ETC PAREA/MCM and PARnel

[Sayen]

Clever - thank you for the link to building color extenders.

I can also see some use for carefully tinkering with settings for holding the last look, and hadn't even thought to check that.

On the subject of the thread, I realize this isn't novel, but I enjoy the use of a light diffusion in my PARnels. In a low trim height environment, like a black box, the diffusion softens out the punchy feel of the brighter PARnel. Not perfect, but the small physical size of the instrument is sometimes advantageous over a boxier Fresnel.

 

[Anonymous067]

ETC S4 Par EA vs MCM? Which one do I have??

Hey guys...

I've never paid enough attention to check if our Pars are EA's or MCMs...(didn't know the difference until I went to ETC's website tonight...).

I do know that we use 575 Watt lamps, and the back of the housing unit says "575W" on the back. I understand the MCMs are only rated to 575, and the EAs go up to 750...but is it possible the housing was switched and the unit is an EA with a 575W housing unit in it?

Is there any physical difference I would notice?

 

[justind]

Re: ETC S4 Par EA vs MCM? Which one do I have??

EA's have metal reflectors

MCM's have dichroic glass reflectors

Just pull the base out and look at the reflector to determine what you have.

 

[Anonymous067]

Re: ETC S4 Par EA vs MCM? Which one do I have??

Is the model version stamped or printed somewhere?>

 

[Les]

Re: ETC S4 Par EA vs MCM? Which one do I have??

It would be printed on the label on the yoke. I bet you have the EA's though.

 

[Anonymous067]

Re: ETC S4 Par EA vs MCM? Which one do I have??

It would be printed on the label on the yoke. I bet you have the EA's though.

Any specific reason? I always thought they were EAs too...that was my first gut feeling...but then I wasn't sure.

 

[MNicolai]

Re: ETC S4 Par EA vs MCM? Which one do I have??

Any specific reason? I always thought they were EAs too...that was my first gut feeling...but then I wasn't sure.

EA's are typical for most use cases. You can buy roughly 18 EA's for the cost of 10 MCM's, and with a 575w lamp put out only slightly less light than an MCM, and allow for the much brighter 750w lamps.

MCM's are spec'ed when temperature is an issue. This is often the case with musicians who don't like sitting under hot stage lights for several hours at a time, so they prefer sitting under an MCM where the reflector puts less heat out of the front of the light, keeping the performers cooler but still brightly lit.

 

[KevBot]

Re: ETC S4 Par EA vs MCM? Which one do I have??

I've always wondered if using the MCM's would extend the life of color scrolls vs the EA reflectors. I use heat shield of course, but does anyone have any experience/advice regarding the MCM's and Gel/Scroll life?

 

[tk2k]

Re: ETC S4 Par EA vs MCM? Which one do I have??

Yes, that's another point of the MCM, less forward heat.

 

[Anonymous067]

Re: ETC S4 Par EA vs MCM? Which one do I have??

EAs...

I just assumed the MCMs because of the 500 Watt marking on the housing...

 

[MNicolai]

Re: ETC S4 Par EA vs MCM? Which one do I have??

Straight from the ETC Wiki.

Marketing News 175
October 28, 1999

Source Four PAR EA rated to 750W

As of November 1, 1999, all Source Four PAR EAs shipped from the factory will be UL/cUL listed for
up to 750 watts.

Product Information

Source Four PAR EA's shipped from the factory after October 31, 1999, will be able to use all HPL lamps currently approved by ETC, including the 750W HPL.
Source Four PAR EA will now have a "750" on the back of the burner cap.
Source Four PAR MCM (Metal Cold Mirror) will not be rated or UL/cUL listed for 750 watts.
Ordering Information

Nothing changes! You still use the same part number you've always used. If you want to use a 750W HPL with your existing Source Four PAR EA, the change is easy! (Please note: If this change is made to existing units in the field, the UL listing of that unit is no longer valid.)

If the date code on your PAR EA is 9/98 or after, just order a new strain relief casting (part number 7061A3024) for a list price of $4.55.
If the date code on your PAR EA is 8/98 or before, just order a new burner casting (part number 7061A3023) for a list price of $10.25, plus the new strain relief casting.
To order the above parts, please contact your ETC Customer Service Representative.
Photometric Information

A new datasheet with 750W photometrics will be available by the end of the year.

Prior to this, PAR's were rated only to 575w.

 

[tyler.martin]

S4 Pars

Which version of the S4 Pars do you either have in your venue or use most frequently? the MCM or EA.

 

[derekleffew]

Re: S4 Pars

I don't think I've ever seen, much less used, an MCM in the wild. Although I'm sure it has its applications.

 

[SteveB]

Re: S4 Pars

This sounds like a new poll on an old thread:

I have 60 S4 Pars EA, at 750w, plus 12 ParNels at 750w.

 

[dramatech]

Re: S4 Pars

I have 34 S4 PARS EA and 30 PARNels. All are lamped with 575s

 

[BobHealey]

Re: S4 Pars

One group where I sometimes play the grumpy old expert (old being relative to management) to is slowly replacing their 30 year old second hand Altman PAR 64s with Source 4 MCMs. Not sure what their logic was, since everything in that building is lamped at $MAX_LISTED_WATTAGE. They do seem to be about same apparent brightness as the 1KW PAR 64s they're replacing, and fairly close to the 750W 65Q and 750W parnels.

 

[MNicolai]

Re: S4 Pars

One group where I sometimes play the grumpy old expert (old being relative to management) to is slowly replacing their 30 year old second hand Altman PAR 64s with Source 4 MCMs. Not sure what their logic was, since everything in that building is lamped at $MAX_LISTED_WATTAGE. They do seem to be about same apparent brightness as the 1KW PAR 64s they're replacing, and fairly close to the 750W 65Q and 750W parnels.

The logic is probably that less heat comes out of the front of the light so the performers don't get cooked as much. Same amount of heat is generated as in an EA, but the MCM's collect that heat at the reflector instead of pushing it out of the front. Usually where I've heard of MCM's being specifically requested is in environments where the performers' comfort over an extended period of time is priority, such as a concert hall where 100 musicians in tuxes and formal dresses will be sitting on stage for 2-3 hours straight -- they're exerting themselves already in their musical performance, so it's preferred to avoid cooking them under the lights while they're at it.

 

[BobHealey]

Re: S4 Pars

The logic is probably that less heat comes out of the front of the light so the performers don't get cooked as much. Same amount of heat is generated as in an EA, but the MCM's collect that heat at the reflector instead of pushing it out of the front. Usually where I've heard of MCM's being specifically requested is in environments where the performers' comfort over an extended period of time is priority, such as a concert hall where 100 musicians in tuxes and formal dresses will be sitting on stage for 2-3 hours straight -- they're exerting themselves already in their musical performance, so it's preferred to avoid cooking them under the lights while they're at it.

True, but these are only fixtures lamped under 750W, and these folks tend to maximize available lumens on stage (their first rule of lighting design - if you have left over fixtures, you did it wrong).