-mirror scanners have long been favoured by mobile DJs and many of us will have used, if not currently be using, them in our rigs. They’re great because they bring movement and excitement to our lighting displays and can be used in a number of ways, whether you’re shooting light down onto the dance-fl oor or using them to project up to the ceiling or out to back walls. But what if you could quadruple these eff ects? Well, the new Spin4 from Kam has arrived, off ering us a mobile DJ-focussed LED eff ect fi tted with not one but four mirror barrels, combined into one compact unit… 78 In fact, it’s the Spin4’s compact dimensions that I noticed fi rst and foremost!

Even compared to similar products currently on the market, the case is really condensed, squeezing in four LEDs, as well as the motors for four rotating barrels. These barrels are actually slightly off -set, which means that the spiralling dots produced by the Spin4’s high power 10W quad-colour (RGBW) LEDs run diff erent courses to increase the reach and enhance the visual eff ect produced by this mobile DJ lighting powerhouse. These eff ects are very bright and a wide beam angle ensures coverage right across a room or dance-fl oor, although - for the best results - you really need haze in order to emphasise the beams.

Due to this wide coverage, brightness and the colour off ered by the quad-LEDs, the Spin4 would make an ideal centrepiece eff ect for a mobile show. Or you could easily use two – one at either side of your rig – in master/slave mode – for double the impact. While the obvious option would be to hang the Spin4s horizontally, I think that positioning a pair sideways on the uprights of a goalpost rig, one either side of a booth to create inward facing beams, would work wonders aimed towards the dance-fl oor.

With plastic thumb screws, you can securely lock the bracket in place, so you can hang the Spin4 at whatever angle you want; either shooting the beams down onto the dance-fl oor or out across the venue onto the back wall. However you choose to mount the Spin4, Kam has given us a range of ways to use it. In Show Mode, we have access to eight diff erent pre-programmed light shows, as well as a random setting that combines all eight together. These are also the same eff ects produced by the unit’s sound-to-light mode, the sensitivity of which can be adjusted using the four button menu on the rear panel (which is also used for DMX addressing and selecting various other options).

These same shows, as well as sound-to-light mode, can be triggered remotely using the Spin4’s 1-channel DMX mode. Show 1 provides slow-moving eff ects that involve the LEDs changing between red, green, blue and white, with occasional quick turns of the barrels. More random changes and a varying mix of colours can be found in Show 2, which also offers faster, more-frequent movements. In Show 3, the LEDs all light up in one particular colour, then change one at a time.

This show produces quite a slow, relaxed eff ect that would be great for slow songs but perhaps too colourful for a fi rst dance. KAM SPIN4 Building on this, but with the barto ‘Slave 2’ it rels spinning more, Show 4 is relacomplementary, tively similar. Show 5, on the other hand, makes the most of quicker If you do decide changes and lengthier barrel turns, tiple Spin4 units also creating a fl ashing eff ect that you’ll be pleased adds extra excitement, while Show 6 has fi tted the builds on this with a lot more moveconnections.

So ment. Show 7 provides a mix of slow the power for movements and lengthy, rapid barextensive wiring rel spins, giving us the best of both to bring extra worlds, while Show 8 off ers more of and excitement the same. and beyond. With these built-in shows to hand, Of course, you’ll never be without a quick-toneed to go setup lightshow that makes use of shows to create the Spin4’s key features. The fi xture more special can also be used in master/slave you want more mode, with these built-in shows Spin4, its providing eff ects from two or more is the best fi xtures to off er a simple, but eff ecindependent tive, synchronised display.

Kam has barrels and all allowed this to be further enhanced easily create through the inclusion of two difpatterns. Not ferent Slave options. If a slave unit the rotation is set to ‘Slave 1’ it will mimic the but also whether master fi xture, however if it is set anticlockwise KAM SPIN4 KAM SPIN 4 will run diff erent, but control is also important; we can eff ects. select from the usual classic red, blue and green colours, but also to incorporate mulhave access to bright white, which into your lightshow, allows the creation of both strikingly to know that Kam impactful and also elegantly sleek unit with IEC in/out eff ects, depending on what you do you can daisy-chain with the barrel movement settings. many Spin4s, saving While the diff erent colours project and allowing you independent dots, so true colour colour, movement mixing isn’t possible, combining the to the dance-fl oor diff erent LED elements at varying levels can create fl ashes of a variety of other colours, such as oranges, sometimes mobile DJs turquoises, purples and blues, in the beyond simple built-in moving light beams. something a lot for their clients.

If With this control over each individcontrol over the ual barrel and LED, you could easily 10-channel DMX mode turn all of the LEDs white, dim them option. Here, we get slightly and program the barrels control over all four to move slowly, creating a perfect, four LEDs, so you can subtle effect for a wedding first your own chases and dance. With a little haze, these slowonly can we choose moving dots will fi ll the air surroundspeed of each barrel, ing the happy couple and create a it spins clockwise, memorable atmosphere for their or not at all.

The LED guests. On the other hand, you can just as easily create a fast-moving, fi xture up high or on colourful display that’s better suited your booth, you could to the party stage of your events, ing it on the fl oor while triggering and varying the the hanging bracket speed of the unit’s strobe function the fi xture at an to create extra intensity, perfect for will shoot up into when you’re playing up-beat dance hind you, hitting the music. the dance-floor. add a little atmospheric All of these effects can be comhaze to the mix, this bined to create scenes and chases distinctive and striking using your DMX controller, so you can produce a lightshow that var- One thing that is ies in speed, colour, movement and mind, when it comes intensity.

What’s more, with this ing and storing the 10-channel mode off ering such fl examount of exposed ible control, the Spin4 is also great carries. With four if you’re using a smaller, more portthat are all exposed, able controller – all you need is 10 need a padded carry channels and you’re good to go! hard-bodied fl ight carry and store the No matter how you want to use the Aft er all, you don’t room-fi lling eff ects of the Spin4, you in a brand new, can do so safely thanks to the unit’s scanner and fi nd that secure bracket and heavy-duty rive home from a gig safety chain eyelet.

As a mobile DJ, glass littering the you will most likely be mounting the Other than this area eff ect above head height, which is Spin4 feels sturdy, why this chain mount is incredibly I already mentioned, useful; guaranteeing the safety of main extremely compact your guests while also ensuring that x 230mm) and the fi xture doesn’t fall and suff er considering the number damage. If you aren’t mounting the and LEDs that it houses. 8800 either side of All in all, I think Kam has done pretty also try placwell with the Spin4.

Of course, there behind you. With are similar products available to propping up mobile DJs, but it seems this roomangle, the beams fi lling LED scanner, capable of crethe air from beating whirling, wave-like eff ects in ceiling above various colours, is one that gives us Again, once you versatile control and impactful dissmoke or plays. It’s also ideal for mobile DJs will produce a due to its portability and reasonable eff ect. price point and, however you use it – whether mounted sideways either worth bearing in side of your booth, above the danceto transportfl oor, or stood on the fl oor behind Spin4, is the you – the Spin4 will provide you with glass that it bright, wide-reaching spinning beam mirror barrels eff ects.

Thanks to its off set barrels, you’ll defi nitely powerful quad-colour LEDs and the bag, if not a surprising fl exibility of its 10-chancase, in which to nel DMX control mode, you’ll have fi xture safely. no problem fi lling large areas with want to invest colour and movement in a series of multifaceted mirror tailored displays. when you arthere is broken Aff ordable multi-barrel mirror scanboot of your car! ners are developing quickly and, as of caution, the the market stands at the moment, well-built and, as the Kam Spin4 may just be the manages to releader of the pack. (515 x 140 lightweight (5.1kg) of scanners KAM SPIN4 HOW THESE REALLY You can't tell in a But you can in the Feel free to bring your speakers DonÕt forget to ask us about our Te l : 0 1 1 8 3 3 0 0 0 5 5 | ave y @ Unit 1 | Church Farm Business Centre Sound & Lighting Gear... ...We'll help you get it r ight GOOD DO SPEAKERS SOUND? magazine, or online...

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