WA – KENT MEDIA GROUP MSRP: £199..CHAUVETDJ.EU The original CHAUVET DJ Wash FX is a fixture that’s been in CHAUVET DJ’s range for a little while now (2014-2015, I believe), so it’s nice to see a refresh of the original product. There’s actually two new Wash FX units – the Wash FX 2 and the Wash FX Hex – but today we’re going to focus on the Wash FX Hex, as this is the most upgraded unit. 78 sponsored by The original Wash FX featured tri-colour LEDs and the Wash FX 2 adds a UV LED to that mix.

But the Wash FX Hex… well, that’s six colours! Red, green, blue, white, amber and UV. Having six colours is a welcome upgrade to anyone who uses lighting in their setup, as it opens up your choice of colour palettes and allows you to mix and create so many colours – from deep, rich reds and blues to pastel pinks and off-white. That which was once difficult to get with your RGB lights is now easily achievable.

For example, the addition of UV is so much more than just UV on its own; add it to a magenta or pink to really bring out saturation and depth of colour, or add it to a mint green to give it that extra kick (seriously, give it a try!). Colours aren’t the only thing impressive about the Wash FX Hex, as the unit can also be used in a variety of ways to achieve different effects. This is down to its six individually controllable zones, which allow it to operate as a standard wash effect, a blinder, a strobe or even an eye candy effect.

If you look at the front of the unit you’ll see there are s total, split into six clusters of three. Each of these clusters is a zone, and you can control each zone individually to create chaser type effects or even pixel map them. When we received the Wash FX Hex the first thing we did was plug it in, without looking into its specs or details, and we were really pleased with what was produced straight out of the box. We only had one unit to review so we couldn’t test the master slave functionality, but this seems to be a pretty straightforward setup.

When taking the unit out the box we noticed how sturdy and rugged the all-metal casing was, and the revamped design makes it look like a nice piece of kit too. It’s certainly an upgrade from the original Wash FX, which was a pretty robust and nice-looking light in itself! On the rear of the unit you’ll find a DMX input and output, a power input and output (on IEC), the menu system, and also two holes in the casing for attaching a safety loop (which I much prefer over the screw-in safety eyes).

It’s also nice to see a new, longer bracket. This extended bracket means that the light can be positioned much more effectively than the previous model, where the clamp couldn’t lay completely flat. CHAUVET DJ WASH FX HEX We used the Wash FX Hex as a cyc (41° to 68° field light [Jack means the studio wall a fantastic – Ed] in one of the live streams backdrop with we have been running from our studio, and it certainly did not Whilst on the disappoint.

We only had it on one we only set static, a deep blue against a black static colour, backdrop – not the easiest colour with the unit to light. The effect really punched four different through and added a beautiful so much glow to the backdrop, perfect for 6-, 11- and our broadcast (if you watch back The 3-channel the SEDA Virtual ShowNight you’ll trigger the see it just behind Bradley). speed and also The 6-channel Thanks to the design of the unit, hex par can the beam angle produced from the each colour Wash FX Hex is very impressive.

11-channel The left and right LED zones 6- and 3-channel are angled slightly outwards to as adding a produce a lovely wide wash effect and a strobe STAYING MICKER CHAUVET PRO MOBILE DJ UVS WASH FX HEX WA angle), so this was favourite – and the one the light choice for lighting our spent most of its time on with just one light. us – was the massive 40-channel mode! night of the stream the light to a single In the 40-channel DMX mode, we have since played you have total control of the via DMX, and the light.

Not only can you trigger DMX modes offer the auto programs, the dimmer versatility. There are 3-, and the strobe, but you can also 40-channel modes. individually control each of the six mode allows you to colours within all six zones. With inbuilt programs, their good programming, this allows their brightness. you to create your very own mode acts like a chases, colour fades and many where you can control more funky effects – it’s certainly from 0-100%.

The one we never got bored of (we mode combines the love a good pixel map!). modes as well zone macro channel As well as these DMX modes, you channel. But our can control the Wash FX Hex using Z Z X X - - THE EARLY DAYS 79 either the optional CHAUVET DJ You can also mix IRC-6 remote control or the onfrom within the board menu system. The menu full control over system allows you to set up static colours. This gives colours or activate the 25 in-built flexibility to use the automatic programs, all of which (like we did) or as a can be speed controlled from the uplighter.

The menu menu. Some of the auto programs you to set the colours are sound active with adjustable zones manually, you sensitivity in the menu. DMX to access this then again, why The Wash FX Hex also features to? That’d take forever a master dimmer in the menu, which is something you don’t A feature of the often see on fixtures at this price liked was slave point.

The master dimmer allows the option of setting you to control the output level or ‘SLV1’ (Slave 1) or intensity of the in-built programs, 2). I’m sure many so if you feel it’s too bright, you can used master/slave simply turn it down from within the years, but this the menu – a handy addition, as it’s the standard one an incredibly powerful light. another (SLV1). SLV2 80 80 custom colours this functionality by mirroring the menu, with master unit so it plays any effects each of the six programs in reverse, allowing you you lots of to create a stunning array using light as a cyc multiple Wash FX Hex units in static wash or master/slave mode. doesn’t allow of the six In conclusion, the Wash FX Hex is have to use a brilliant, robust lighting fixture feature, but that wouldn’t look out of place on would you want any DJ setup, and the welcome to setup! improvements over the original Wash FX are certainly noticeable. menu I really The outputs produced by the Wash mode.

You have FX Hex are simply beautiful, with the unit at the hex LEDs bringing your colour ‘SLV2’ (Slave palettes to life. When combined of you have with the six LED zones, you really with lights over can create some stunning effects. expands on Another fantastic product from light copying CHAUVET DJ. expands on m CHAUVET DJ WASH FX HEX