Best Cyc Light

[fosstech]

We're getting some money to buy some new cyc lights very soon. I'm looking at a few already and have narrowed it down to a few choices. We need 3-cell, 3-circuit versions. I'm looking at the Strand Coda, Altman Sky Cyc, Colortran Cyc Strip, ETC Source Four Pars (individual units, not the Multi-Par...those are too expensive), and the L&E Broad Cyc. If anyone has experience with any of these instruments, how do you like them? What would you change, and if you had to do it all over again, would you have gotten something else?

[sound_nerd]

We have the Stand Coda's and the Colortran equivalent....the Strand Coda's are amazing. I wouldn't change anything, except maybe the price.

[propmonkey]

we have the altman sky cycs....theyre ok. i dont have anything to compare them to.

[Foxinabox10]

We have the Altman Sky Cyc individual fixtures. Great even light, lamps last for a while, take a beating and still working great. Never had a problem with a single one.

[BillESC]

We use the Altman Sky Cycs and photometrically they are had to beat particularly considering the price.

[propmonkey]

im a senior and i cant remember once changing any of those lamps since ive been at this highschool. although they burn gels quickly.

[avkid]

All I have used is the Altman Sky cyc, they take a licking and...

[3guk]

Yup its the codas for me too, we have 4 of the 3unit ones and i think 12 of the single unit ones. Superb lights, nice even spread, and built like tanks !!

[bdesmond]

Originally Posted by propmonkey

...although they burn gels quickly.

That's going to be the case with any high wattage lamp and a highly saturated gel color...

[ship]

I'm in a four year upgrade program with both the Altman Ground Cyc and Colortran cyc lights. The Altmans are solid like a rock, just some bad ideas on our own people wiring them that is causing problems, and the Color Trans' after a few years of touring use, not a rivet or bent piece of aluminum flange on them holding them together have not problems with ripping out in a very unsafe way.

This given the stage is different than contcert scene, but even at an old theater, the colortran in this case three cell cycs had a nice beam spread that seemed to increase in spread due to sag each show. The colortran if not re-designed is very light weight but uses aluminum parts that sag and break with bending. Much less rivets that pop out of the frames. Such equipment years later in touring need total overhauls and I don't recommend them in a structure of the fixture type of way even if half the weight of the Altman. The Colortran gel frames also leave something to be desired.

The Altman Ground Cyc like that of the L&E is very rugged and also able to fly. It's kind of heavy but very rugged. As for the Sky Cyc, where I work, we have both the single and three cell units. Well over six years since I started wiring such things, I'm yet to see any come to me for problems so while less used, they are good fixtures it would seem.

Been looking into other types of cyc over the years. The Strand while I have not been able to get a sample of one seems like a nice design both for floor and hang. In general, play test any and all brands.
Times Square also would domestically have similar no doubt to L&E and Altman in equipment. L&E makes good gear as an alternative to Altman - for the most part standardized parts I would expect, not that Altman cycs are bad.

As another option, the MR-16 mini-cycs might be worth a play test. Pop a wide flood MR-16 lamp in any of the various designs and you have a wash. The ETC S-4 PAR based Cyc light might also be interesting to look at.

Done some design work with R-40 and A-Lamp cyc lights also. Nothing beats a total wash of the stage with sufficient cyc light washing - no matter how ancient in technology. R-40 and A-Lamp type cyc lights are probably much less cost effective however.


Should you buy a RSC based lamp cyc light, ask before you buy lamps for it. There is energy saving lamps out there that are more powerful and efficient than the standard lamps. Also dependant upon the intensity you need lots of other options in lamp than those normal.