Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Greg Brown" data-source="post: 39096" data-attributes="member: 1035">Re: Chauvet SlimPar Pro RGBA ReviewThanks to everyone for your input!&nbsp; Since I&#039;m starting fresh in the lighting area, there are so many choices....hence my trouble in choosing gear.My major experience with lights that I have set up and torn down have been with a band I augment as a fiddle player - it&#039;s their lighting rig, which consists of a bunch of par cans.&nbsp; They are always looking for a separate circuit they can use for lights because they tend trip breakers if the sound gear is added in.&nbsp; So I was hoping to do a purely LED rig to avoid the hassle - not that I won&#039;t need a separate circuit for lights anyways (due to possible audio interference) but so I don&#039;t have to worry about power requirements so much.&nbsp; I think I&#039;m willing to pay for that convenience....That being said, I don&#039;t have unlimited resources.&nbsp; Since I already bring a 13&quot; MacBook Pro to gigs to use with my Presonus digital mixer (for remote control using an iPad, saving band settings, running iTunes, sometimes recording the show) I thought a USB-DMX interface would be ideal for me.&nbsp; One that can save a scene in case my computer crashes for some reason (like a Chauvet Xpress 512 or equivalent).&nbsp; I could do basic set up of light intensity and colors, for example, wirelessly using my iPad or, in the future, maybe use another i-device to control lights during a show if I want to get fancy.&nbsp; To start though, I&#039;m just looking to leverage the gear I already own.&nbsp; Btw, doing live sound wirelessly using an iPad rocks as I can check out and tweak the sound in different parts of the room not only during sound check but also during the show.&nbsp; I can walk up to musicians who are relatively inexperienced and talk to them about their monitor mix too, which is a massive time saver....To answer a previous question, the ETC Selador Pearl is what I saw, but it lists for over $1000.....and it appears to have an 18 degree beam angle.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have a feeling I&#039;d be better off with some Chauvet VW&#039;s to get more coverage, as TJ was saying.&nbsp; Rob, which RGBAW fixtures do you have?&nbsp; Do they have fans?&nbsp; Are they noisy?I&#039;m not doing sound for huge acts, but sometimes 4 or 5 people (maybe 3 in front, two tucked in behind) at the largest.&nbsp;&nbsp; Folk acts have a lot of trios these days, probably due to low income of bands.&nbsp; Mark Anderson is correct in that I&#039;m not really interested in lighting effects, though in the future I may change that mind on that and want to, say, do black outs after songs and change the colors from song to song.&nbsp; Strobes and dancing lights are not really very likely unless I give up on performing and doing sound for bands and become a DJ, in which case I&#039;ll be re-jigging my entire rig anyways.&nbsp;&nbsp; I was hoping to get away with not too many fixtures, smaller ones that pack small, low power, not too noisy....I know I want my cake and eat it too.&nbsp;&nbsp; I guess that&#039;s why the Slimpars are so attractive because they have all that.&nbsp; What if I bought 4 Slimpar VW&#039;s and a couple of Slimpar RGBA&#039;s, to start?&nbsp; That would give me two white lights per side, and one color.&nbsp; Then I could add more color and white lights as my rig grows?&nbsp;&nbsp; I can get VW&#039;s for about $245 each I think, and RGBA&#039;s for $265 each.&nbsp;&nbsp; That&#039;s $1510, just for lights.&nbsp;&nbsp; More than I was originally planning on spending, but if it&#039;s quality stuff and gets the job done then I&#039;ll find a way to make it work.&nbsp; Is there a better (ie. less expensive) way to wash the stage with pleasing white LED-based light than using a par-type fixture?&nbsp; Remembering that I&#039;m hitting the stage from the near the mains usually, not from a truss going across the stage.Also, any recommendations for a USB-DMX controller, preferably one that can save a scene?&nbsp; I&#039;m a little worried if my computer crashes the lights will go out....or maybe that just doesn&#039;t happen with LED fixtures?&nbsp;&nbsp; I think I can get a Chauvet Xpress 512 new for $325, if I shop around I&#039;m sure less than that used....Thanks again for everyone&#039;s generous help!...Greg</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Greg Brown, post: 39096, member: 1035"] Re: Chauvet SlimPar Pro RGBA Review Thanks to everyone for your input! Since I'm starting fresh in the lighting area, there are so many choices....hence my trouble in choosing gear. My major experience with lights that I have set up and torn down have been with a band I augment as a fiddle player - it's their lighting rig, which consists of a bunch of par cans. They are always looking for a separate circuit they can use for lights because they tend trip breakers if the sound gear is added in. So I was hoping to do a purely LED rig to avoid the hassle - not that I won't need a separate circuit for lights anyways (due to possible audio interference) but so I don't have to worry about power requirements so much. I think I'm willing to pay for that convenience.... That being said, I don't have unlimited resources. Since I already bring a 13" MacBook Pro to gigs to use with my Presonus digital mixer (for remote control using an iPad, saving band settings, running iTunes, sometimes recording the show) I thought a USB-DMX interface would be ideal for me. One that can save a scene in case my computer crashes for some reason (like a Chauvet Xpress 512 or equivalent). I could do basic set up of light intensity and colors, for example, wirelessly using my iPad or, in the future, maybe use another i-device to control lights during a show if I want to get fancy. To start though, I'm just looking to leverage the gear I already own. Btw, doing live sound wirelessly using an iPad rocks as I can check out and tweak the sound in different parts of the room not only during sound check but also during the show. I can walk up to musicians who are relatively inexperienced and talk to them about their monitor mix too, which is a massive time saver.... To answer a previous question, the ETC Selador Pearl is what I saw, but it lists for over $1000.....and it appears to have an 18 degree beam angle. I have a feeling I'd be better off with some Chauvet VW's to get more coverage, as TJ was saying. Rob, which RGBAW fixtures do you have? Do they have fans? Are they noisy? I'm not doing sound for huge acts, but sometimes 4 or 5 people (maybe 3 in front, two tucked in behind) at the largest. Folk acts have a lot of trios these days, probably due to low income of bands. Mark Anderson is correct in that I'm not really interested in lighting effects, though in the future I may change that mind on that and want to, say, do black outs after songs and change the colors from song to song. Strobes and dancing lights are not really very likely unless I give up on performing and doing sound for bands and become a DJ, in which case I'll be re-jigging my entire rig anyways. I was hoping to get away with not too many fixtures, smaller ones that pack small, low power, not too noisy....I know I want my cake and eat it too. I guess that's why the Slimpars are so attractive because they have all that. What if I bought 4 Slimpar VW's and a couple of Slimpar RGBA's, to start? That would give me two white lights per side, and one color. Then I could add more color and white lights as my rig grows? I can get VW's for about $245 each I think, and RGBA's for $265 each. That's $1510, just for lights. More than I was originally planning on spending, but if it's quality stuff and gets the job done then I'll find a way to make it work. Is there a better (ie. less expensive) way to wash the stage with pleasing white LED-based light than using a par-type fixture? Remembering that I'm hitting the stage from the near the mains usually, not from a truss going across the stage. Also, any recommendations for a USB-DMX controller, preferably one that can save a scene? I'm a little worried if my computer crashes the lights will go out....or maybe that just doesn't happen with LED fixtures? I think I can get a Chauvet Xpress 512 new for $325, if I shop around I'm sure less than that used.... Thanks again for everyone's generous help! ...Greg [/QUOTE]

Verification