-looking show where beams and gobos cut through the atmosphere? 84 More to the point, using this type of effect as an alternative to CO2 jets just didn’t make sense, since the fog from the fluids these early machines used couldn’t move fast enough and couldn’t dissipate like CO2 does. This resulted in a cloud of smoke surrounding stages, lighting rigs and performers, until it finally cleared. As technology progressed and fluids improved, machines arrived with faster warm-up times and precision-engineered nozzles (for further throw whilst maintaining thickness), as well as LED rings to illuminate the fog and even the ability to mount upside down and vertically!

It’s safe to say that they are now very versatile. As much as I couldn’t imagine how much further the technology could improve, CHAUVET DJ have taken it up a notch with the Geyser Move, by integrating a moving nozzle in a vertical fog machine – inspired by moving atmospherics. As a fan of the Geyser P7, which features LED cells for beautiful two-tone coloured smoke effects, I just had to get the Geyser Move into action and see if it lived up to the standard the P7 had set.

I was so excited that I had delivery alerts set to loud and I was tracking the parcel to make sure I was the first at our office to get my hands on it! When the Geyser Move arrived in a brown van rather than a sleigh, I still felt like a kid on Christmas Day and immediately got to unpacking this incredible new product. The first thing I noticed was how light it was given that the Geyser Move has to incorporate a tilt mechanism and metal nozzle sheath to prevent any fallout or residue getting back into the machine.

The whole thing weighs in at just 11kg. This does not include fluid, but that is always going to be variable. Inside the box was the Geyser Move in all its glory, as well as an IEC power cable, mounting brackets for overhead or side-mount rigging, and a handy little wireless remote (although those who know me already know it was on DMX in minutes – but we’ll get to that bit later on). A solid, all-metal construction houses the Geyser Move in a thoroughly thought-out design.

The unit only features one carry handle – and that’s for good reason. CHAUVET DJ GEYSER MOVE Because the Geyser Move doesn’t weigh much, it’s easy to carry and the handle’s placing makes it look good when facing the audience. The LCD control panel, 3-pin and 5-pin DMX input/output sockets, IEC input, and wired remote socket (wired remote optional), are all located on the side of the unit. On the opposite side, we have a low-profile fluidlevel indicator to give you a real-time reference of how much is left.

This indicator is effectively a side window into the reservoir, as opposed to a digital indicator; seeing the actual level of fluid is the most accurate way of telling when a refill is needed. The 2.4 litre reservoir sits beneath a bracket to hold the bottle in place when the unit is mounted sideways or upside down. This bracket slots into the top of the Geyser Move but also uses thumb screws to hold the bracket in place for extra safety. The top of the unit is where the real differences between the Move and the P7 become apparent.

The first difference is a fully-tilting mechanism that’s controlled by a separate motor beneath the top housing, which can be manipulated using builtin shows or by a dedicated tilt control channel when using DMX control. The eight 10W RGBAUV (red, green, blue, amber, ultraviolet) LEDs span a wider area, rather than being concentrated directly upwards, ensuring ample coverage when the nozzle is tilted in different directions. These LEDs can be controlled separately between the left and right sides, giving you fantastic fades through the fog.

They can also be used to switch each side on and off for a bit more depth. Plugging in the unit and patching into my Avolites controller didn’t take much effort. As the fixture had not been released at this point, there was no profile for it. However, a quick chat with CHAUVET DJ revealed that the DMX channels were almost identical to the Geyser P7, with the addition of the tilt control, which made programming a whole lot easier.

I imagine the profiles will be available from lighting control manufacturers too. (If not, you can always get in touch with your lighting control provider.) The first thing I noticed on using the Geyser Move is just how quickly the tilt mechanism moves the nozzle. After a couple of tests, it looks to be able to move from full-left to full-right in under half second, with no jittering or stutters. For a fixture at this price point I would have expected the nozzle to take longer to come to a full stop after it disengages the motor, which can sometimes cause an effect to jump back slightly.

I’m glad to say this certainly isn’t the case with the Geyser Move. CHAUVET DJ GEYSER MOVE CHAUVET DJ GEYSER MOVE a The whole Geyser range of vertical foggers use a type of smoke fluid known as ‘quick dissipating fluid’ (often marked as ‘QDF’). The reason they use this type of fluid is that it’s dense enough to generate a thick fog, which can be launched further, but will then dissipate quicker as it loses momentum, instead of leaving a lingering cloud.

I must stress that it does not dissipate completely and the idea it could be used as an alternative to fog or haze is incorrect. In reality, QDF allows the trail of smoke leaving the nozzle to be cleared from the path of the machine, so you don’t I get a static trail that gradually sweeps away once the machine stops firing. The Geyser Move may not clear as quickly as CO2 jets do, but it’s much quicker than other smoke machines and vertical foggers, and the main reason is the fluid.

I To prevent blockages and damage to the nozzle, tubes and heating element, I would only ever use CHAUVET DJ QDF5 (5-litre Quick Dissipating Fluid) with the Geyser range, as per the manufacturer’s recommendation. In test I was able to measure jets of fog reaching heights of around 4-5m before losing momentum. Geyser Move also features a cut-off to stop the unit from firing whilst the element heats the fluid, and the LEDs will turn off 60 seconds after firing the effect, stopping the room from lighting up like Piccadilly Circus!

Switching the LEDs on for when the effect fires at the drop of a song works really well; everything kicks in at once and stops when the effect is no longer running. The reservoir is very easy to fill and the removable bottle helps to prevent fluid spills when refilling. 86 The 2.4-litre capacity of the reservoir means that a 5-litre bottle of fluid will fill the reservoir, at least. The cap stays sealed and secured to the bottle, which prevents leaks and spills when rigged sideways – something which is normally a huge concern when using this type of atmospherics in such a way.

The manual states a warm-up time of five minutes, though after a couple of uses I measured it for myself and it was closer to three. was fortunate to get one of a few demo units in the UK to review, but unfortunately I was only able to get my hands on one instead of a pair, which made it tricky to integrate into a setup for a gig. But that didn’t stop me having a play with different configurations in the warehouse to see what I could make this unit do.

And must say, I have been very impressed at how well the Geyser Move works whilst integrating brand-new features into the outstanding original Geyser series. CHAUVET DJ really has focused on bettering the Geyser series. And although it’s hard to judge an effect like this in direct comparison to others, the company has yet again shown that small innovations, introduced through meticulous research and development, can give you a leading edge in the atmospherics market.

In the Geyser Move, CHAUVET DJ has given us a brand-new product that’s closer to professional-grade atmospherics, but without increased safety concerns, training requirements or insurance costs – all at a fantastic price point. All that’s really left for me to say is, wow! Hats off to the CHAUVET DJ team for once again breaking the boundaries of special effects for us mobile DJs. CHAUVET DJ GEYSER MOVE BBOOSSSS IITT..