rossmck Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Looking for a bit of advice ... I'm trying to (on a budget of peanuts) produce a reasonably useful permanent FOH rig in a small hall that gets used as a theatre space along with a few other things. We have two booms FOH, which currently have three profiles on each; a mixture of Selecon Acclaim and Strand SLs. Looking online it seems that CCT Silhouette (1.2k) and Lekos are readily available cheaply.. but I dont really have any experience with these lanterns (there's also a lot of Cantatas - but from memory they weren't that great) Anyone on here got experience with the Sils or Lekos? Any preferences / advice on what to avoid ? I pretty much am used to the Acclaim Axials and Source 4s (which I love but the budget doesn't stretch to :** laughs out loud **:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 CCT Sils are readily available at the moment becuase they used to be so popular - most theatres had some lurking around somewhere (though not necessarily the 1.2K version). This proves 2 things: 1) they were considered quite good in their day 2) it's not their day any more! Lekos were perhaps less popular in the UK but still a well-known brand of profile. In other words, don't expect them to be any better than your Acclaims and SLs because they won't be, but if you're just intending to add more kit and you can afford some Sils or Lekos then, as long as they're in good condition, they'd be better to have in your stock than to not have anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossmck Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 In other words, don't expect them to be any better than your Acclaims and SLs because they won't be, but if you're just intending to add more kit and you can afford some Sils or Lekos then, as long as they're in good condition, they'd be better to have in your stock than to not have anything. Yep - didn't expect them to be better ... the Acclaims aren't exactly top of the line lanterns (the stock ones aren't the Axial version either) but I wasn't sure about the Lekos... seemed to be very big in the US, but no-where I encountered here ever had them. Basically we want to have a bit more versatility from the FOH rig by splitting it into a three area two colour wash rather than just two lanterns lighting the whole stage in either warm or cold ... a couple for specials would be nice too, it just seems pointless having 12 channels up there with 3 lights on em :** laughs out loud **: I'm also trying to avoid constantly augmenting the venue's stock with my own... I don't mind with things like movers (which they've got no reason to purchase) but carting profiles back and forth regularly becomes quite annoying ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick S Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 I wasn't sure about the Lekos... seemed to be very big in the US, but no-where I encountered here ever had them. The quality of Lekos can vary quite a bit, from 'does the job' to 'god awful'. The fact you don't see them in the UK much is probably a good thing, but as others have said, better than nothing. I'd probably rate the CCTs ever so slightly higher. Maybe try before you buy if you can, because old Lekos can sometimes have terrible optics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boatman Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Looking for a bit of advice ... I'm trying to (on a budget of peanuts) produce a reasonably useful permanent FOH rig in a small hall that gets used as a theatre space along with a few other things... Since you're in Glasgow, why not give Ian Atherton a call at 888 Productions and see if he can advise you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csg Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 the reason Lekos vary so much is that it is not a make of lantern, merely the common term for an elipsolidal spot in the US, what we would know as a profile of course Lekos were common in rock and roll in this country before the leko known as the source 4 came along, a common unit being the Altman 360Q. Altman lekos, along with there counterparts from Strand ( century) and berkely colortran can be perfectly acceptable with a bright punchy output and smooth field of light if you can find units in good condition common problems from my memories of having to use them are nose droop, particularly on altmans which dont have locking rings, burnt and bent shutters, and they tend to cook gobos like they are going out of fashion as you arnt getting any posh dichroic relectors on this lot! Oh, and be carefull moving when hot, the cp77 lamps are a tad delicate! Sils are also fine, and at the end of the day we all survived perfectly well before the advent of the source 4, so as long as you buy complete units in good condition, made by a known manufacturer, keep them clean and well alligned you will be fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyJ Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 :) Hi, we have six lekos 4 long nose with irises and two short nose without ireses.They are good,but do have some problems,namely no handles to grab hold of,nose heavy and stiff shutters.We also only have narrow angles,which is great if you have the throw, but not so hot if you dont.At the risk of being old fashioned, I would be very tempted to get some patt23's with irises, fresnel(step lens) wide angle lens etc, they are light weight versitile and useful.It may also pay you to look at the stagetec multiprofile either fixed or zoom, which uses 575w lamps and a good price for brand new lanterns.Hope this helps.Keep it illuminated Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trunker Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Cantatas not very good? For their time they were amazing, by Source four standards, its chalk and cheese. I still use Cantatas to good effect now!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Pearce Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 I'd put cantatas a few rungs above sils. They're big, bulky and improbably heavy, but they're not too shabby for light output. They won't give you the sharp gobo focus of a source4 with an 'edlt' lens tube, but they're plenty bright and fairly simple to focus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themadhippy Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 watch out with second hand sils,the lamp base has a brass plug and socket assembly that can become corroded/welded together.About the only way of getting them apart is to force them with a big screw driver which damages the plug and socket assembly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlinford Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 watch out with second hand sils,the lamp base has a brass plug and socket assembly that can become corroded/welded together.About the only way of getting them apart is to force them with a big screw driver which damages the plug and socket assembly. I'd second that - I've also been advised by most suppliers that the ceramic spares are nigh-on impossible to get ahold of; there's a silicone replacement on the market but they apparently go for £70 a pop - far more than a Sil30 is worth... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossmck Posted February 23, 2010 Author Share Posted February 23, 2010 Thanks for all the replies... I guess Trunker is probably right on the Cantatas... I've only used them alongside Source 4s and that's where you notice the difference, but it'd be the same with any of the older lights I guess :) The Altman Leko 360Q is indeed the "Leko" I was looking at, or one of the Strand branded versions of what look like identical lights.. I understand that the US seem to call any profile either a Leko or an ERS, and yet the term "Profile" is almost never used? The ShowTec Multi Profile / Eurolite FS-600 etc look very much like clones of the Source 4 to me, I've even seen them marketed as being suitable for use with the HPL 575w lamps?, whilst I don't mind innovation from these "budget" brands I'm somewhat more reluctant to simply purchase clones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomHoward Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 £70 a pop - far more than a Sil30 is worth...I've just listed half a dozen Sil30s on eBay and they went for around £15/piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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