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Why Versatility is so Vital!

One thought that always seems to be at the front of my mind these days is versatility; how the more versatile something is, the more problems it solves, and in turn, the less problems we have to deal with going forward.

Even though I’m kept very busy here at ADJ, I still like to get out and play gigs every once in a while. Not too long back I was DJing an event for which the client wanted up-lighting and pin-spotting in those trendy luminous purple and blue colors, but also an active, more exciting lightshow, keeping with the same theme, later on in the evening. When I arrived and realized I’d forgotten some of my more powerful moving heads, I was frustrated and a little bummed out. But then, when I considered the two Event Bar Q4s which I’d brought with me to pin-spot the tables, it dawned on me that my problem was most likely solved.

Thanks to the 5-degree beam angle, I could use the sharp colorful beams to achieve incredible mid-air effects above the dance-floor, especially when using multiple fixtures in combination with fog. With the beams from the Event Bars already pointing down across the dance-floor, pin-spotting the tables from up on my truss, all I had to had to do was add fog once the dancing section of the event began; this emphasized the sharpness and color of the beams. I could then add in some movement patterns to add energy and, with the easily operable strobe effects too, I soon found myself exploiting the flexibility of the fixtures to my advantage, creating a range of colors and great effects – even without the presence of my missing moving heads. Without this versatility; without the movement, color, effects, and sharpness that the fixture offered, in addition to its pin-spotting abilities, my lightshow would’ve suffered a lot more than it did that day.

I guess the lesson here is that whatever tools you choose for your lighting arsenal, make sure you go versatile – then, no matter what the situation, you always have something to fall back on. The topic of ‘going versatile’ brings me on to three of our latest fixtures, all of which are multipurpose, highly flexible, and cost-effective products for you to consider.

Inno Color Beam Z7
ADJ’s compact Inno Color Beam Z7 features seven powerful 10-watt quad-color (RGBW) Osram Ostar LEDs and a motorized zoom function creating a variable 10-60 degree beam angle, providing you with an intense active beam or (using a wider beam angle) a far-reaching wash of light. This makes the Inno Color Beam Z7 ideal for flooding dance-floors with color as part of a mobile DJ’s lightshow or for washing features and décor, while also being perfect for filling a room with an ensemble of on-trend beam effects. 64 built-in color macros will enable you to easily select the right RGBW mix to achieve a particular color, which enables you to program quickly. Multiple Z7 units can also be linked together for Master/Slave operation and both pan and tilt movement can also be easily inverted to give you a symmetrical, synchronized and professional-looking lightshow, without the hassle of DMX programming. The inversion feature can also be used to set up two fixtures – one of the floor and the other hung from above – so that they both move in the same direction. So, you can go from flooding a venue or dance-floor to producing an eye-catching, synchronized lightshow for your audience, using the same fixture. The unit also offers 0-100% digital dimming as well as variable speed strobing and strobe pulse effects – for when you need that extra ‘wow’ factor.

Ultra Hex Par 3
A similarly super-versatile fixture is ADJ’s Ultra Hex Par 3, an LED par fixture which gives you wide washes in an infinite-array of rich colors, as well as in UV, due to an expert combination of three 10-watt 6-in-1 Hex LEDs and 63 built-in color macros. With Red, Green, Blue, Amber, White and UV all in one LED, as well as the fixture having a 40-degree beam angle, you can achieve wide washes, perfect for stage performances or washing dance-floors, in an expansive palette of unique colors, as well as UV. If it’s a more balanced wash effect you’re after the integrated gel frame also allows the use of optional diffusion filters. Aside from the UV effect, if you’re a mobile or club DJ you’ll find the Ultra Hex Par 3 ideal for creating a party atmosphere due to its LED pulse and strobing effects – offering yet another dimension to how you can utilize the fixture. Due to its extensive flexibility, there isn’t a sector that the Ultra Hex Par 3 won’t cover; whether you use it as up-lighting in churches or for providing UV effects for a party of young clientele. With both color and UV effects in one, the Hex Par 3 is not only versatile, but easy to transport, highly practical and great value for money.

Dotz Par
Another Par fixture which offers great adaptability is ADJ’s Dotz Par, which uses a 36-watt Tri (RGB) COB LED and 35 built-in color macros to produce a high output as well as create smooth RGB color mixing, with no RGB shadows. While the unit’s 60-degree beam angle makes it ideal for wash lighting, you can also use the included lens kit to reduce the beam angle to 25-degrees, making the fixture just as suitable for use in combination with smoke and fog or for providing tight up-lighting effects. What’s more, with strobe and pulse effects there is no reason why you can’t let the Dotz Par join the party when things start heating up; just say the word and strobe effects can instantly add atmosphere to any club, party, or production. The unit’s 0-100% dimming also means it really can be used for any event; whether it’s soft white light or bright, hard-hitting explosions of color you need, the Dotz Par can deliver with its COB LED technology, high output and range of colors.

As you can see, the benefits of purchasing a versatile fixture as an investment into your lightshow are numerous. Not only does buying a fixture that fulfills two (or more) roles reduce the number of units that you need to buy, it also saves you the need to transport multiple fixtures. Certainly, if you’re a mobile DJ, storage during transit and in fact at home, can prove to be a problem; fixtures with two effects in one take up less space, can be easily stored away and reduce setup and tear down time after a gig has finished. For productions and clubs, the decrease in the number of fixtures that you need to have on stage or above the dance-floor leaves room for performers or for further lighting fixtures to be added to the rig. For everyone involved, versatile fixtures mean spending less money, carrying less stuff, and being able to meet the customers’ needs – no matter what the situation. So just remember, from now on, make sure you think versatile and buy versatile!

Check out a product demo video for the ADJ Inno Color Beam Z7 here:

Check out a product demo video for the ADJ Ultra Hex Par3 here:

Check out a product demo video for the ADJ Dotz Par here:

- Alfred Gonzales is the ADJ National Sales Manager  

For more information Contact ADJ:
U.S. Office - Tel: 800-322-6337/+1-323-582-2650 • Web: www.adj.com