Mover selection help

[ACTSTech]

For $2K you might get lucky and pick up several good used fixtures. They would be discharge lamp fixtures. Relamping and maintenance can easily cost $2K every year or so depending on usage.

Unfortunately, the board doesn’t understand this. They plan on producing 4 shows a year, 2 to 3 weekends per show, 24 to 30 performances, maybe 60 total days of usage including tech, 240 hours a year. Cost wise, I just don’t think it’s feasible. I’m doing due diligence (and learning a lot from all of you in the meantime) but I’m not getting too involved. The Martins, though heavily used, will be fine, but they want more.

I suppose that since the board is mostly made up of performers, I should set my expectations lower. They expect the spotlight after all...

 

[soundlight]

For only $2K, see if you can find used Rogue R1 Washes. They provide great colors, great zoom, and have 16 bit pan/tilt/dim/color control for those smooth fades. They're bright enough to have some punch in your space, get beamy enough for cool looking effects in haze, and are very reliable units.

WHATEVER YOU DO, don't let those board people go linking you to rando no-name brands of DJ movers off of eBay, they don't last, have inconsistent color, bad thermal management, no service/parts avail in the US, shoddy dimming, and are often very loud.

 

[ACTSTech]

For only $2K, see if you can find used Rogue R1 Washes. They provide great colors, great zoom, and have 16 bit pan/tilt/dim/color control for those smooth fades. They're bright enough to have some punch in your space, get beamy enough for cool looking effects in haze, and are very reliable units.

WHATEVER YOU DO, don't let those board people go linking you to rando no-name brands of DJ movers off of eBay, they don't last, have inconsistent color, bad thermal management, no service/parts avail in the US, shoddy dimming, and are often very loud.

Might you mean shoddy instruments like the LED pars they got which were from a fly by night company? The 30 some pars which aren’t as bright as my keychain flashlight but HAD to be integrated into our spring show somehow?

Don’t get me wrong, this project has been both frustrating and fun, getting in from the beginning, but sometimes I wish there were less chiefs in the tribe.

 

[sk8rsdad]

$700 USD for 6 MAC 700s with about 6,000 hours on them.

 

[TimMc]

And the first one that breaks will cost $500 to fix. The 2nd happiest day in my shop was the day we sold off the last of the Martin MAC inventory.

 

[sk8rsdad]

Yup. They're disposable at this point.

 

[ACTSTech]

$700 USD for 6 MAC 700s with about 6,000 hours on them.
View attachment 21261

If that’s an offer, my board would jump on those. They’re in love with Martins.

I’m not totally against used movers knowing that they work, but I see the long term problems. If those 6 all work, then use 3, keep 3 in reserve. At least that would be my suggestion.

 

[sk8rsdad]

These replaced 3 Clay Paky Alpha Spot HPE 700s. It was 4 but the power supply died in one of them and a replacement was going to cost $1250.

 

[TimMc]

If that’s an offer, my board would jump on those. They’re in love with Martins.

I’m not totally against used movers knowing that they work, but I see the long term problems. If those 6 all work, then use 3, keep 3 in reserve. At least that would be my suggestion.

Martin lights generally look good. I understand the more recent models hold up better but our experience with 2k, 700, and 250 kryptons was that once out of warranty they were a consistent source of frustration and cash drain. I'm the head the audio dept and I almost danced on the dock when the last case of of them went away.