wedding isn't until 8th August (just a teeny party on Wednesday then I'm off on my jollies), so a little time to consider the options over a few beers on the patio of the lodge I'm in next week :)

[yourdj]

With respect Toby, we know the units light up, that's what they do. The crux of this discussion is what is available without dots? I'm guessing that your rig produces dots, and is thus immediately disbarred. That's why piccies of the floor/walls would be more helpful.

If I'm wrong, I apologise in advance.


Cased inno rolls. (http://www.forum.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?42407-Pr-ADJ-Inno-Rolls-and-custom-made-SwanFlight-Case) from one of our own, don't know if they're still available, and Dave Jackson ( DJDJ ) had some Acme samuraI also, which I believe are not dissimilar.

As per the post I said I am changing the dots to washes. The other lights are like triphases. :)

[Excalibur]

As per the post I said I am changing the dots to washes. The other lights are like triphases. :)
Do Triphases have gobos? I'm fairly sure that was a stipulation of the OP, hence why everyone else is suggesting lightweight, high power LED Goboflowers and the like.

I don't regard posting a picture of a rig that isn't what was asked for, and saying " but I'm changing bits of it to something as yet unknown " as helpful.

[Nakatomi]

Blimey - have a day away from the interwobble and it goes mad :)

Thanks for the advice so far - lots of ideas there to work with.

Peter - chunks of aluminium truss aren't a problem - in fact they're the least of my worries ;)
Benny - yes the plinth setup works well (although I only tend to use the front ones lately....the back ones need a damned good t-cutting at the moment). It does give off a lot of light, but just feels like I'm missing something out on the floor. I'm from a generation that's used to LOTS of flashing lights, but at the same time, I'm trying to move away from tacky dots if that makes sense (although nobody's ever complained to me about dots yet).

I like the look of the Cheetahs, and the InnoRolls even better just to get something out on the dance floor that isn't quite as tacky as the ImpossiLED/Domin8r/Dualize effects if that makes sense. I like my InnoPocket Spots, but ideally they need to be hung from something to get onto the floor, otherwise they're just making pretty patterns on the ceiling. It's either that or they sit on the floor and get kicked by the punters.

Ideally, I'd like to come away from overhead/t-bars in favour of a pair of something just on the uprights that come with the Equinox overhead kit which is why I was looking for a Wizard alternative...

As for the Acme rollers - they're only 25 watts, whereas the InnoRolls are 50 watts, so probably a better investment long term.

Lots to ponder. Next wedding isn't until 8th August (just a teeny party on Wednesday then I'm off on my jollies), so a little time to consider the options over a few beers on the patio of the lodge I'm in next week :)

I've vowed to NEVER use anything dotty like a Revo. I hate them with a passion. They look cheap & tacky and aren't especially well built (you should see what holds the lens in a Revo3.. next to nowt!) & just do my head in. Now if they had another form of animation than just switching banks of LEDs on & off, we could talk about it.. but ... nah.

[Imagine]

I've vowed to NEVER use anything dotty like a Revo. I hate them with a passion. They look cheap & tacky and aren't especially well built (you should see what holds the lens in a Revo3.. next to nowt!) & just do my head in. Now if they had another form of animation than just switching banks of LEDs on & off, we could talk about it.. but ... nah.

I know what holds the lens into my ImpossiLED - Superglue!
I got fed up with taking the damned thing to bits every time I went out with it and bending the tiny clips back into position.:daft:

[yourdj]

I know what holds the lens into my ImpossiLED - Superglue!
I got fed up with taking the damned thing to bits every time I went out with it and bending the tiny clips back into position.:daft:

I was doing that on Saturday with my smaller versions. the metal bits are all still fine, but some decent strips of gaffe did the trick.

[yourdj]

Well yes, but do huge chunks of plinth go upstairs easily? I thought portability/lightness was the main issue.:confused:


Well, well, well. Great minds and all that. Snap. :)

Re filling a room, I don't want them to do that, they're for the dancefloor only. The Powerbar is to light the room, with a cluster laser if I want effects.

Sorry, must have misread it. I saw 'simpler rig' and thought that would help. Apologies.