Chauvet 4 Bar Tri

[mophead]

Anyone use the Chauvet 4 Play Tri and 4 Play for lighting? Thinking of getting this for the band to upgrade current crappy lights.

Looks like a decent setup for small band.

Thoughts?

[Schizoid75]

I have the basic 4 Bar and the 4 Play. I can't speak specifically on the 4 Bar Tri. I really love this system. Previously, I had about 6 different LED par cans from Chauvet and American DJ. The nice thing about this system is that it's so easy to set up, and packs up nicely and securely. With regular par cans, it's hard to pack them securely without taking up lots of space. All the gigging took its toll on mine. With this system, the flat nature of the products, and the supplied cases, transporting is so nice.

For small clubs, one of each works fine, especially if you get a good angle onto the stage. I wouldn't mind picking up another for larger stages or places where I really have to put them on the side of the stage.

I have only two complaints. The footswitch controller tends to be wonky. If the pedals are out of alignment, then they don't make good contact, and the lights don't behave properly. It's an easy fix, but I didn't realize what the problem was for a while and it was driving me crazy! You just have to wiggle the pedals to the left or right until they make good contact when being depressed.

The second is that the microphone for sound mode is too sensitive. It's either just a bit too manic or it doesn't move at all. I may experiment more with putting some cotton around the mic, etc.

Still, my concerns are minor. This setup is a godsend for the typical bar band looking to have their own lights. Feel free to ask more specific questions.

[mophead]

So you have only one tower with the 4 cans and then the 4 play under it?
I was looking at the 4 bar tri simply because they are proposed to be much brighter lumens wise. About three times if I remember correctly.
Does the 4 play work sufficiently for the dance floor and keep dancers amused?
Thanks for your reply.

[Marko5657]

I have two of the regulary 4bars, and I’m not sure I’d want anything brighter, unless maybe they were going to be pretty far away. We often have to adjust them because they’re hurting our eyes. We put one on either side of the stage and they really do the job.

I've also seen some pretty good prices on them recently.


I have a single moonflower light on the dance floor, but it isn’t very spectacular.

I just picked up a couple of those American DJ stips, the long powerful ones that go for $399, I got for $150 each, reboxed. I think were returns because a few of the little LED lights don’t work, but that’s no problem. Those go behind us, maybe lighting up the wall or in the corners facing across stage, and they look really great back there.

[BartmanPDX]

Just looked this up on YouTube.

Want. Really want. We have a setup with some led par cans and such but it's clunky and heavy and probably not as bright. The tri colored LEDs are much better for front lighting as well.

[bluedyna]

Cool set-up. I got one for each side of the stage. That is eight moon flowers. I put a couple on the wall behind the band and the rest on the dance floor. I think it adds alot. The 4 bar tri is very bright. some complain but, they certainly change the stage.I like em! Sorry drummer dude.

[Schizoid75]

The plain 4 Bar is pretty bright, but they are somewhat focused. They aren't like spotlights, but if the stage is big and your band is more spread out, then it's hard to illuminate everyone. Plus, some settings are just not as bright. I usually leave it on one of it's automatic scroll programs. A setting with just all the red led's is going to be less bright than purple--all the red and blue led's.

Usually I'm happy with one, but there are times I wish I had two. Frankly, a lot of that comes from positioning, too. Sometimes I have to put it more on one side of the stage so that it sort of points across the stage, or has a very sharp angle. Then you get shadows coming off the performers, etc. There aren't many places where I would NEED two if I could always get the stand right in front of the stage.

The 4 play doesn't put out a ton of light, but it is interesting. I usually point three at various spots on the dance floor and then maybe one back towards our two lead singers.

I've got the setup down to a science now and it's so fast and effortless.

[Low Class]

Check out the FabFour from cheaplights.com. I had the 4 Bar and sent it back. The footswitch is a pain!! The Fabfour is basically the same thing and much more user friendly.