My preferred lighting desk is...

[Just Some Bloke]

We have had a lot of questions here about what lighting desk people prefer and, of course, the answer always is "it depends on your circumstances".

 

Whilst I wholeheartedly agree with this, I thought it would be fun to have a poll just to see what people prefer in general. I've set the poll up in two halves: theatre-based vs concerts & events. I could have gone into more details but that would have been less fun! Feel free to just answer one of the questions if that's the only field you work in. Your favourite may just be what you use every day because it's what you've been given so it's what you know - that's fine.

 

More importantly, it would be great if everyone who votes posts to say which desk(s) they have voted for and why. If you could list the strengths and weaknesses of your chosen desks, then others can learn from your thoughts when looking to purchase a desk for themselves.

 

Please try to make the thread useful to others.

 

Thanks.

[niclights]

Much as it's not my preference I think ETC should probably be added as an option

[DonkiDonki]

Chamsys for me.

 

I've had a wing for years now, originally discovering the software when looking for an ultra cheap control solution for a project with a tight kit budget (but 3 weeks of work so well worth a bit of effort).

 

Not only was I surprised to find this funny little software controller which was free, ran on my laptop and worked with an Enttec Pro dongle I already had; but I was blown away when I realised it was actually the most powerful controller I had personally encountered. At first I wasn't even aware that the software was from a range of physical consoles.

(At the time I was used to a range of desks such as Avo Pearl/Azure, Masterpiece 108, Fat Frog, Sirius 500, High End StatusCue)

 

It was an easy decision to get myself a PC wing as their was no real competition for the price at the time.

 

Most of the things that annoy me with it come down to me being too cheap to shell out for a full-size console rather than any real failing of the system.

 

 

If I was starting from scratch now I might well be tempted to go with Avolites as they have finally caught up with the Titan range but as I now have a fair bit of time and money invested in my Chamsys kit it makes sense to stick with it.

Grand Ma stuff looks great but I have very little experience with it and nothing like the budget to go and buy it so I can't comment too much on that one except it seems to be a popular choice where cost is not a major hurdle.

[Guest]

For me it has to be Zero88 for both scenarios. That's what I've had the most experience using.

FLX would be the console of choice for both, due to its hands on Playback faders and channel faders, and easy recall of Palettes with fade times using the internal (or external) touchscreen for busking. It also has a dedicated Master Playback for theatrical users.

OrbXF on the other hand does indeed run the same Operating System as FLX (ZerOS), but with hardware very much aimed at theatrical users.

 

As a second choice, I'd straight away go for HOG4 consoles. I'm a big fan of them, and have had the full 2 day training course for them. Again very nice for busking, however arguably more lacking for theatrical control.

The FullBoar4 is a nice hardware platform.

 

But as mentioned, it comes down to personal preference!

Have a play with a range of consoles within budget, and make the decision that suits your events.

 

Edward

[MarkPAman]

Wouldn't let me only vote in one section, so I voted in both!

 

As I mostly do sound, the only desk I own that's anything more than just a DJ toy is a a Jands Stage CL. I guess that makes it my favourite!

[Just Some Bloke]

Much as it's not my preference I think ETC should probably be added as an option

 

How odd. It WAS there but somehow disappeared! I've put it back.

[Bryson]

ETC for theatre. Hands down. (Plus, I'm really pretty good at the EOS stuff now.)

 

To be honest, it's a while since I busied a show on anything but an ETC, but while I have my tricks to make it a bit easier, I have to concede it's a bit kludgy for that. I voted Avo but I could have easily gone Hog. I'm sure MA is great but I wouldn't choose it because I don't know my way around one. (Whereas I could probably muddle through on a Hog or Avo.) it's interesting to think about whether I would do a better job on the ETC (which I know really well, but isn't really designed for the job) or the Avo/Hog.

 

 

It's also an interesting way to think about those questions: people treat them as "which console is objectively the best?" But really the issue is "which console is best for this set of circumstances?" And operator familiarity is key there.

[Judge]

Currently its Avolites for me, followed by ChamSys.

First moving light desk I used was a Vari*Lite Artisan, then a Hog 1. Got into Avolites in a big way after that but as their method of controlling automated fixtures become frustrating to use I discovered ChamSys which was a revelation. Lots of buttons and encoders for easy quick access to a bunch of parameters at once, and very quick to program.

Gradually though the Titan OS became useful and then the new range of hardware that Avolites introduced got me back into them, and I have been using their kit almost exclusively for years and really like it.

 

Once you get used to a workflow its difficult to change. As I dont go out as a programmer for other people I am free to choose my own platform. I would like to learn Hog and MA though. Just because.

[pjb304]

I've gone for ETC for theatre and Chamsys for busking because that's what I have most experience with. Aas Bryson says familiarity is key. Whilst I have used Zero 88, light processor (Q commander) & Avo in the past, I have much less experience with them.

[Yorkie]

For anything, the Pulsar rock 18 channel 2 preset desk. The only lighting controller I've ever used and fully understood!

[Andrew C]

Theatre - Strand SP60.

 

Much more "fun" than a modern memory desk. More involved; like riding an old motorcycle compared to a modern car.

 

Concerts etc - Dunno. I've only ever used what was in front of me, I can make no meaningful comment.

[ninjadingle]

Chamsys for both for me. Used it many times for theatre shows and I guess I just understand the process more than ETC and can make it work.

 

I do tend to use Avo more for live work, but that's because of the equipment that's put in front of me. I do have to stop for a few seconds every now and then and think "this is how I do it in Chamsys - where have Avo put it?" - to me Chamsys just makes sense!

[alistermorton]

ETC for theatre these days purely because I know it (although I've also done shows reasonably recently on Strand 300 and GSX).

 

For live music/busking , I don't do them very often and have just pushed whatever is available into service. This has recently been the Ion but has in the past been as simple as a 2-scene preset analogue desk and a load of par cans.

 

Edit: I'm in the amateur camp, if it matters.

[kgallen]

I'm in the amateur domain so you can discount my votes if you like, or at least have them in context...

 

Other than using a Strand GSX for one show (which was a great experience), I've been Zero88 for 20 years having come up "through the ranks" (1996->)Level 18 => (2000->)Alcora => (2006->)Fat Frog => (2015->)FLX.

 

Typical rigs can be 50 generics and 20 LEDs plus some other bits like scrollers, DMX gobo rotators, smoke machines/hazers. FLX makes this a doddle where Fat Frog was getting hard work at this level. I love the portability of the FLX - I'm getting too old for humping round my Fat Frog in a flight case! FLX is a wonderful console at the price point, although I can understand it would fall short of some advanced functionality/usability that pro's would require for large productions hence the leanings towards ETC product for hosting venues. As it's a pretty new product with plenty of hardware grunt I'd expect this product to go from strength to strength over the coming years and hopefully some of the perceived limitations will reduce.

 

I would love to try some ETC offerings as I'm sure they are wonderful desks but I have never been able to afford one versus a Zero88 offering of comparable spec. I've got plenty of Source 4's anyway so it is nice to support a local UK manufacturer for other kit http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif and products like Betapacks and the FLX are hard to beat for what I need.

 

 

As with others it is such a shame that Strand have completely lost the plot; many of us grew up with at least one of their desks, and certainly many of their lanterns (most of which we're still using....!).

 

 

Kevin

[gareth]

The results so far present a situation that would've been absolutely unthinkable a little over a decade ago .... Strand barely scraping next-to-last place in a poll about favourite lighting consoles. Very sad - but on the positive side at least ETC were there to step in and rescue us all with the lovely Eos ;-).