LED Moving Lights

[TechGeek]

Hey all,
I've been looking to get some LED Moving wash lights and I'm stuck figuring out between the Blizzard Blade RGBW and Chauvet Legend 412. The prices are extremely different however it looks to me that the fixtures are pretty similar. The only different thing I notice is that the Legend allows you to do "eye candy" effects, but then the blizzard blade has an 8 degree diffusion filter and the quad case is only $329.99.

Let me know what you all think. Thank You!

 

[Bubby4j]

Hey all,
I've been looking to get some LED Moving wash lights and I'm stuck figuring out between the Blizzard Blade RGBW and Chauvet Legend 412. The prices are extremely different however it looks to me that the fixtures are pretty similar. The only different thing I notice is that the Legend allows you to do "eye candy" effects, but then the blizzard blade has an 8 degree diffusion filter and the quad case is only $329.99.

Let me know what you all think. Thank You!

I've personally used the Blade RGBW, we have 2 of them. Personally I've found that the Blade isn't all that bright with the diffusion filter, 2,920 lux @ 2M (full white). The other fixture you listed is 1,500 lux @ 5 m, a VERY big difference.

I really like the blade for the sharp 1.1 degree beam angle, but for general wash, I can't recommend it. It is pretty fast.
Another thing about the blade, is that it doesn't have perfect precision. Over time your preset positions might be a couple inches off @ 8-10ft away from them.

However, the Blade QFX has 8,500 lux @ 2m, and has a 10 degree beam angle. If you're going with Blizzard Lighting, that light may fit the bill better. It appears to be substantially brighter than the Blade RGBW. I've not personally used it, nor have I used that Chauvet fixture. My two cents.

Edit: Another thing I noticed was that the Blade RGBW doesn't mix the colors, they mix in the air, while the Legend 412 mixes in a lens. So it'll look better to the audience, and have better color mixing, especially at short-range. The QFX mixes in-lens also.

 

[TechGeek]

I've personally used the Blade RGBW, we have 2 of them. Personally I've found that the Blade isn't all that bright with the diffusion filter, 2,920 lux @ 2M (full white). The other fixture you listed is 1,500 lux @ 5 m, a VERY big difference.

I really like the blade for the sharp 1.1 degree beam angle, but for general wash, I can't recommend it. It is pretty fast.
Another thing about the blade, is that it doesn't have perfect precision. Over time your preset positions might be a couple inches off @ 8-10ft away from them.

However, the Blade QFX has 8,500 lux @ 2m, and has a 10 degree beam angle. If you're going with Blizzard Lighting, that light may fit the bill better. It appears to be substantially brighter than the Blade RGBW. I've not personally used it, nor have I used that Chauvet fixture. My two cents.

Edit: Another thing I noticed was that the Blade RGBW doesn't mix the colors, they mix in the air, while the Legend 412 mixes in a lens. So it'll look better to the audience, and have better color mixing, especially at short-range. The QFX mixes in-lens also.

Ohhhh, I was just looking at watts.... I guess that's part of being a somewhat newbie. Ya, I do like the in-lens mixing instead of the single colored LED's. I think at the price the QFX runs I mind as well go with the legend, a somewhat local production company just upgraded to them for their wash lights. The Legend 412 runs for $1k each I think, but with the pixel mapping and such I think I'll take em but grab a few Blades as effect lights for concerts and such. Thanks!

Edit: I also kinda wouldn't want a fixtures position to be way off a few years later...

 

[Bubby4j]

Ohhhh, I was just looking at watts.... I guess that's part of being a somewhat newbie. Ya, I do like the in-lens mixing instead of the single colored LED's. I think at the price the QFX runs I mind as well go with the legend, a somewhat local production company just upgraded to them for their wash lights. The Legend 412 runs for $1k each I think, but with the pixel mapping and such I think I'll take em but grab a few Blades as effect lights for concerts and such. Thanks!

Yeah, watts != light output. Different LEDs have different efficiency, plus different case/lens designs effect how much light is wasted from the LEDs.

Before you assume to go with the legend, you should get an actual quote from a dealer. The MAP can be much higher than the price they'll actually sell them to you, sometimes over $100 each. Once you have actual numbers in-hand, then I suggest making the choice.

Edit: Also consider that depending on your application, since the QFX is cheaper, you can buy more of them for the money. So you can have the light spread out in more areas, having less brightness though. Up to you to decide what you want for your application.

 

[soundlight]

I wouldn't go with the blades because the in-lens mixing looks much more professional. I hate the "lite-brite" or "skittles" look of the Blade RGBW and similar fixtures. In the past two years in-lens mixing has become standard. I'd look at the Blade QFX, the Legend 412, and also the ADJ Inno Color Beam Quad 7. There's also the ADJ Inno Color Beam Z7, which has 7 quad-chip LEDs and a nice zoom range. This comes in similar to the 412 on pricing. Just released at LDI.

Chauvet DJ is also about to release (probably next month or so) a little zoom wash, the "Intimidator Wash Zoom 350". It'll have 7 quad-chip LEDs and a very wide zoom range. There are a few videos up on youtube about it. It was first shown at LDI last year. Don't know pricing yet.

 

[TechGeek]

Yeah, watts != light output. Different LEDs have different efficiency, plus different case/lens designs effect how much light is wasted from the LEDs.

Before you assume to go with the legend, you should get an actual quote from a dealer. The MAP can be much higher than the price they'll actually sell them to you, sometimes over $100 each. Once you have actual numbers in-hand, then I suggest making the choice.

Edit: Also consider that depending on your application, since the QFX is cheaper, you can buy more of them for the money. So you can have the light spread out in more areas, having less brightness though. Up to you to decide what you want for your application.

Hmmm.... I was just going to buy from online, or my buddy who is a dealer.
I understand getting more QFX spending less cash, but I am losing brightness which is a big deal to me. They are planned to be used as moving washes for onstage effect, and a few for audience effect when used with concert setups.

 

[TechGeek]

I wouldn't go with the blades because the in-lens mixing looks much more professional. I hate the "lite-brite" or "skittles" look of the Blade RGBW and similar fixtures. In the past two years in-lens mixing has become standard. I'd look at the Blade QFX, the Legend 412, and also the ADJ Inno Color Beam Quad 7. There's also the ADJ Inno Color Beam Z7, which has 7 quad-chip LEDs and a nice zoom range. This comes in similar to the 412 on pricing. Just released at LDI.

Chauvet DJ is also about to release (probably next month or so) a little zoom wash, the "Intimidator Wash Zoom 350". It'll have 7 quad-chip LEDs and a very wide zoom range. There are a few videos up on youtube about it. It was first shown at LDI last year. Don't know pricing yet.

I agree with the in-lens mixing looking more professional. I have heard of the ADJ Inno Color Beam Series but not the 27 with the zoom... I am defiantly taking a look at that one. I own a Chauvet Intimadator Spot 150 LED which I am really pleased with considering I used it for a show and I hung it on my high schools catwalk 45 feet from the ground and 20 feet away from the stage and they output was amazing! We could still see the spot on stage under the 21 750w source4s that where shining bright on stage as well. So I will take a look at that too!