What's Your Favourite Light Ever?

[East Anglian Discos]

During lockdown I've been reflecting over my 37 years of DJing which where my favourite DJ lights.

I've decided that 2 were particularly good.

My favourite was the Abstract Extreme XP 5 Pro. These were virtually the same as the Mad Powerflower but with slightly different colours & gobos. I think the XP 5 Pro was fairly rare compared to the popular Powerflower. Total room filler, but these were 14kg from memory!

The other would be the Constella Pro-Twin. This was similar to the Abstract Twin FX, a twin lens moonflower (no Gobos) but I thought it was better and built like a tank. It was cheap at £150 and I used it for 14 years, and changed the 250w bulb only once. Gave me great reliable service, super vibrant colours, and excellent spread of light.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

I've never been one for hoarding flashy shiny boxes but I loved my ADJ Jelly Domes.

Amazing how simple but great they could look with a bit of DMXing, I'd still be using them but one went on the blink and they appear to be discontinued.

[Pe7e]

My favorite set up from when I was still going out regularly was (Martin) 4 x MX4's + 2 x Acrobats with a single Synchrozap in the middle, unfortunately it weighed a ton, and needed trilite trussing a power-drive tripods to get it up in the air safely. Thank goodness for LED lighting.

[ppentertainments]

Acme Firebird for me - still use one for backup and certain events - think it is about 14 years old now and still as good as the day I bought it.

Most missed lights, if not for the weight would have to be the Datamoons - such a simple yet brilliant controller and great light, just a shame they were so heavy

[Nakatomi]

Effects wise - for me it'd have to be the Optikinetics Solar 250 projector clone I had. By far the most versatile bit of kit I've ever owned. Yeah so it relied on loads of different stuff being shoved into it or onto the front of it but that's what gave it its versatility. The first 'modern' light I ever bought was a Twister 1 back in 1992 & it still worked last time I checked on it. I gigged it hundreds of times & although it's got a bit rusty over the years (I wouldn't dream of taking it out!) the original lamp is still going.

Anything else though, give me wash lighting before any other fixture. You ain't got wash, you ain't got nowt!

[DJ Jules]

I've never been one for hoarding flashy shiny boxes but I loved my ADJ Jelly Domes.

Amazing how simple but great they could look with a bit of DMXing, I'd still be using them but one went on the blink and they appear to be discontinued.

Still got mine and still using them alongside other fixtures :D ADJ sold them for about 2 years before they discontinued them, but they show up on eBay every now and then for peanuts. I keep meaning to buy a pair to use as spares, if they broke I'd be forced down the derby/shard route :(

Back to the OP - I've always been in awe of the Martin Acrobat's. I didn't own one, but I used to work in a club that had a pair and they were basically a compact version of the wizard (they had a 250w halogen lamp, combined colour/gobo wheel, reflector dish and barrel in a scanner/barrel size box).

[East Anglian Discos]

My favorite set up from when I was still going out regularly was (Martin) 4 x MX4's + 2 x Acrobats with a single Synchrozap in the middle, unfortunately it weighed a ton, and needed trilite trussing a power-drive tripods to get it up in the air safely. Thank goodness for LED lighting.

I really liked the look of the Martin Acrobats & Synchrozap but never owned one.

I saw a new Acrobat on Ebay for over £400 :daft:

[Pe7e]

I really liked the look of the Martin Acrobats & Synchrozap but never owned one.

I saw a new Acrobat on Ebay for over £400 :daft:

I've still got the Acrobats, MX4's and the later Martin Mania version of the Synchrozap, I can't bare to part with them.

[East Anglian Discos]

I've still got the Acrobats, MX4's and the later Martin Mania version of the Synchrozap, I can't bare to part with them.

Was the Martin Mania version of the Synchrozap the EFX 800?

[Excalibur]

My favourite light, although it was effing heavy, and could eat lamps, cost me £300 way back when. It was a moonflower, which swung the flowers sided to side, and rotated them as they went. Real room filler.

And on the opposite side of the cost spectrum, the good old Vasto. 50w of cheap moonflower, but mine were indestructible, outlasting Martin Twister 1s.

[Pe7e]

Was the Martin Mania version of the Synchrozap the EFX 800?

Yes that's the one, I also still have a pair of EFX 600's which is the discharge lamp version of the very popular EFX 500, a sort of halfway house between the Acrobat and the Wizard. I forgot to mention earlier another favorite was the Martin EGO X3 I think, (but could have been the X5) it had a kaleidoscope effect, great for creating a backdrop at kids parties

[East Anglian Discos]

Yes that's the one, I also still have a pair of EFX 600's which is the discharge lamp version of the very popular EFX 500, a sort of halfway house between the Acrobat and the Wizard. I forgot to mention earlier another favorite was the Martin EGO X3 I think, (but could have been the X5) it had a kaleidoscope effect, great for creating a backdrop at kids parties

I never owned an EXF 800. I had have a pair of the EFX 700's which were the Moonflowers. They were great but really heavy.

I also had a pair of the EGO 3's which were the kaleidoscope effect and I agree they were great. They weren't DMX but you could link them together and control their speed through a basic Martin hand held controller.

[stormproductions]

Just to clarify to start with that I predominantly do lighting now and have got daft amounts of kit for one person. I've got lots of lights that are technically better than some of these, but as for favourites, read on...

No way can I remember all the fixtures I've had but the stand out favourite has to be Clay Paky Goldenscan HPEs. I'd been in awe of them for many years of clubbing and raving through the 90s, when I finally bought a set of 4 for spares/repair. Inevitably once I got them home and started going through them they were extremely knackered having had very hard lives, and I basically got 2 going but not 100% reliably so never actually used them on a gig.

As for lights I've actually owned and used(!), it might have to be the Martin Sweeper. Big investment for me at the time, and seemed so modern compared to anything else I had. Although of course I'll always have a soft spot for the 4 Martin Pro218 Mk2s I bought brand new in 1997, my first 'grown up' lights. I spent a night or 2 in hospital because of them, I basically gave myself temporary amnesia when I programmed some really weird effects into them at home! Oh, but then there were the Starlite Mk5s, massive heavy moving heads with 1200w discharge lamps, seriously loaded with effects and so close to being superb, but never reliable enough.

And for lights I currently own and use, I think my favourite just has to be the 1m mirror ball, always a joy to use and makes a real centrepiece to an event.

(Oh, and I've got 6 Synchrozaps sitting around if anyone wants any for nostalgia!)

[mattydj50]

The first lights I bought in my latest reincarnation were a pair of Martin T-Rex which I loved as they were different to anything I had come across before. I had inherited Chameleons which, like Peter's antiques, weighed a ton and ate bulbs.

Back in the day, when Jesus was a lad, I remember buying a Solar 100 projector (couldn't afford a 250) and a selection of effect cassettes. I thought I was "it" for a while. I later got a 250 clone which kept me going for the next 10 years.

[Imagine]

I'm going to put my rose-tinted spectacles on now. Not because it's a light of yesteryear (although it very much is), but because it's in the "now" for me (or was until 12 weeks ago), and I own it :)

It's not flashy (well, it does flash), it's certainly not modern (it uses incandescent lamps) and it runs very hot, and it doesn't do anything clever....or does it?

Ladeeees and germs - my favourite ever fixture is the Infinity Tunnel/Time Tunnel or whatever you want to call it these days.

It's simple, it's effective, it gets drunken punters in a real tizzy as to how the effect actually works, and I absolutely LOVE it.

Roll on when I can lug that particular 4 stone unit back into a venue. I'll never ever moan about the weight of it again - I promise :)

[Excalibur]

Roll on when I can lug that particular 4 stone unit back into a venue. I'll never ever moan about the weight of it again - I promise :)

:fp:


The award for the heaviest and most awkward DJ Lighting Effect, goes to the good old Time Tunnel.

[rth_discos]

I sold these because I wanted a smaller and lighter setup, but miss them at every gig:

The Chauvet 305 irc Barrel

One of the few lights that's manages to combine decent light output, coverage and movement in one unit (although you need two).

[Excalibur]

I sold these because I wanted a smaller and lighter setup, but miss them at every gig:

The Chauvet 305 irc Barrel

One of the few lights that's manages to combine decent light output, coverage and movement in one unit (although you need two).

And the light which you recommended I get, when I was asking for advice. You were right to advise it, but that's reminded me of what I bought before I decided you were right. ( Although I got Scanners).

The Crossfire XP is an unbelievably bright machine, very compact, and great for older crowds, as it can be tamed quite nicely with DMX. However, the light which I have to give the accolade of best/most versatile light ever ( ignoring various flavours of Powerbars) would be the Hadron 4-in1 lights, with strobe, derby, laser and wash. Lots of wash. ( It's a poor man's Chauvet Swarm Wash, not to be confused with Swarm 5s).

[Nakatomi]

Time tunnel - is that the thing that's essentially just an infinity screen but rather than the mirror being in a fixed position it wiggles around, by way of a motorised cam? ;)

[East Anglian Discos]

And the light which you recommended I get, when I was asking for advice. You were right to advise it, but that's reminded me of what I bought before I decided you were right. ( Although I got Scanners).

The Crossfire XP is an unbelievably bright machine, very compact, and great for older crowds, as it can be tamed quite nicely with DMX. However, the light which I have to give the accolade of best/most versatile light ever ( ignoring various flavours of Powerbars) would be the Hadron 4-in1 lights, with strobe, derby, laser and wash. Lots of wash. ( It's a poor man's Chauvet Swarm Wash, not to be confused with Swarm 5s).

Chauvet Wash FX is a fine light.

[mattydj50]

Chauvet Wash FX is a fine light.

Tis indeed. DMXing the bloody thing took hours though!

[Excalibur]

Tis indeed. DMXing the bloody thing took hours though!

Takes even longer when the ones you've been sold don't have the required channel configuration. :bang: Seven different controllers tried, and then we find out after a phone call that we've got old stock, which can't function in the desired way. :mad: Shades of KAM Mk1 and Mk2 units, where the cases are the same, but the internals are wildly different. :daft:

[Steven]

Chauvet Wash FX is a fine light.

Just a huge shame it flickers on video when dimmed. i own a pair of the V2's which were badged as "flicker free" .....they aren't. If they were i'd probably buy another set at least as they are fantastic lights.

[Benny Smyth]

I've never been one for hoarding flashy shiny boxes but I loved my ADJ Jelly Domes.

Amazing how simple but great they could look with a bit of DMXing, I'd still be using them but one went on the blink and they appear to be discontinued.

I cannot argue this point. Jellydomes were amazing, especially for the price.

I'm currently loving the Chauvet FX Par 9. When DMX'd, it is a very pretty light to look at.

[djdj]

My favourite was the Abstract Extreme XP 5 Pro. These were virtually the same as the Mad Powerflower but with slightly different colours & gobos. I think the XP 5 Pro was fairly rare compared to the popular Powerflower. Total room filler, but these were 14kg from memory! .

I love the Extreme range, so much so I have a garage full of them. Just don't get used now as LED lights are so much more reliable! I did think about converting the XP to LED bought never made the leap

[East Anglian Discos]

I love the Extreme range, so much so I have a garage full of them. Just don't get used now as LED lights are so much more reliable! I did think about converting the XP to LED bought never made the leap

And worth next to nothing these days second hand. Almost have scrap value unless its the XP1 LED bars which are still sought after.