Have you ever used/seen a High End Studio Spot 575 with the
frost filter on? It looks exactly the same, so its not really a
wash light per say, but can be used as one. If I had a choice between a 'spot light' with a
frost filter and a
wash light, I would take the spot. If you can get both, so much the better. If you haven't seen a Studio Spot 575 with
frost on, the best way I can describe it is get a
leko, do a hard focus, and then
drop some
frost gel in it, like R101. Its almost the same principle, just won't be as spread as the
leko.
As far as durability, performance,
etc, I don't know yet because I have yet to see one. I can tell you that the
Power Spot 700 revials a
Mac 700 side by side. I can also tell you that a
Mac 550 will be slightly brighter thanks to better optics despite a 400w lamp compared to a 575w lamp. Lamp life goes to Design Spot. Both have effects wheels,
iris, and near identical zooms. The
Mac 550 has more gobos, 6 rotating and 9 static. The Design Spot 575 has 2 rotating wheels with 6 gobos a piece. The
Mac 550 has 2 color wheels, were as the Design Spot 575 has
CMY and a color wheel. The Design Spot 575 also
frost as you said, a
prism, and a faster
strobe at 13hz compared to 10hz of the
Mac 550.
The Design Spot 575 can also be had for around 4 grand compared to roughly $6800 for the
Mac 550. Thats like saying for one
Mac 550 you get 1.5 Design Spot 575's. I would say it looks like a good buy. I defiantly want to have one demoed because I am also interested in these. Problem is they are brand new, demoed for first time last November, and didn't start shipping until February this year, so things like durability just aren't known yet as it is still new. If I have it demoed, I'll be sure to let you know how it looks.
I can also speak from experience about
Elation's
Power Spot 575 and 575IE if you would like to know about them.