So many choices...

[travis1234]

Well im back.....been all over the place on tours but ive been asked to prep and choose kit for an upcoming musical, but im still unsure what LX desk to use. Sound is sorted, ive got an Allen & Heath, running EV XLC line array system (not ideal but they went and got it!) but as for lighting, id like to use a fat frog again but im not sure if itll be enough, ive got 4 MAC's and a crap load of generic fixtures (32 max). I know it can handle this but id like something a bit more upmarket, but I still need something quick to learn and program, I.e not a pearl or hog!

 

I need something with dual outs because one dimmer is hardwired and im going to need a seperate dimmer (the hardwire cant link)

 

So ill let u guys choose for me!

 

Trav.

[3guk]

It really depends I think on the user, if you are the one gonna be working with it, then get out and test them, find one that you feel you can program easily and will enjoy working with.

 

I would have said the Fat Frog or something along those lines as it can handle movers no problem along side generics and they are fairly easy to program.

 

Personally I prefer using a completly computer based controller, I just find them much easier to use and hence a Bluelite X1 would do you. As would hundreds of others. I just use a cheap crappy desk linked up to a bluelite X1 so that I get Manual control over 21 presets through faders and the rest I can do on screen or through shortcuts.

 

A pearl IMHO may be overkill as will most other desks, there quite a gap between Z88 and anyone else.

 

That said, I am sure that one of strands offerings may do you.

[pyromonkey]

I need something with dual outs because one dimmer is hardwired and im going to need a separate dimmer (the hardwire cant link)

 

its not the end of the world if your desk only has one DMX output.

Thats what DMX splitters were invented for.

Dan

[si_cole]

Fat Frog will handle up to 12 intelligent fixtures and up to 48 channels of generics.

 

Combine that with your pages of submasters and you have a very easy-to-use, economical desk.

[paulears]

I'm not going to knock the frogs, pearls etc, but the OP said a musical, which suggests to me lots of cues, running in theatre style. I'd suggest a 500 series -I'm assuming you are going to hire in. Then you can do the usual pre-programming and tweaking and then run on a single go button.

 

I've used a blue lite - great for many things - but a theatre desk running individua cues is not what it's designed for. A flash system that needs manual operation isn't likely to offer consistent performance, show to show.

 

Stick to a theatre desk for theatre - not that there aren't many others now that will run cues stacks properly - but desks that are good for busking are not the best for a rigid cued show(in my humble opinion)

[GridGirl]

I'm not going to knock the frogs, pearls etc, but the OP said a musical, which suggests to me lots of cues, running in theatre style. I'd suggest a 500 series -I'm assuming you are going to hire in. Then you can do the usual pre-programming and tweaking and then run on a single go button.

 

I'd second this - the Strand 500 series would suit your purpose pretty well. Or at a pinch, the 300 - takes slightly longer to program movers due to the hardware, but runs the same software. I've recently been driving 6 Mac300s and 2 250 Entours plus generic channels off a 300 and it's worked really well for me. I do prefer the 500 series, simply because you have the rotary controls, but the 300 will drive movers no problem.

[Fletch]

Not really an answer here - just what I did recently for an am dram group and how I found it....

 

I did a musical - city of angels - which we ended up having 48ways of dimming and 7 moving lights. I was lucky enough to be able to borrow a pearl - but I must admit although I (and another chap) managed to learn the board using the off line sim before we got our hands on it it still wasn't that intuitive for theatre playback, especially having previously only ever used theatre style boards. We ended up giving up with the theatre stack and just using the roller cue presets. It was however very good for creating looks very quickly, something I've struggled with on other boards - especially moving effects as it's got the shape generator - just not so good for theatre playback. So maybe if your plotting time is scarce this could be one to look at - plus you can play with the sim and visualiser from the avo website for free way before you get to the board.

 

I have also used an ETC expression for the same thing before - which was a pain to programme - but has a good theatre stack so was very easy to run.

 

I'm sure there are more appropriate boards out there.... I'd be interested to find out too...

 

Fletch

[maeterlinck]

I'd second GridGirl here. I've been programming the same 8 movers off a Strand 300 for the last few week as well. It's dead easy, does lack the encoders from a 500 but after setting the 'wheel' groups intellegently its probably almost as fast. It all depends on your budget. The 500 just has more buttons :)

As for using a frog. Well it does work but it's really not as easy, the wheels appear to be accelerated so quick focusing can be an bore and the cue stacking and effects aren't really in the same league. It's half the desk for half the money. IMHO.

Although they both have shape generators so quick dynamic looks is easy.

[gareth]

Bottom line with the Pearl ...... for 'on the fly' busking with a small (<30) number of moving lights, it's great. For programming/running a linear, pre-programmed theatre-style show, it's pants.

 

Stay clear of ETC Expression/Express if you've got moving lights.

 

Frog range - well, thanks to a heavy investment in software development by Zero88 (good work, fellas) they're better than they used to be, there's no denying that - but purely from a personal perspecitve I don't like 'em. There's still too much about them (mainly from a hardware point of view) that is frustrating.

 

For something on the scale that you're talking about a Hog 1000 would be a good bet, but you specifically said that you don't want a Hog so that's that.

 

So I'd agree with the other recommendations for a Strand 300-series (or 500-series if your budget can stretch to it, as the hardware is a bit more moving-light-friendly). For a theatre-style show, which is programmed and run in a linear fashion and doesn't involve busking, a 500-series would be my first choice every time.