Choose A Leko For Me.

[waynehoskins]

Some of you know that on the side I light shows at the local high school. It's a proscenium space (a bastardized one, but surprisingly functional), and for the past 20 years the stock of Lekos has been 12 1KL6-30s (historically all on the AP, though I always change that) and 6 Strand 6x16 axials (2216?).

Every show I fight with the stupid 1KLs to try to get light to come out the front of them and not suck very much; sometimes I have more success than others. The last two shows I've lit there I've ended up replacing the KLs in the downstage frontlight system (most important system in the whole stinking rig): last show with my fresh-from-Ebay 360Qs, this show with rental S4s.

The theatre department at the high school (possibly partly because I've ended up doing this twice now and gotten more light out of the replacements) is open to buying some new Lekos, and this evening after final dress for this show we talked briefly about that sort of thing and about how much they cost.

So here comes the dilemma: which Leko (okay, ERS) would you pick? I presume they'd have to go with new, though old units are great in my book. Source Four? SL? Shakes? 360Q?

They've got essentially an MD288 half-rack with 2.4Ks, not that it makes much difference really; and currently all of the existing fixtures are 6" units, mostly Fresnels (which work fine).

Part of me thinks S4 because it's the new standard; another LD I know really prefers the SL (and doesn't it take 7.5" cuts?); I know 360Qs pretty well; and I've even used a single Shakes once (and it didn't totally suck).

I think the initial thing is to get them about a dozen 26s, and then expand the inventory for overstage Lekos (which would have to be either 36s or 50s because of the stupid short throw). And some T3s to light the cyc; I was thinking three-cell Irises.

To me I think it's just between the S4, the SL, and the 360Q; I can't see any benefit to the Shakes in this case .. but what do you think?

[Pie4Weebl]

Source 4. Hands down, no contest.


Buuut, for bang for your buck you may want to consider getting some fresnels instead, those with some barndoors and you could get a nice front light wash...

[derekleffew]

Originally Posted by Pie4Weebl

Buuut, for bang for your buck you may want to consider getting some fresnels instead, those with some barndoors and you could get a nice front light wash...

From an AP position?

Originally Posted by waynehoskins

... another LD I know really prefers the SL (and doesn't it take 7.5" cuts?); ...

The Strand SL Coolbeam uses the same colorframes and accessories as the SourceFour. Do a search, and you'll find the majority of posters prefer the S4 over the SL. The 360Q streets around $195, the S4 $300. You might also consider the SourceFour jr at ~$200. There is no benefit whatsoever to the Shakespeare; see this post.

As for Cyc Floods, I'm not sure the QuartzColor Iris is still available in the US (certainly not via Strand). Consider the L&E BroadCyc or the Altman SkyCyc.

[cdub260]

I've worked with both Strand SL's and ETC Source 4's. Given my preference, I'll take the Source 4's over the SL's any day of the week. The Bulk of our fixtures at the Pageant are Source 4's, the oldest of which was manufactured in 1997, and is still in excellent shape.

[TimMiller]

I hate the SL's. I dont have time to fight with a stupid fixture for 30min to get the stupid lamp out to replace it. S4's one screw and the lamp is out. I will take a S4 over any other leko.

[waynehoskins]

Originally Posted by Pie4Weebl

Buuut, for bang for your buck you may want to consider getting some fresnels instead, those with some barndoors and you could get a nice front light wash...

Not from the AP .. especially since the angle from this AP is far flatter than the ideal 45 .. it's no steeper than 30, probably more like 20, so downstage fronts have to be Lekos to not light up the entire back wall and loudspeaker array and ceiling.

And for what it's worth, they already have a fair inventory of Fresnels - about 3 dozen Strand Fresnelites (#3380), KW-rated, and about 15 Alt 65Qs. And some crap P56s that don't do crap when they're lamped at 300.

Originally Posted by TimMiller

I hate the SL's. I dont have time to fight with a stupid fixture for 30min to get the stupid lamp out to replace it. S4's one screw and the lamp is out. I will take a S4 over any other leko.

I thought they used that bayonet mechanism to mount the cap. The LD I know who loves SLs particularly loves the bayonet mechanism.

Source Four it seems to be, then. They're a pretty light.

[Sony]

S4's for me all the way. I've used Strand Century's, Altman 360's and S4's...the S4 wins hands down with no contest.

[icewolf08]

I would go with the Source Fours or Selecon Pacifics.

[gafftapegreenia]

Either S4's or Selecon Pacifics.

Pass on the SL.

If you somehow ended up with Shakespeare's, while that's not ideal, they aren't bad. I've used Shakespeares in a facility where they received NO maintenance the four years I worked that summer program and they held up fine.

Now, if you don't have the money, used 360Q's are always a good deal. Nothing wrong with having a good inventory of maintained 360Q's. Especially with the 575 lamps.
A new 360Q is a beautiful thing.

[soundlight]

Source Fours all the way. I don't hate Shakespeares, but they're not as good as S4s in my book. There's a reason Source Fours are the most popular and the design has changed so little since they were introduced - it's a proven design that's easy to use and low-maintenance.