Automated Fixtures Need help choosing a package

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theloudone

Member
Hi, i currently am looking into recommending a small moving light package at a mid level college i work at. Our budget is currently $8000 but could go as high as $12000 if neccesary. I have been looking at some elation moving heads.(2x design wash 575e, 2x design spot 300e and a show designer 2cf console} This package currently will cost around $11000. Can anyone recommend a similar package or comment on these fixtures. I also saw that elation just unveiled the platinum spot 5r. These are low power high output but aren't available till February. Are they worth waiting for? Thanks in Advance,

Sheldon Smith Assistant Manager of Technical Operations.
 
What equipment do you currently have? What are you controlling it from? What do you want to achieve with the moving lights? What will they be used for? How big is your space? I seriously suggest reading the Gafftaper Method. If you genuinely have the need, systems and budget in place to maintain the equipment, and enough generic equipment, then I would suggest looking at Martin or Robe equipment; I've not ever used Elation gear but what I've heard about it has not been very positive. Martin and Robe, while more expensive, are well-built, reliable and easy to get spares for - plus if you want to hire in to complement existing units, most hire shops will carry one or the other so you won't have trouble finding matching units. In terms of a console, I really wouldn't go down any road other than buying a desk from one of the big manufacturers - Avo, Hog, Strand, ETC, Jands, even maybe Compulite (there are a few others, but those are the ones I'm familiar with).
 
You could also look at Grand MA variants, depending on your need. I second looking at the gafftaper method, mainly because you can get a lot more stuff (everyone likes playing with 12 awesome new toys as opposed to 2)
 
I would first ask what you want to do with the lights, and what kind of program you run. If you want to use the lights in a theatrical setting - I would look at some unit that has shutters and a tungsten light source. ( I am a personal fan of the VariLite 1K ).

In terms of control - if all you are doing is controling your movers ( IE you have an existing conventional console), budget is a concern, and you are comfortable with a software only solution - you might want to look at mLight. Welcome to OSF Solutions inGenius mLight
 
Sorry i should have elaborated in my original post. We already have many conventional fixtures and accessories. my budget is easily $100k a year. Our auditorium is going through a 40 million $ upgrade currently and will be stocked with mac 2ks and 750s and 301s with an ion console. I was recently approved to buy 8k-12k in lights that will be used for Sorority dances, Fashion Shows small blackbox productions etc. ( the students sure no how to waste money but who am i to judge lol) Also for when im bored and just wanna make a room look nice for a convention or meeting. These will be more of a holdover till the 2ks and such arrive. I just want something mid-range and kind of disposable in a few years. Thanks
 
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you are going to want something more sophisticated than an ion with a pile of movers in there. Either an Eos or something like a Grand MA or Hog.
 
yea thats actually the theater departments call on the ion but ill recomend that to them. Im a live concert guy turned theater and am used to hogs and Avoes. I never really delt with any ETC beyond an expression.

Anyway thats a year and a half out till thatll be a factor as being the construction on the building their going into just started a 1 and a half -2 year renovation. (everything's going but the walls. And adding a another concert hall recording studio many classrooms and rehearsal halls etc.)

At the moment im more just wondering on peoples thoughts about the ealtion package i asked about in the original post. I mostly wanted to know if anyone had any recommendations of similar priced fixtures.

These lights really only need to do the smaller stuff i mentioned above. I doubt i could squeze any more money since the school spending 70 million on 2 building projects currently. (getting lots of cool audio, lighting and video toys because of that but not till at least 2011)

With this package i can get 2 wash and 2 spot and a controller. thats not really possible with martins or VL's.

Maybe after i show them the impact they will have above our normal par and leko designs they will throw more money at us next year for more.

(we currently have 2 techno beams also but the ibeam controller they had for them broke and wasn't worth fixing.)

Oh by the way, when i said 750s i meant mac 700's, i think, I read that email awhile ago. But we are getting 100ish 750 lekos and a bunch of parnells and static led fixtures also. Theyre arent really "goin cheap" on this project.
 
Do you want new fixtures or are you okay with going used?

If so, or either way, HES Studio Spot 575s are a nice piece in a college, or in general.
 
Elation is the best of the bottom end. They've made a move over the last three or four years to be taken seriously while still producing reasonably priced gear. The result is a product that is better than Chauvet, sister company AMDJ, and most things out of "China Inc" but not anywhere near Martin, VL, Robe, etc. I like to think of Elation as "Top of the line DJ gear".

What else should you consider in that price range? Well there are some interesting products out there from "China Inc"... aka... Neo-Neon/Irradiant They are probably the exact same products, made in the same factory as Elation with a different sticker and a lower price. But the question is did they cut a corner on the inside that you won't know about until it dies?

You might want to give CB member BillESC a call. He's a dealer of Neo Neon, Elation, Chauvet, and AMDJ and he really knows this corner of the market.

Personally I would throw that money all into Seachangers. I love them and desperately wish I had about 40 more.
 
Actually, some of the newer Elation professional moving heads have been getting really favorable reviews on the quality of build, performance. Obviously not the same as the heavy hitters, but they are really getting to the point that some of their higher end gear might need to be moved out of the "low end" to "mid range", based on what I have been reading. I agree about the seachangers tho, they are what I want most of pretty much any gear right now.
 
Kind of off topic here, and I apologize for it, but I don't feel that it really needs a new thread.

Here Elation is being labeled as slightly better than Chauvet and AMD, but far from Martin, HES, VL, and Robe. I know I read somewhere before that the brands were labeled as the following.

Top of the line:
Martin
HES
VL

Middle of the road:
Robe
Clay Paky
Coemar
Elation

Bottom of the barrel:
Chauvet
AMDJ

But here Elation is being set closer to Chauvet and AMD than Robe. Yes, there's a question in here... somewhere.

What is the actual progression of whats acceptable and whats not in terms of brand?
 
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