Time to replace my spots (PAR56) for LED's

[OTO1702]

Hello Everyone,

its time for us to change our PAR's 56 for some LED lights. We have come up with 2 options :
8 x Microh LEDPRO64K or 8 x Elation Opti-RGB.

We have both of them for the same price, 275$ CAD. each !

They will replace the pars we have in our theater, mainly bands are playing in


Any thoughts, review and recommendations ?

Thanks,

 

[MisterTim]

Replacing PAR 56s with LEDs? No. You can't. You're talking about 306 lux @ 5m from the Microhs, or about 1530 mlux^2, and 2340 mlux^2 from the Elations. With an incandescent, you're looking at 15,000-30,000 mlux^2.

We just recently used Chauvet COLORdash Blocks (2510 mlux^2) as sidelighting in our dance show instead of PAR 64s, which we had used in the past. They were nowhere near close to a PAR 64. Saturation is great though, especially when combined with 12 Chauvet COLORado 72-LED strips.

You just can't replace them with LEDs. Sure they're great add-ons, but not replacements.

(old thread, but the numbers don't lie)

 

[OTO1702]

OK !

So we better keep our Pars, and add some of these lights, so with the numbers we have, the elation seems better ? how about quality ? is the elation better then the Microh ?

Thanks,

 

[MisterTim]

OK !

So we better keep our Pars, and add some of these lights, so with the numbers we have, the elation seems better ? how about quality ? is the elation better then the Microh ?

Thanks,

Honestly, why bother? Good LEDs are not yet at your price point. What are you trying to achieve with them? I'm not exactly a lighting guy, but the only use I see for cheap LED fixtures right now is for cyc lighting. They're not enough to replace PARs or anything where you need actual brightness.

We're demoing a ChromaQ Color Force and a Selador Vivid-R this weekend. I saw them last night, and they're serious LED fixtures. I could see one of those rivaling a PAR, but they're also ~$1200 each.

 

[shiben]

If you just want some flashy crap, LEDs are probably "ok" for your level, although I would keep the PARs. I have said in the past and will say again, I am thoroughly in favor of lots of PARs for bands and the like. You can get them for super cheap, they are bomb proof, and they have serious punch with most all colors. Also, there is nothing like some of the stuff they used to do with PARs. Derek posted a video on here a while back about setting up a KISS show, and that was pretty much all, if not entirely, PAR cans. It still looked spectacular. Also, as an audience member, there is something about 40 VNSP PAR cans in Open White blasting the stage in a spectacular crossing pattern as 9 lites hit you in the face. its just electrifying. Now if power consumption is your concern, LEDs *Might* be an idea, but those guys are probably not quite there yet. I dont think any LEDs have really good replacements for the beamage and punch of the PAR cans, and the look is just not the same. It feels wrong to me. As a final argument, for the price of one 1200 dollar LED fixture, you can get 30 PARs. You could get yourself at least 50 more PARs for your budget, which could probably give you something like 5 colors across the stage. Why screw with the classics that still work well if you cant afford to get into the big time budget items? Just my 2cents.

 

[jeffsw6]

As a final argument, for the price of one 1200 dollar LED fixture, you can get 30 PARs.

LEDs need less copper and no dimmers. LED instruments have an a very long "bulb life," unless they experience some premature failure. The cost comparison is not that simple.

 

[DiscoBoxer]

I would agree to add them rather than replace. We just bought 3 VFX lighting LED pars that are more powerful at 36x3W. There was not a whole lot of info on them so I posted on the forum a simple review, just search VFX.

I have had them for about two weeks and I am pretty impressed for the price. They cost about the same as what you have listed above plus they add amber. They feel solid and look pretty good. I am already looking at purchasing another dozen.

You can buy them new off Solaris Network or direct from the distributor at index

 

[shiben]

LEDs need less copper and no dimmers. LED instruments have an a very long "bulb life," unless they experience some premature failure. The cost comparison is not that simple.

Correct. But many theatres already have circuits, dimmers, etc, and this one probably does, seeing as they are using PAR 56s right now. Now, even if you need to cut it in half, and get dimming for your pars, you still have a better deal. Perhaps its just me as a designer, but until LEDs cost the same to get the unit as a par can, and have the same beam look, I will continue to reomend PAR 64s with MFL and VNSP lamps in them. I think they are more versitile, look better, and if you need more than 5-6 colors in your lights to do a rock concert, then you are missing out.