LED lights - anyone running them at performances?

mrpackerguy · #1 10-12-2009, 03:37 PM

We're looking into getting a couple sides of 64par-equivalent LED lights. But they are pricey still. Hopefully they will come down in price.

If you are running them, what's you experience so far and where did you get yours?

jaywa · #2 10-12-2009, 04:09 PM

This is more of a bump than an answer (sorry), but we're basically in the same boat. Have looked at them, like the low heat output and love the low weight, but not quite in our price range (yet, anyway).

mrpackerguy · #3 10-12-2009, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywa

This is more of a bump than an answer (sorry), but we're basically in the same boat. Have looked at them, like the low heat output and love the low weight, but not quite in our price range (yet, anyway).

I imagine the average weekend warrior bands like ours and yours are in the same boat.

jaywa · #4 10-12-2009, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrpackerguy

I imagine the average weekend warrior bands like ours and yours are in the same boat.

Yep. A good LED light setup would cost us a whole gig's pay (if not 2 gigs), and none of us is quite ready to throw-in that much cause we don't play enough big-time shows to make it worth it.

T-Bird · #5 10-12-2009, 11:10 PM

Hi.

I don't know the answer yet, even though I've been extremely intrigued by the LEDs for quite a while now. Because of the low maintenance cost and low heat output. Weight is no issue, they usually weigh the same as the sealed beam PAR's.

The way I've seen the LED's used have been just washes. I don't like washes, I like beams. Whether wide or narrow (narrow's better

). Washes have no real place in Rock Lighting IMHO.

On a positive side, I'll be installing a LED system in a bar in a month or so and I'll do my review then.

Regards
Sam

WalterBush · #6 10-12-2009, 11:31 PM

My church has a couple dozen LED arrays on stage. When programmed properly, they're amazingly effective, can blend colors seamlessly, and add to the atmosphere of a stage.

When programmed incorrectly, they're capable of blinding musicians in ways PAR cans only dream of, annoy audience members until they just want to get away from the bad light, and may cause seizures when the lighting crew decides to flit between red and blue at high speed.

We ordered ours from a lighting supply house in Phoenix, PacWest, I think.

I don't believe they replace PAR cans, they're just another tool. Be warned (or encouraged) they lose 20% of their brightness within a few months of usage, and then stabilize. This could be good or bad, but it's something you should be aware of when reading the specs on them.

seanm · #7 10-13-2009, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrpackerguy

I imagine the average weekend warrior bands like ours and yours are in the same boat.

Lights are about $50 a show to rent. Most of the bands that I am in rarely, if ever, need them, so renting is the way to go.

Even bars with no PA tend to have lights.... go figure.

mrpackerguy · #8 10-13-2009, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanm

Lights are about $50 a show to rent. Most of the bands that I am in rarely, if ever, need them, so renting is the way to go.

Even bars with no PA tend to have lights.... go figure.

Good point. I was surprised that several of the bars and clubs we've played lately have had lights. No, they are not on controllers or dimmer packs or anything, but it beats having to lug an extra trunk's worth of gear. Maybe renting is the way to go. I can't find a decent package of LEDs for less than $1400 or so. I have snagged a couple LED effect lights of CL for cheap and they replaced our Vertigos, don't have to cycle and run cool all night. Pretty neat.

darranwil · #9 10-15-2009, 06:52 PM

I use a lot of LED fixtures, from 100$ chauvets to 5K$ SGM fixtures. For a decent rig your going to spend 400-600$ a can and need at least 8 of them. Not to mention the DMX cabling (which is not the same as mic cable wire) and a controller.

No heat, only 1 or 2 15 amp circuits for power and infinite colors and strobing is a major plus but the price point is just not there yet. Manufactors are still milking us with high prices on a product that costs them less than traditional fixtures to build.

If your going to spend the cash, get a fixture that uses multiple 1watt or higher LEDs. The 1/4 and 1/2 watts just don't give enough punch and you'll just waste a ton of money.

darran

T-Bird · #10 10-17-2009, 03:04 AM

Hi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by darranwil

Not to mention the DMX cabling (which is not the same as mic cable wire) .

darran

Why's that?

When I put together the cable order for the installation, I noticed that Thomann sells "110 Ohm DMX cables" now. Ordered those (and a terminator) as the cost was the same as with the mic cables.

Back in the day when I used DMX more, we always had just mic cables and a 120 Ohm terminator at the end of the chain.

Speaking of 3 pin DMX512 of course. 5 pin is obviously different

.
And speaking of club installations with max 30m runs and < 20 fixtures. Festival stage setups with 100+ runs are also obviously different

.

Is the data-stream really that fast and high freq, that a resistive cabling is required?

Regards
Sam