Recent content by AdamC

In our arts non-profit theater space, we do a huge variety of programming, various events with projections, feature and shorts screenings, meetings, dance, rentals, lots of music shows, etc. and we rarely have very much time to prep or rehearse, so we have to be able to get video working quickly...

Well, I was originally thinking of getting 4 of one type of fixture to use for all types of applications. One one hand, changing focus and color for use in mostly static lighting looks, without needing to haul out ladders and move audience chairs to get to our pipe grid. On the other, wanting to...

Yeah, that's a good point, and partly why I'm hoping for some advice from everyone here. The Chauvet Intimidator Spot 455Z has 13* to 28* zoom, which isn't nearly as wide as I'd like, but might be workable.

Around $5k for just the movers. The console upgrade will be a separate budget item.

Yeah, the console upgrade will happen before or at the same time as adding the movers, since running them with the Express would be pretty annoying. The Chauvet Rogue series looks good, and the Chauvet Intimidator Spot 455Z also seems like it would be a decent choice.

I need advice for upgrading the lighting in my 250 capacity venue. It's a black box space in an arts non-profit, and we do lots of music shows, film screenings, burlesque, variety, and talks/rentals of various kinds. Some dance performances, some drama, but not very often. For most shows we have...

Seriously? That's pretty silly. A bit of gaff tape on a mic isn't going to hurt it. Giving a mic to a performer is inevitably what damages my mics... from being dropped, drenched in spit and sweat, etc. Gaff tape is nothing compared to that.

I would definitely want subs for a rock show. At least you'd have some low end thump along with the ridiculous gymnasium reverb on everything. Absorption is the way to deal with the acoustics, obviously. If it has to be temporary, hang lots of curtains, rent pipe and drape, whatever you can...

We've been completely happy with Sennheiser 100 G3, using rechargeable AAs. Lots of available frequencies, great customer service, and 100% reliable. If you have the budget, the Sennheiser 300 G3 is even better. Countryman mics are the way to go, if you can afford them, and it sounds like you...

True.. there are plenty of drummers that will damage hearing or violate noise restrictions all by themselves - no PA or band needed. Sometimes the real problem is booking - whether it's an appropriate band for the audience or venue (or the venue's PA). I don't recommend trying to make an...

If you're doing rock bands, have the band use their amps, mic the guitar amps, and take a line out or DI from the bass amp. The amps can act as monitors so the band can hear the guitars or bass without needing a ton of them in the monitors. Remember the drums will tend to be the loudest thing on...

I'm resurrecting this old thread to ask if there's a better / cheaper way to deal with the arced sockets in our Fresnels. We have a bunch of 65Qs with 750W BTN lamps in them, and replacing the medium prefocus sockets (and the arced lamps) is getting pretty expensive. We never use the arced...

One thought on that - Use a grounded plug on the lamp, not a typical 2 blade lamp plug. Then be very sure all the metal parts on the lamp are well bonded to that ground. That should prevent voltage on the metal parts of the lamp. A GFCI wouldn't hurt either. Though I'd rather go with 12V anyway!

Uh, right. Well I'll have the ability to spend money again if the arts organization that employs me once again has funding to pay my salary. The recession has had a huge impact on my income and that of many of my coworkers. I really don't understand why many Republicans think people working...

Another time un-needed phantom can be a problem is when you have a mic cable go bad. Running 48V through that mic cable fault can turn your "mic that is cutting out" into a "mic that is making HUGE POPS". Not so good in the middle of a show. This also shows up with loose XLR connections that...