Converting to LED

There's nothing wrong with the Chinese stuff *EXCEPT* it's made in China. Notorious for stolen technology, questionable materials, workmanship, and general quality. Unless you are buying from a local company that WILL absolutely back and service the product, I'd avoid it like the plague...

Where it's made has nothing to do with it. China can pump out high quality stuff. Most of the LED fixtures sold by the big names are made there too. And for that matter most of the electronics we buy are made there, most of which are of excellent quality. The problem is in the lack of quality control that can happen when factories stop making product for the big names and start making it to sell themselves.
 
Where it's made has nothing to do with it. China can pump out high quality stuff. Most of the LED fixtures sold by the big names are made there too. And for that matter most of the electronics we buy are made there, most of which are of excellent quality. The problem is in the lack of quality control that can happen when factories stop making product for the big names and start making it to sell themselves.
If there is constant monitering of the manufacturing process, yes they can make good stuff.
IF.
But there are plenty of other reasons to avoid Chinese made products if possible. The environment, political, supporting US companies etc. I'll pay more for products made here or elsewere if I have that option.
 
At your price range... I would throw all my money at some ETC Source 4 PAR EA. $165 per instrument. Comes with with four lenses (very narrow, narrow, medium and wide). Can lamp at 375w, 575w, or 750w. And the light beam is just so much crisper and more dramatic than a fresnel. Stay away from the ADJ stuff.... they have no output when you need lumens.
 
At your price range... I would throw all my money at some ETC Source 4 PAR EA. $165 per instrument. Comes with with four lenses (very narrow, narrow, medium and wide). Can lamp at 375w, 575w, or 750w. And the light beam is just so much crisper and more dramatic than a fresnel. Stay away from the ADJ stuff.... they have no output when you need lumens.
I agree. Plus it will be around a lot longer and next time you have money you can add instead of replace cheap LEDs.
 
Just for the record: If you use a server that's in a datacenter (y'know, like the one under this forum?), there's a 50/50 chance it's an HP. Built for them by ... Foxconn. In China.

Or an IBM/Lenovo. Built by Chinese retailer Lenovo.

China *can* build good stuff, to spec, UL Listable for a reasonable price... if you pay them to. But, unlike the US, they *can* also build crap at crap prices.

$25,000 a year in India is riches beyond dreams of avarice, or was last time I looked. 4000 ft house, 2 cars, servants, etc, etc. Even lower bar in China.

Labor arbitrage is nothing new, and never will be.
 
Does anyone have hands on experience with the Chauvet SlimPar Quad 12 IRC? I'm looking to add 21 of them to my rig but I want to know how well they dim and if they can punch through my front wash before I pull the trigger. I would normally try to find a demo unit, but the money may disappear out from under me so I need to move quickly.

My stage is 45' x 25' and my electrics are at a 16' height. I am in a new auditorium running all etc gear (s4, par, fresnel) lamped at 575.
 
Sorry, no direct experience with the Chauvet SlimPar. They claim 4,500 lux at 2m. By way of comparison, the D40's at my venue claim 11,000 lux at 3m. The D40s are adequate against my conventionals. On spec, the SlimPars seem under-powered for the job of a general purpose replacement.

The 20 degree beam angle will produce uneven light if the plan is to use these as top lights. You will need to add some holographic lenses to spread the beam.

I would want to demo them rather than spend the money and regret the purchase.
 
I bought fixtures on Ebay from a US seller and they are clearly from China. I have had them for about 4 years and have NO problems with them. They were well priced and work great and I have used them on several shows. They have even been left in the cold, heat, and banged around and still work with no issues. A lot of rental houses are even renting the China pars and I have been to several stages that have went with them. My fixtures are made of solid metal, it has been a great investment. Just because it's not a brand name fixture does not mean it is not a good item. I bought a couple to try, I was happy with them so I ordered more. I actually needed more fixtures for a show I was doing so I rented 8 Martin Rush Par1's. They did well but I was surprised that they were made out of plastic, for $500, plastic!!!!! I compared them with my China Pars and they were pretty much very similar in performance, not to mention that screws were already falling out of the Rush Pars when I got them and they were brand new from the rental house!!! I could have bought 8 China pars for $1,000 when one Rush par is $500, you do the math. If you want to try and stay with a US seller then try the Blizzard stuff.
 
I bought fixtures on Ebay from a US seller and they are clearly from China. I have had them for about 4 years and have NO problems with them. They were well priced and work great and I have used them on several shows. They have even been left in the cold, heat, and banged around and still work with no issues. A lot of rental houses are even renting the China pars and I have been to several stages that have went with them. My fixtures are made of solid metal, it has been a great investment. Just because it's not a brand name fixture does not mean it is not a good item. I bought a couple to try, I was happy with them so I ordered more. I actually needed more fixtures for a show I was doing so I rented 8 Martin Rush Par1's. They did well but I was surprised that they were made out of plastic, for $500, plastic!!!!! I compared them with my China Pars and they were pretty much very similar in performance, not to mention that screws were already falling out of the Rush Pars when I got them and they were brand new from the rental house!!! I could have bought 8 China pars for $1,000 when one Rush par is $500, you do the math. If you want to try and stay with a US seller then try the Blizzard stuff.

When we specify gear for a new high school, our client - the school board - expects it to last forever. We try to explain that it unlikely and unreasonable, that unlike the quartz instruments and manual counterweight rigging of the past that might have lasted in their previous auditorium 25 or even 50 years, modern equipment that relies on electronics, simply will not last as long. On that basis and give the fact that high school auditoriums and stages are mostly built and equipped on a now or never funding basis, leads us toward name brands that we can best rely on for service and repair and product longevity. Those may not be the same "rules" for everyone here, but they apply to quite a few. So, while some imported products that your local dealer says are great might perform well for a time, we can't assume the risk. And while this story is about a great success, I can't believe there are not stories about money spent on junk that has not lasted.
 
The biggest issue for me is that this is a purchase for a high school so if I have to western union money somewhere, it isn't going to happen. Bill, what would you spec for a hs aud looking to add LED toplights for under $10,000? I have a couple of weeks to figure out what I want, but right now I'm leaning toward Chauvet SlimPar Quad 12s.
 

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