E Q U I N OX : £ I have to admit, initially I wasn’t overly excited by the prospect of trying out the new Fusion 100 Spot from the Prolight Concepts Group. At first look, it appeared to be just another small LED-powered moving head. Not exactly an exciting prospect. However, having read up on the specs, I realised that this has the potential to be something of a game-changer!

7744 Despite joining the Equinox range as a big brother to the existing Fusion Spot MKII (12W) and Fusion Spot Max MKII (30W), the new Fusion 100 Spot is still extremely compact. However, inside it’s easily portable casing it boasts two features previously unheard of – at least to my knowledge – at this price point. The fixture features an extremely powerful 80W LED light-source, making it suitable for use in larger venues and for cutting through large amounts of ambient or wash lighting.

It also offers rotating GOBOs, a feature that allows a whole new level of lightshow creativity. The combination of a powerful LED light-source and rotating GOBOs at a price tag of less than £300 really does make the Fusion 100 Spot worthy of attention. It means that four powerful and featurepacked moving heads can now be purchased for just less than £1200, making such technology affordable for many DJs for whom it would previously have fallen well outside their budget.

For a number of years, a pair of barrel scanners on tripods, together with a DJ booth and up-lighting par cans, could loosely have been described as a basic ‘standard’ mobile DJ lighting setup. However, recently there has been a collective move by the industry towards more creative lightshows. Many DJs now use moving heads, often sitting on floormounted truss plinths, as part of even their most basic shows. And, thanks to the Fusion 100 Spot – as well as other more advanced and expensive new moving heads that have recently hit the market – this trend looks set to continue.

Moving heads bring a whole new dimension to a mobile lightshow, as they can be used to create a wide variety of very different looks. Spotlighting a bride and groom during their first dance is proving very popular for many wedding DJs, while moving heads are also great for creating energetic effects to accompany fast-paced dance or rock music. And, thanks to advances in DMX control hardware and software, setting up a control system to get the most from a moving light rig is now much cheaper and easier than ever before.

Not only does the Fusion 100 Spot offer a powerful LED light-source and effective rotating GOBOs, but it also features a number of other advanced features. It boasts remote motorised focus, which allows GOBO patterns to be kept sharp at varying projection distances, as well as a 3-facet prism that EQUINOX FUSION can be introduced into the light different size, path to break up a single beam into static projection three separate beams arranged in part of a function a triangular formation. ing.

Similarly, – which is a A beam angle of 10-degrees makes swirl – looks the Fusion 100 Spot ideal for use a surface with in the sizes of venue that are home plied. The third to the majority of mobile DJ gigs. – a set of the It is narrow enough to allow pro- – are simpler, jection of GOBOs over a significant suited for distance to reach the back wall effects in a hazy of a large room, while also wide last pattern is enough for projection over a short heart shapes distance to a dancefloor or low at weddings as ceiling.

The fixture’s independent day and anniversary colour wheel is loaded with seven vibrant indexed colours (red, yel- As I’ve already low, cyan, green, orange, pink and sion 100 Spot blue) and also offers colour scrollwith measurements ing at variable speed. x 146mm. It is 4.4kg, making The unit is fitted with five detailed part of a mobile metal GOBO patterns in addition ture is created to open spot. The first GOBO is ed plastic, fitted a cluster of five stars, each of a chassis, and has EQUINOX FUSION quinox Fusion 100 Spot which is great for fitted with rubber feet, allowing it during the early to stand directly on a stage, plinth, as mood lightor other level surface, and is also the second pattern supplied with a removable bracket six-segment pin-wheel that allows the attachment of a great projected onto hanging clamp.

Fans fitted in both a slow rotation apthe head and base keep the unit and fourth GOBOs running cool, although they are a dots and a triangle little noisy should you want to run and therefore more the fixture during a quiet part of creating mid-air beam an event such as a wedding cerroom. Finally, the emony of corporate speech (the a set of four detailed noise will be unnoticeable as soon that are ideal for use as you start playing music). well as valentine’s parties.

To quickly setup a synchronised lightshow without using a DMX mentioned, the Fucontroller, the Fusion 100 Spot alis a compact unit, lows multiple fixtures to be linked of 330 x 198 together using XLR cables in a also lightweight, at Master/Slave configuration. The it ideal for use as Master head can then be set to one DJ setup. The fixof four different pre-programmed from tough mould- Show Modes, which the other to a robust metal a sleek finish. It is THE EARLY DAYS 75 Equinox Fusion 100 Spot connected heads will mimic.

In adthrough a variety of dition to the regular Full Show opcombinations. The tion, there are two different Slow ros’, meanwhile, are Shows as well as a Forward Facing ment patterns. The Show. This is designed specifically these macros make for mobile DJs to ensure that the ful for quick beams are always projecting forminimal DMX wards, towards the dancefloor, and since it doesn’t allow not backwards behind your rig. specific individual its usefulness is a The pre-set shows can either be set to run at their pre-programmed At the other end of speeds (fast for the Full Show and the full 15-channel Forward Facing Show, and slow for fers comprehensive the other two) or in Sound Mode of all the fixture’s where the beat of the music triging fine pan and tilt, gers the movements and colour / GOBO and colour GOBO changes.

In the latter case, rotation, and access the sound sensitivity can also be mentioned macros. altered to compensate for the mution has all the bases sic volume and positioning of the soon eat through the Master head in relation to speakers. of channels offered ware and budget For DMX control, the unit offers a setups when used in choice between two channel opof my minor criticisms tions. The first is a stripped-down 100 Spot is the lack five channel mode, which features house DMX mode channels for Pan, Tilt, and Motor channels than the Speed alongside two collections also providing individual of pre-programmed macros.

The ‘LED Macros’ are a collection of six chase patterns which each scroll 76 colour / GOBO GOBO selection. My only other criti- ‘Pan / Tilt Maccism is that while the fixture offers pre-set move- 540-degrees of panning movement, inclusion of it’s tilt angle is limited to 210-dethis mode usegrees. This means that if you have programming using the unit mounted on a 1-metre channels, however plinth, positioned directly adjacent selection of to the dancefloor, its projection colours / GOBOs range won’t start until a few melittle limited. tres out onto the floor. the spectrum is The Equinox Fusion 100 Spot mode, which ofdemonstrates just how far LED remote control technology has come in recent features, includyears.

Its output is easily comparaindependent ble to a traditional 250W halogen selection, GOBO lamp, if not a discharge lamp, and to the aforefar surpasses even the brightest While this opof LED-powered fixtures that were covered, it will available just a few years ago. If total number you don’t currently use moving by small hardheads, but are thinking of adding software control them into your lightshow, this multiples. One fixture is a great choice thanks to of the Fusion its unique combination of brightof a half-way ness, features, and price.

Equally, if that uses less you’re still using traditional lampfull option while based heads, or early LED-powered colour and units, and are looking to upgrade, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed by this fixture. EQUINOX FUTHSIEO ENA 1R0L0Y SDPAOYTS See the new White versions of the SDXv2 booth and PS1 podiums, new DJS1 DJ Screens, extended ightcase range and many other new products at: É L I T E : £ Watching the LiteConsole range as it has matured over the years has been an interesting journey.

From a large 'in yer face' performance DJ booth, to the super slim GO!, almost every possible requirement for the mobile DJ has been covered as the range developed over the past few years. Or has it...? 7788 Up until now, I’ve been sat on the fence as far as the LiteConsole was concerned. I’ve always fancied one, but have been too scared to make the move.

I couldn’t help remembering stories all over the DJ forums at the time when the XPRS series was launched about issues relating to the shelves and so on (these were subsequently resolved.) I also, personally, preferred the idea of something a little less bulky, and it seems that I’m not alone. Nick McGeachin, the driving force behind the product, and the rest of the LiteConsole team are not the type of people to just sit there and not listen to their users, and they recently realised that it was time for a new concept.

The LiteConsole élite first made an appearance towards the end of 2016 and I was lucky to be the first DJ in the world given the opportunity to use it at an event. That puts me in a perfect position to review the new product, now that it has just gone on general sale. The first thing you notice about the élite model is that it very much retains the iconic look of the entire LiteConsole range. The quality and craftsmanship of the élite also stand out.

Now I’m no metalwork genius but you don’t need to be to immediately realise that it’s clearly robust, not to mention very well-designed and fabricated. The hinges on the fold-out sections of the Lite- Console élite look almost space-age in quality and design. Sounds weird I know but you just get the impression simply by looking at it that it’s a quality product, certainly heavy duty and will not let you down after a few gigs. Putting it together is so simple; just fold out the side sections, slide in the polycarbonate panels, insert the upper and lower shelves, and that's it!

This takes no more than two minutes and you have a modern-looking DJ booth ready for action. The aluminium shelves are also clearly designed to last, and both feature an 80mm hole through which you can route cables up and down inside the booth to keep everything neat and safe. Adding the shelves, which are notched, not roll-overs, really does make the élite super rigid and perfect for all your gear. THE ARLITT EOCFO ANDSVOELRET IÉSLIINTGE This new design also comes In summary, equipped with opaque polycarbonit is a very ate inserts for the side ‘truss’ secand a perfect tions, which look amazing when typical frame illuminated with LED Par Cans.

Don’t confuse these inserts with cheap plastic; they are incredibly hard-wearing and are designed to last. The shelves have also been specifically designed to allow light flow to the top of the console by means of 'scalloped' cut-outs on the inner corners. Meanwhile, the centre aluminium DiBond panel is removable and reversible, so it can be used for branding if you wish. The LiteConsole élite is slightly less wide than the XPRS series and the shelves are shallower.

As an owner of the world’s biggest DJ controller, the Pioneer RZX, it was a bit of a squeeze – both in and out of its flight case – but it fitted. Owners of smaller controllers such as the Pioneer DDJ-RZ, DDJ-RX, Denon MCX8000, etc. will have no problem at all. Likewise, any standard mixer/CDJ/laptop set-up will fit comfortably. A very handy laptop shelf is also available for the LiteConsole élite, as an optional extra, and its genius design allows the shelf to be used in either flat or angled mode, depending on your preferred working style.

There are two 50mm cable drop holes on the shelf, which you can use for keeping the wiring neat, and it’s certainly sturdy enough for a laptop and a couple of moving heads, or even monitors. At the end of the night, do everything in reverse and the whole thing – shelves included – folds up for you to carry away. Two different transport/storage solutions are available; a padded carry bag or a hard case with plenty of handles and wheels for easy manoeuvring.

LITECONSOLE ÉLITE LiteConsole élite the élite is fantastic; Nick McGeachin, the man behind well made product LiteConsole, is incredibly passionalternative to the ate about his creations and quite and starcloth booth. rightly so! 79