What do you think of the Source Four JR?

[bwhiteford]

Hey all,
I'm thinking about adding a few ellipsoidals to my mobile setup, and i've got my eye on these ETC source four JR's. I like that they are smaller for transport, and also are a bit easier on the budget.

What do you think? Should I just go with a regular source four instead?

[Footer]

They don't have the optical quality a s4 does. If you are going to be using them to project gobos etc, go with a full sized. They also don't have the power a S4 does, but then again, you get what you pay for. All and all, they are good units for the price. I have a few in my stock and use them pretty regularly. Otherwise, they are solid units. They blow a 360q out of the water.

[highschooltech]

I personally see no major problems with them even though there are a few things that would make me think about buying the full size instead. One of the biggest issues is that you can't swap the barrels of the Jrs (which doesn't sound like an issuse for you). The gobos that it takes are size M not a or B (might be a problem). Finally the fixtures only accept up to the 575w lamp (which again might not be a problem as they are still bright). On the plus side they are lighter and smaller than their larger brothers which for mobile is a plus. They are also a good amount cheaper.

The question is do you need the features of the regular S4 or can you live without them to get a smaller cheaper unit?

[willbb123]

I've used the jr's and the full size. They work great for small theaters but they do have some things I don't like. You can't overlap shutter cuts like you can one the full size (to make a triangle). I have full sized s4s at my theater and I love being able to just change the lenses instead of the instrument.

[lieperjp]

We've got a few S4 Jr. Zooms and in comparison to the other S4s (19/26 deg) they just aren't as good. Don't get me wrong, they're still very good lights, but the regular S4 is for me. Although, my problem could just be the zoom feature and not the S4 Jr itself.

[TheSwami]

I'm currently ALDing a show in a small 'thrust' blackbox space that had a rep plot that consistds entirely of 36-degree S4 Jr's. They're serving pretty well, and while they don't have the punch of the full size model, they're plenty bright and controllable for most applications. And yes, having to use M-size gobo's is a pain, but hopefully the Jr's can be general lighting and you can rely on the Sr's to punch out the template pattern cleanly.

73

[Pie4Weebl]

Here is the million dollar question, what is the setup for?

[cdub260]

The smaller of my two spaces has Source 4 Jr Zooms for its AP lighting. They work very well in that application. The zoom function makes them very versitile little fixtures.

Over on my main stage, I have a few regular Source 4 Jr.'s, which I use in positions where I need an instrument that's somewhat smaller than a regular Source 4. I also have several replacement lenses for those times when I need a difeferent beam spread, and changing the lenses on the Jr. is almost as easy as changing the barrel on a standard Source 4.

The only real down side I've experienced with the zooms is that at close range they tend to spill a little more than the standard Source 4's do.

[bwhiteford]

No particular setup, but I do some corporate events and things where the speaker at a podium needs to be lit. I also do some smaller productions with a mobile truss (last one was a 30 foot truss on lifts for a dance production). Right now i'm using clunky Altman 6x9's, and i'm starting to look into upgrading my inventory to something more modern and easier to move around.

Thanks for your advice so far!

[Footer]

Originally Posted by bwhiteford

No particular setup, but I do some corporate events and things where the speaker at a podium needs to be lit. I also do some smaller productions with a mobile truss (last one was a 30 foot truss on lifts for a dance production). Right now i'm using clunky Altman 6x9's, and i'm starting to look into upgrading my inventory to something more modern and easier to move around.

Thanks for your advice so far!

S4 Jr's will fit that bill nicely. They are also a bit lighter, which when you are hauling them around will be a good thing.