Alternative to Genie Lift

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brian maddox

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Jan 13, 2011
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Okay, i'm pretty sure i already know the answer to this question but...

Is there any viable alternative to the ubiquitous Genie Towers that we're forced to use all the time? I cannot express strongly enough how much i hate those finger biting demons that are always trying to fall over and crush me while i'm moving them. They're top heavy. Weigh 8 million pounds. And roll around on a base that is about 12 inches square on tiny wheels that wouldn't be stable on an office chair.

Seriously. We've got all this fabulous digital technology at our disposal and yet we're still using these primitive tools from the stone age to get our speakers in the air. There has GOT to be a better way....

This reminds me of the many years we spent lifting these ridiculously heavy consoles until someone finally invented the EZ-Tilt [midas? i remember they sold them first]. Anyway, someone somewhere is going to develop a solution for this and we'll all stand around a go "why didn't i think of that?".
 
Re: Alternative to Genie Lift

Keep wishing, and put on your inventor hat and see what you come up with!

Seriously, I'm with you. I really don't like telescoping mast lifts either, but it seems that there aren't many alternatives that represent a significant departure from the form factor. We have to keep gravity at bay...
 
Re: Alternative to Genie Lift

I'm with both you guys on this. Nobody has changed the form factor, so there's really not any better lifts, just different.

Besides the ubiquitous ST-20 and ST-25, there's the Sumner Eventer lifts (almost the same as Genie, but in black), and also the VMB lifts. I do like the VMB as their fork length, load capacity, and self-weight are much improved over the stock Genie (VMB TL-A500 is 419# vs ST-25 @ 555#), but it's still the same basic form factor.

Skyhooks - we just need skyhooks.
 
Re: Alternative to Genie Lift

brian maddox said:
Okay, i'm pretty sure i already know the answer to this question but...

Is there any viable alternative to the ubiquitous Genie Towers that we're forced to use all the time?...There has GOT to be a better way....
.
Click to expand...
I just picked up a pair of Mobil Tech ML3. They have a SWL of 573# and a self weight of 275#. Their glaring limitation is their height, which maxes at 18', but if that's high enough for you these are great lifts. They also have an ML4, which raises to 21', albeit at a slightly decreased load capacity.
 
Re: Alternative to Genie Lift

The alterntives to the ST-25 lifts are typically the crank-up stands (e.g. Applied L-16) for smaller applications, and truss structures.

Truss structures give you more load capacity, but generally require a bigger crew to deploy and more truck space.
http://www.xsftruss.com/array-towers.html
http://www.appliednn.com/l_CMT.php

The best option is a chain hoist, but that requires a point from which to rig...
 
Re: Alternative to Genie Lift

I have the Trabes "Lift 4.5", which can be put up by one person pretty easily if there is clear floor space to lay the assembled tower on its side. It gets the center of an average size speaker up about 13 ft.

Not the same thing, I know, but an alternative for some situations. And unlike the Genies, they're pretty. At least I think so. They're Italian after all. -F

http://www.trabes.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=144&Itemid=139&lang=en
 
Re: Alternative to Genie Lift

These from Penn-Elcom have always looked interesting: http://www.penn-elcom.com/default.asp?PN=SAS&LG=ENG.
 
Re: Alternative to Genie Lift

drew gandy said:
Now there's your different form factor! I'm waiting on pricing but it looks like an interesting change of concept. I'm thinking that you put wheels on the "top". When you get it near the position of use you flip it over and plug it in. Or, Declan, do you mean that you roll it like a tire?
Click to expand...

The ribbon lifts I helped unload from (unmentioned artist) trucks were referred to by tour crew as "three thousand pounds of 'fuck you up'." Every move came with instructions. Ditto for the spiral lifts Frederik mentions.
 
Re: Alternative to Genie Lift

Tim McCulloch said:
The ribbon lifts I helped unload from (unmentioned artist) trucks were referred to by tour crew as "three thousand pounds of 'fuck you up'." Every move came with instructions. Ditto for the spiral lifts Frederik mentions.
Click to expand...
With great power comes great responsibility. ?
 
Re: Alternative to Genie Lift

There is probably a huge market for something that could get a pair of SRX835s 12-15 feet in the air as a maximum. Often just a good 12+horn or 15+horn up 10-12 feet instead of the 5-6 feet you can get with tripod stands. Moveable by one person for set up, fits in a van or SUV and doesn't cost $3K.
 
Re: Alternative to Genie Lift

Steve Kirby said:
There is probably a huge market for something that could get a pair of SRX835s 12-15 feet in the air as a maximum. Often just a good 12+horn or 15+horn up 10-12 feet instead of the 5-6 feet you can get with tripod stands. Moveable by one person for set up, fits in a van or SUV and doesn't cost $3K.
Click to expand...

You mean like the Applied L16?

Also, Ultimate has the TS99 that goes to 9'
 
Re: Alternative to Genie Lift

Can I hang a 60lb speaker out on an outrigger in front of the pole far enough to tilt it down? On thing I found flying my DRS112s off a trailer stage last month is that the flypoints are too far back and you have to put a pretty healthy pull back on them. To put those up over a crowd they'd need 18-20" in front of the pole. The thing in my mind would have an asymmetrical base. Some folks may remember some home built things I put up on PSW about 6-7 years ago. They're long gone but something like that with a longer front leg and front brace.
 
Re: Alternative to Genie Lift

I've been using some Cosmic Truss CT-5s that I'm pretty happy with. They are still essentially the style of a super tower, but lighter weight (~260#), 21' height, BLACK, and less expensive. While they don't state it anywhere, similarities in construction and the fact that they come from Spain makes me suspect that these may be OEM'ed by VMB for Cosmic Truss, or for their distributor German Light Products.
 
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