-beam and multi-beam bar moving head fixtures from Prolight Concepts has been fl somewhat eagerly awaited. Despite the range including a variety of eff ects, the Equinox Slender Beam Bar Quad – a full colour multi-moving head bar fi xture – has perhaps been the most anticipated. 74 Comparable in many ways to ADJ’s Event Bar Q4, the Slender Beam Bar Quad utilises four independentlycontrolled moving heads with XY-movement and powerful quad-colour LEDs.

However, it isn’t just four 10W RGBW CREE LEDs and versatile movement that Prolight has aff orded us; a tight 4⁰ beam angle and a variety of control options ensures that the Slender Beam Bar Quad can be used to generate an exciting display of concise criss-crossing colour beams. While it doesn’t off er any GOBOs – just coloured beams – I’d argue that the Beam Bar Quad doesn’t really need them anyway; with DMX at hand and decent built-in shows, it’s capable of creating enough movement and excitement without projecting patterns too.

As you’d expect, the Beam Bar Quad can be used in a few diff erent ways; whether you want to run the automatic in-built shows, activate the sound-to-light mode or use DMX console or soft ware package for more precise control. The fi rst thing I did was test out the various in-built shows, which are easily accessible via the unit’s rear panel display screen. The Show Mode gives us a total of four pre-programed shows to choose from, all of which allow the Beam Bar Quad’s moving heads to create coloured beams that cross each other in swift back-and-forth motions, while the separate heads turn on and off for cool fl ashing and strobing eff ects.

Thanks to the concise 4⁰ beam angle, these beams are narrow – narrower than other similar products on the market, in fact – and look even better in a room fi lled with smoke or haze. To be more specifi c, shows 1 and 3 are better-suited if you have the fi xture positioned above the dance-fl oor or the centre of a room; the beams shoot out in all directions, covering a wide area with fast moving spots of coloured lighting. These two programs would also work well when using the Beam Bar Quad positioned on the oor, because the upward-facing eff ects will look great as they scatter the crowd on the dance-fl oor, while also providing slicing overhead eff ects and fl icking backwards to light the walls.

Shows 2 and 4, on the other hand, off er something different. As mobile DJs, many of us will have a tendency to mount our lighting fi xtures either side of our booth positioned at one end of a function room – bar fi xtures such as this look great mounted on tripods, one either side of your setup, projecting moving eff ects down onto the dance-fl oor. But positioning your lights like this can result in a common problem: the moving heads will spend as much time pointing backwards on the wall behind as they do projecting their eff ects on the crowd EQUINOX SLENDER BEAM BAR QUAD in front.

To solve this issue, Prolight has given the Beam Bar Quad two ‘limited movement’ programs (shows and 4) that off er predominantly forward-facing eff ects. I tried out both settings, keeping an eye on the angles, and I’ve no doubt that they will cover the whole arc sight in front of, and in-line with, the DJ booth. These colour-fl ashing, strobing eff ects twist and swivel, and will easily create an impressive lightshow for your on-looking audience without projecting light behind the booth toward the back of the stage where they won’t see it.

So, mounting one Slender Beam Bar Quad on either side the booth would, in fact, work really well – and in terms of mounting the Beam Bar Quad, we really only have one option: to use the removable 35mm stand adaptor, which comes included. Alternatively, the fi xture can sit on the fl oor, or any other fl at surface, thanks to the four removable rubber feet, which provide grip and stability. All of the Slender Beam Bar Quad’s built-in shows work well, both independently and in conjunction with the sound-to-light mode, which off ers fast, fl uid reactions music while the chosen in-built show is played out.

But, 2 of or of to equinox slender beam bar for more detailed control over the move the tables, Beam Bar Quad, a DMX Mode with features (such as the fi ve diff erent channel options (1, 6, ding) that you’re 12, 14 and 27) is also available. In DMX, you can simply 1-channel mode, we can remotely tion of each moving activate any of 16 pre-programmed until they’re pointing movements or select Sound Acyou need them. tive mode. While the 6-channel and colour can also mode gives us control over Master guests who want Dimmer, Master Strobe, selection ming can get their between the 16 pre-programmed change the colour pan/tilt movement patterns, easily should you need Movement Speed, and settings for mains power in/out Colour Chase and Chase Speed as the rear panel as well well as the ability to select static sockets, it’s also colours.

For greater control over you to daisy-chain the independent moving heads, the Bar Quads – whether 12-channel mode Let's us adjust the use them to line specifi c pan/tilt and colour settings spotlight seating for each head; while the 14-channel an array of coloured mode adds control over the Master Dimmer and Master Strobe eff ects If that wasn’t quite too. Finally, off ering incredibly exway of control options, tensive operation, the 27-channel Bar Quad is also mode adds control over fi ne pan optional CA-8 controller, and tilt, and pan/tilt speed, for each you turn the unit on head, as well as a Special Functions as providing four feature that Let's you activate the The functions are: standalone mode or reset the fi xtriggers movement ture.

It is worth noting that, even in LED FULL ON, which the 27-channel mode, independent through the built-in dimming of individual heads is not SLOW FLASHING, possible. speed of the auto adjusted; and LED As well as programming your own which allows you to dancefl oor fi lling eff ects, using DMX our of the moving control also gives you the option to from 15 pre-set colour use the Beam Bar Quad to spotlight tables or other venue features. The colour eff ects We’ve all experienced those times Beam Bar Quad are when venue managers or guests of its winning attributes.

76 quad you want to create powerful, tight beams of bright white light rather than colour? Well, the Slender range also features an all-white bar fixture – the Slender Beam Bar White. The Beam Bar Quad’s sister product still makes the most of having independently-controlled moving heads, but instead of quadcolour LEDs it utilises powerful 10W all-white LEDs. While I didn’t chairs and event test out the Beam Bar White, I cake at a wedthink using it in combination with spotlighting.

With the Beam Bar Quad could achieve adjust the posisome impressive results, with the head on the fl y piercing white beams and energetic exactly where quad colour effects bringing plenty The brightness of movement and vibrancy to the be adjusted, so dance-floor. the lights dimway, and you can In terms of aesthetics, Prolight has of the lighting finished the plastic moving heads in to. With IEC a smart matt black, while the main connections on metal body is robust but relatively as DMX in/out compact.

Even for a multi-head bar perfectly viable for fixture, the Beam Bar Quad (along multiple Beam with the Beam Bar White) remains you want to fairly lightweight (weighing just the dance-fl oor, 7.5kg), making it easy to carry in areas or provide and out of venues and lift onto beams on stage. lighting stands – something we’re all grateful for when it comes to enough in the setup and tear down! the Beam compatible with the Capable of both static and active which Let's lighting, thanks to its independently and off , as well -controllable moving heads, control functions. the Slender Beam Bar Quad is a LED OFF, which versatile product.

Perhaps its most without music; endearing feature, however, is its Let's you scroll ‘limited range’ built-in lightshow, shows; LED which is a god-send for mobile which allows the DJs that want to see more of movements to be their lighting effects hitting the FAST FLASHING, dance-floor than the back wall! select the col- All in all, Prolight has provided us heads, choosing with a lightweight and powerful options. bar fixture that looks superb and, most importantly, can be used for off ered by the a range of events. undoubtedly one But what if EQUINOX SLENDER BEAM BAR QUAD LOOK NO FURTHER THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING /NV