Automated Fixtures Elation Platinum FLX or Maverick Mk 1 Hybrid

Elation Platinum FLX or Maverick Mk 1 Hybrid


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If you guys had the budget for any of these fixtures which one would you buy. Please have in mind that they will be used for variety performances.
 
I have a couple of the MK1 Hybrids. They are great fixtures except for one thing, dimming. If you need them for effect lights with lots of options and punch they rock. They are not what you want you want to use them at 50% or they need to dim smoothly. For theater check out the MK2 Profile, if they had been available when we bought the MK1s they would have been what we would have purchased. I have no knowledge about the Elation fixtures.
 
So I've demo'd both fixtures. More recently the MK1s but I've also demo'd the FLX extensively. My vote is for the MK1 Hybrid. However, depending on your application, the FLX may be better. Here's some thoughts & comparisons:

-MK1 Hybrid has a wider zoom. They don't list it on the website/website is inaccurate but I measured the zoom with a rotating wheel gobo in and it goes out past 40 degrees. The FLX does not get that wide.
-MK1 Hybrid animation wheel is independent. FLX combines animation with the stamped wheel so it isn't continuous (like a Viper Profile).
-FLX has more rotating gobos. 6 MK1 vs 8 FLX.
-MK1 Hybrid has more static gobos and more gobos overall because of the animation wheel taking up space on the static wheel in the FLX. 16 static MK1 vs. 6 static FLX.
-FLX field is flatter for spot mode. MK1 Hybrid has a little bit more of a hot spot.
-MK1 Hybrid can't use prisms in beam mode. I honestly forget whether the FLX can or not. I'd guess it can tho. With the MK1, you can still zoom really narrow and use prisms, it just doesn't have that 5-10% or so brightness bump from beam mode lensing.
-FLX can't use color mixing in beam mode.
-However, I think the color mixing on the FLX was a little better/more even.
-If I remember right the FLX has better separation on the linear prism if you want to make the ACL spread beam look from one light.
-MK1 has prisms you can use simultaneously. You can overlay the 8 facet circular with the 4 facet linear. In the FLX they're not layerable. I love this look.
-Both units have a narrower zoom range with the fixed gobo wheel than the rotating gobo wheel. Part of this is due to where they are in the optical path. Standard with most hybrids.
-I believe the lens on the MK1 Hybrid is bigger, makes a fatter beam look.
-FLX employs "Lightpipe technology" making it harder to do layered looks (animation with gobo, 2 gobos, etc).
-MK1 Hybrid does not have an independent color wheel. The color wheel chips are on the CMY flags (like a Mythos - circular flags, 2/3 of the wheel is color mixing, 1/3 of the wheel is color chips). This really is not a plus or a minus, it's just a way of doing things that's different.
-Plastic exterior housing of the MK1 Hybrid is more durable than that of the FLX, both in thickness and actual material composition.

I think the MK1 Hybrid is a heavily underrated fixture. I recently programmed an new venue with 16 of them for a previous employer that sold a big install and they look great. Great beams, big gobo looks, nice prisms, and good color.

Final thoughts: if you need to have a better spot fixture with focus on only one graphic element (gobo/animation), FLX is it. If you need to have a better all-around hybrid, or if you require discrete/continuous animation, MK1 Hybrid is it.
 

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