LED PARs - anybody have experience with American DJ vs Elation

[Vigwiec]

We are working on starting a lighting business in a midsize college town. We anticipate lighting frat parties, weddings, maybe a few shows at music venues, and whoever else will put up with us. We have a contact who deals Elation and American DJ lighting among others and we're planning to get started with a few LED PAR cans. Regarding specific models we're considering, does anybody have experience with American DJ Flat PAR Tri18 or the Elation Opti Tri PAR? Anybody have other favorite models from either company?

In general, do any of you have opinions on what equipment is helpful for temporary, professional-looking installations at nice venues? Know any types of potential customers/venues we might not be thinking of? Anybody have a good source for truss? my partner has worked for a large-ish firm in Texas so knows a little; my background is in physics so I understand theory but I'm trying to wrap my head around everything specific to the lighting world. Anybody have general advice?

 

[Esoteric]

I use LED units all the time. Theater, industrial, churches, weddings, etc. The only thing I still insist on incandescent for is front light when it has to be tightly controlled or from beyond 20'. The Elation stuff is good. But really, unless you are using Seledor (which I don't even really like), Color Kinetics (not a fan unless you are lighting the sides of buildings), or Vari-Lite/Selecon units, it is all really the same. Just avoid the DJ lines from either company and make sure you are purchasing their Pro Products.

I prefer ColorKey and Blizzard Lighting myself.

I use XSF truss. But mostly because it is a very good product AND I don't have to pay shipping on it here in town.

Mike

 

[mstaylor]

Without getting into specific models because I don't know which is which, Elation is a little higher quality than ADJ but make sure you are doing apples to apples. Elation has DJ style lights but they also have a pro line. I am not sure if ADJ has a pro line or not. Just remember that if you use DJ equipment, it is fine for small rooms but nothing bigger. If you start using incadensent instruments the DJ won't cut through it.

 

[dj41354]

I use LED units all the time. Theater, industrial, churches, weddings, etc. The only thing I still insist on incandescent for is front light when it has to be tightly controlled or from beyond 20'. The Elation stuff is good. But really, unless you are using Seledor (which I don't even really like), Color Kinetics (not a fan unless you are lighting the sides of buildings), or Vari-Lite/Selecon units, it is all really the same. Just avoid the DJ lines from either company and make sure you are purchasing their Pro Products.

I prefer ColorKey and Blizzard Lighting myself.

I use XSF truss. But mostly because it is a very good product AND I don't have to pay shipping on it here in town.

Mike

The BrickBlaster Pro LED fixtures are new and completely different.
The Black Tank High Power Compact LED Fixtures
The 8-pack Bundle is ideal for small events. It's compact, and contains eight 1200Lumen RGBW fixtures. Here's a rental company that's started using them, with some of their comments:
Mountain Light Company - Professional Services - Wall | Facebook

 

[BillESC]

Blizzard has some new flat style pars that offer more output than the Elations at a better price.

For example, their Puck Q12/A features 12 - ten watt quad diodes RGBA and has a MAP price of $ 299.99

The Puck

 

[shiben]

We are working on starting a lighting business in a midsize college town. We anticipate lighting frat parties, weddings, maybe a few shows at music venues, and whoever else will put up with us. We have a contact who deals Elation and American DJ lighting among others and we're planning to get started with a few LED PAR cans. Regarding specific models we're considering, does anybody have experience with American DJ Flat PAR Tri18 or the Elation Opti Tri PAR? Anybody have other favorite models from either company?

In general, do any of you have opinions on what equipment is helpful for temporary, professional-looking installations at nice venues? Know any types of potential customers/venues we might not be thinking of? Anybody have a good source for truss? my partner has worked for a large-ish firm in Texas so knows a little; my background is in physics so I understand theory but I'm trying to wrap my head around everything specific to the lighting world. Anybody have general advice?

Well, first of all, if your intending to light frat parties, I doubt that you will need truss. More C stands and the like. I like color key products as well, 150 bucks for a PAR, but its big and bright, and makes some nice colors. I have used the 10mm versions (8 units) as back light very successfully with front and down washes from 1k fresnels and ETC Source 4s. I think you would be happy with them in a DJ/party setting. In a more professional setting, you need to start looking more into Color Kinetics, Selador, etc not only for intensity but also for build quality. Some LED Moving heads might also be in line with what your trying to do, or some Elation PS 5r units. Not terribly expensive, decent quality, and a lot of people on this forum use them.

 

[chausman]

Some LED Moving heads might also be in line with what your trying to do, or some Elation PS 5r units. Not terribly expensive, decent quality, and a lot of people on this forum use them.

I believe bishopthomas is trying to sell a few of those in the CB Classifieds right now!


---
- Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[DuckJordan]

I'm actually going to completely disagree with the suggestions on here after working with companies that do the same type of work you are trying to get to. Just Hung a corporate event 192 rounds of 8 tables and they were using elation colorblast fixtures to light the tables. Very "dj quality" fixtures but they work very well.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[gafftapegreenia]

No one has mentioned that ADJ and Elation are owned by the same company. ADJ, beig, naturally "DJ grade" while Elation is generally "service grade". Chauvet, a well known DJ company, had their own Pro line now, likely designed to compete against Elation. Most of these products come from the same couple factories in China.

That said, the Elation Tri Opti PARs are pretty rockin'.

 

[eloader]

No one has mentioned that ADJ and Elation are owned by the same company. ADJ, beig, naturally "DJ grade" while Elation is generally "service grade". Chauvet, a well known DJ company, had their own Pro line now, likely designed to compete against Elation. Most of these products come from the same couple factories in China.

That said, the Elation Tri Opti PARs are pretty rockin'.

For the record...NONE of the products Elation and Chauvet sell come from the same factories in China!

 

[Esoteric]

Maybe not the units, but the OEM parts for a vast majority of the LED products out there come from the same several factories in China.

 

[eloader]

Maybe not the units, but the OEM parts for a vast majority of the LED products out there come from the same several factories in China.

But then you have to include ETC/VariLite/Philips/Martin and all others in the discussion. ALL buy key components made in China and there are 100's if not 1,000's of those factories so to make a blanket statement like that is not really fair.

 

[Sayen]

Of the lights the OP asked about I only have the Elation Opti Tri PAR. For the price (compared to similar units) I have been very happy with them. The white is a predictable blue, but that's to be expected. They don't dim evenly of course, and if I remember correctly the colors are not assigned to specific channels (they are groups of data on channels), so programming with specific colors can be a little tricky. When I bought them a few years ago I shopped around and demo'd quite a few units, and they seemed to be the best bang for the buck.

A slightly higher than normal failure rate out of the box - make sure you buy from a reliable vendor with a good return policy. Once we exchanged the dead lights the others have been great. The only thing I don't like about them is the lack of a pass through for power. LED lights seem to require power strips plugged into power strips, which is sort of a no-no.

 

[themuzicman]

Chauvet, a well known DJ company, had their own Pro line now, likely designed to compete against Elation.

For what it's worth - I love the Chauvet COLORdash line of products. They work very well, are bright, and get the job done for such a simple LED fixture.

Disclaimer: I'm an audio guy, the company I used to work for had a ton of these that we could set up to provide lighting in bars, or provide accent lighting in ballrooms and corporate events.

 

[jglodeklights]

Of the lights the OP asked about I only have the Elation Opti Tri PAR. For the price (compared to similar units) I have been very happy with them. The white is a predictable blue, but that's to be expected. They don't dim evenly of course, and if I remember correctly the colors are not assigned to specific channels (they are groups of data on channels), so programming with specific colors can be a little tricky. When I bought them a few years ago I shopped around and demo'd quite a few units, and they seemed to be the best bang for the buck.

A slightly higher than normal failure rate out of the box - make sure you buy from a reliable vendor with a good return policy. Once we exchanged the dead lights the others have been great. The only thing I don't like about them is the lack of a pass through for power. LED lights seem to require power strips plugged into power strips, which is sort of a no-no.

False. Like most LED fixtures with multiple color diodes, there are several operating modes on the Opti Tri PAR. One of the few it has is DMX control mode, with 6 different controls modes within it, including a color macro mode for single channel operation, or 4 or 6 channel mode with RGB mixing, Master Dimmer, and then strobe functions in 6 channel operations.

Also, not all LED fixtures require power strips plugged into power strips as some do have power pass through, and power strips are not the only option. There are cables and distro methods specifically designed for the situation of non linkable LED fixtures (or similar problems). Granted, power strips in power strips will work as long as you are not overloading any single outlet and it isn't a permanent installation.