Automated Fixtures Chauvet R2 Wash Cases

[rphilip]

I'm working on moving toward getting started with moving lights and based on reading here am strongly considering the Chauvet R2 Wash.

It's for a University's general use equipment, programming mix is about 40% church like (music + main speaker, viable moving light), 25% banquet/convention, 20% concert, and 15% theater with minimal tech rehearsals. Much of the church programming has IMAG and is recorded for YouTube.

Our current portable inventory is 14 S4 LED series 2's, ~25 S4 Par(nel)'s, ~15 Incandescent S4's and a bunch of Monoprice LED pars for wall wash and such. There are additional lights installed in our various venues but mostly ETC of various sorts, probably 80+% incandescent but we have some ColorSource Par's and D60's.

We will be getting an ETC Element as part of the same package.

Questions:
- Does going with the R2 wash seem like a reasonable direction? If not should I be looking for spots or some other brand/model of light?
- Staying with the R2 wash does any one know of an off the shelf case for them?

@Ford

Thanks

Philip

 

[Thetechmanmac]

Speaking for the case, I know when you get your movers from Chauvet Pro you should have an option to get a road case with them. My R2 spots came in dual cases that I really like.

 

[TJCornish]

Due to size and cost constraints I ended up making an insert for an EWI roadcase: http://www.audiopile.net/C006DC for mine. I'm not sure if Chauvet has a case for these specifically.

I've got a couple shows on my R2 washes, and they are awesome. They are very bright, and keep up with 575w S4 fixtures even in open white.

Looking at your equipment list, you don't have any profile movers, which may or may not be a hole in your inventory, depending on what you're trying to do. I like the specs of the Chauvet Rogue spots, but the lack of zooming is a deal breaker for me at the moment. The Martin Mac Quantum Profile is a great product, but significantly more $$$$ than the Rogue spots.

 

[JohnD]

In another thread @Pie4Weebl also uses audiopile cases for his R2 washes and had some foam inserts made.

 

[soundlight]

I did the inserts for Pie4Weebl's cases, and I did 6-unit cases in an Audiopile EWI C002DC with a narrow cable section at the end. They're actually convertible to a 4-pack case with a substantial cable/gack section, and the inserts that pull out fit in to a C006DC so that holds 4 units. We wanted flexibility for tours taking out various numbers of units.

As far as the units themselves I'll take them over an original Aura any day unless I need the Aura effect for a specific look. They're brighter, with a narrower zoom. I'm using some right now for frontlight specials and general color for a theater show and I really like them.

 

[rphilip]

@soundlight and @TJCornish, could you post some pictures of the cases you've come up with? I've already got a bunch of EWI C002DC cases so having the lights fit into these would be great.

I've been debating between going with a wash or profile/spot unit as our first movers but I'm with TJ that I'd want something with zoom which rules out the R2 Spot. One of my area dealers is pushing the Elation Satura Spot CMY Pro but that’s a lot more expensive (aka a lot fewer fixtures). I wish I could make it to USITT to shop for this but our biggest program of the year is the weekend immediately following it.

Another dealer has said they have choosen not to carry Chauvet due to QC issues. Has any one had any recent problem along this line with their "Pro" products?

Philip

 

[Pie4Weebl]

Soundlight made some nices cases... today I was some Calzone cases which I REALLY liked, but they cost a ton more than mine did.

Edit: in regards to how I feel about the R2 Washes, I bought 12, then I bought 6 more and then I bought 6 more...

 

[TJCornish]

@soundlight and @TJCornish, could you post some pictures of the cases you've come up with? I've already got a bunch of EWI C002DC cases so having the lights fit into these would be great.

I've been debating between going with a wash or profile/spot unit as our first movers but I'm with TJ that I'd want something with zoom which rules out the R2 Spot. One of my area dealers is pushing the Elation Satura Spot CMY Pro but that’s a lot more expensive (aka a lot fewer fixtures). I wish I could make it to USITT to shop for this but our biggest program of the year is the weekend immediately following it.

Another dealer has said they have choosen not to carry Chauvet due to QC issues. Has any one had any recent problem along this line with their "Pro" products?

Philip

This is what I did - two over two. This picture is the bottom tray. The lights stick up about 1 1/2" over the lip of this tray. The top tray is taller than the bottom one and the sides extend down a couple inches below the upper tray's bottom to protect the foam that goes on top of the lower fixtures. There's 1/2" of foam on the sides, but either 1" or 1 1/2" on the tops and bottoms, so the lights are actually well protected.

I debated about putting the fixtures in vertically, but in this particular case, the dimensions are a little tight, and the only orientation they would fit is problematic with the small size of the base - it's difficult to support the base and prevent all of the fixture's weight being carried by the head if the fixtures are put in the case inverted.

This is hard to explain - if you'd like more details I can send you some drawings.

 

[Jammer]

I use four of them on a small mobile rig, lots of versitility and they look great. For cases I use road cases designed for 10"/12" pair of speakers. Can't remember which size they were for, but
they fit the R2 sitting upright really well. Just have to detach the omega bracket when we pack them up.

 

[rphilip]

This is what I did - two over two. ..

This is hard to explain - if you'd like more details I can send you some drawings.

That would be great, if you can't attach them here my email is my user name at andrews.edu

Thanks

Philip

 

[Pie4Weebl]

I've got two different R2 Cases for ya to look at:
First is the calzone case:

Second is the Squeek Light's case made by @soundlight

As you can see with ours, in exchange for using a slightly larger case, our case can either be a 6 banger, or a 4 banger with cable space in the side. The other thing I prefer about our cases is that you can keep the clamps on!

 

[Jammer]

I've got two different R2 Cases for ya to look at:
First is the calzone case:

Second is the Squeek Light's case made by @soundlight

As you can see with ours, in exchange for using a slightly larger case, our case can either be a 6 banger, or a 4 banger with cable space in the side. The other thing I prefer about our cases is that you can keep the clamps on!

These look great!

 

[TraceCASES]

I build Rogue R2 Wash Cases that hold 4, 6 or 8 lights if anyone is interested. If you need cases for Rogue Spots or Beams, I do those as well. For more information check out www.tracecases.com

 

[Jay Ashworth]

On the fixtures, my LD lights the St Pete Opera, who bought a few of those before last season, and he's been quite happy with them so far.

 

[Chris Pflieger]

Another dealer has said they have choosen not to carry Chauvet due to QC issues. Has any one had any recent problem along this line with their "Pro" products?

Philip

Many dealers are shy about badmouthing the competition. I'd take those words with a grain of salt as I heven't had issues with my six and can't remember hearing complaints from anyone else.

 

[JohnD]

There are a couple of things about the @soundlight cases that make great sense. Leaving the omega brackets and clamps installed saves a lot of time on the in and out, plus that leaves less bits and bobs to wrangle on the out. Then using multiple same size cases makes truck pack much easier.

 

[Chris Pflieger]

Many dealers are shy about badmouthing the competition. I'd take those words with a grain of salt as I haven't had issues with my six and can't remember hearing complaints from anyone else.

Sorry, that should have read NOT shy...

 

[DavidJones]

I like the specs of the Chauvet Rogue spots, but the lack of zooming is a deal breaker for me at the moment. The Martin Mac Quantum Profile is a great product, but significantly more $$$$ than the Rogue spots.

The new R3 Spot DOES zoom. It is still a color wheel only fixture though(2 wheels I think). The Maverick MK1 has Zoom and CMY. They are both about the same light output.

To the OP, you really cannot go wrong with the R2 wash; its a workhorse, and it seems there have been some good case options presented.