Best moving heads suitable for home nightclub?

[richardc1983]

Hello all, 2017 was the last time I posted here! I had a very extensive post on here (link below) going about some various moving heads the Equinox Fusion Spot 100s MKII to be precise.

 

https://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?showtopic=68830&st=0

 

My project never came off but now I am rekindling it. What put me off about the Fusion Spot 100s is they only tilt to 210 degrees and I need 270 degrees really as they are going to be sat on their base high up units. You also cannot limit the pan and tilt so unless you are controlling via DMX.

https://prolight.co.uk/product/fusion-100-spot-white-housing

 

There’s also the Eurolite TMH-60 which seems compact and has 270 degree tilt angle:

https://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/Eurolite-TMH-60-MK2-LED-Moving-Head/2NKR

 

Seen the Varytec Hero Spot 60s and 90s models floating about but they are limited in tilt to 230 degrees but do look feature rich with two gobo wheels. Even have auto focus:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/varytec_hero_spot_90_wh.htm

 

The fixture that seems the best contender whilst remaining a reasonable size is the Showtec Phantom 65 LED Spot, this tilts to 270 degrees and the videos look amazing. Really bright and the built in shows look good also.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/showtec_phantom_65_led_spot_white.htm

 

The issue with Thomann though is the ridiculous import charges and courier handling charges which has a “minimum” cost of £11.50 of which they can charge what they like. Cannot find these lights anywhere else.

 

Thoughts and advice anyone?

 

Thank you

Edited February 20, 2021 by richardc1983

[ImagineerTom]

Those import VAT costs and charges will apply to any piece of kit you buy that isn't manufactured here in the UK so no matter what make you choose you're going to be paying that fee either openly or absorbed into the price they tell you.

[gareth]

If you just want some really cheap'n'cheerful wobbly lights for a home nightclub, which don't have to be of professional quality and durability (i.e. you're not going to throw them in and out of a van every week), have a look on a couple of the second-hand lighting & sound equipment groups on Facebook - some real bargains pop up on there from time to time.

[J Pearce]

Good suggestion from Gareth. If you really want new look the cheap chauvet dj brand units.

[xllx]

If the amount of downward tilt is the issue with your choice, how about putting a block of some sort under the back of the light so it starts off with a slight downward angle?

[sandall]

Those import VAT costs and charges will apply to any piece of kit you buy that isn't manufactured here in the UK so no matter what make you choose you're going to be paying that fee either openly or absorbed into the price they tell you.

Thomann prices include shipping for anything over £135, but no longer include VAT.

[Stuart91]

Thomann prices include shipping for anything over £135, but no longer include VAT.

 

Plus you'll have a handling charge to pay to the courier company, who will be collecting the VAT on your behalf.

 

(Thomann really did not do themselves any favours by running Facebook ads splashing cheap, ex-VAT prices)

[ImagineerTom]

Those import VAT costs and charges will apply to any piece of kit you buy that isn't manufactured here in the UK so no matter what make you choose you're going to be paying that fee either openly or absorbed into the price they tell you.

Thomann prices include shipping for anything over £135, but no longer include VAT.

 

As they are legally required to.

The Uk government has created a spectacularly needlessly complicated new way of processing VAT on sales from overseas to the uk. ALL individuals or companies that ship things into the uk now have these extra costs to pass on to the purchaser. NO ONE has any way around it - some are telling you about it, others are rolling it into the retail price but either way Uk individuals/businesss are stil paying the fees regardless.

 

Thomann prices include shipping for anything over £135, but no longer include VAT.

 

Plus you'll have a handling charge to pay to the courier company, who will be collecting the VAT on your behalf.

 

(Thomann really did not do themselves any favours by running Facebook ads splashing cheap, ex-VAT prices)

 

Nope, couriers no longer collecting VAT on imports (the burden is now on the shipper) but they do have to collect any import duties and charge those to you... plus handling.

[Stuart91]

Nope, couriers no longer collecting VAT on imports (the burden is now on the shipper) but they do have to collect any import duties and charge those to you... plus handling.

 

Thomann are saying that they'll add VAT at the point of sale for orders under £135, but that UPS will collect the VAT for anything beyond that.

 

(Other sellers and couriers might well be handling it differently, I've got no direct experience myself)

[TomHoward]

Ordering from the US, B&H had a shipping option where you paid the VAT and courier charges at the point of sale, and a shipping option where you handled it yourself. I’d wondered whether Thomann couldn’t do it the same if there were couriers that did this.

I’m wondering what happens with returns on their 30 day money back guarantee or faulty refunds - a lot of the reason we buy from them is their 3yr warranty, now some of the payment isn’t directly to them I’m not sure how you’d go about reclaiming that.

[themadhippy]

I’m wondering what happens with returns on their 30 day money back guarantee or faulty refunds

Youll pay charges on the initial order,then a fee for the export and finally import charges on the replacement goods,all payable,in cash,to the courier.

[ImagineerTom]

The system is being phased in for different countries across this year so there will be some grey areas and cross over this year. Foreign businesses can register for UK vat and then charge Uk vat in house and submit a Uk VAT return but only the larger companies are going to have big enough Uk turnover to make the thousands of pounds extra admin doing that would involve.

 

If an item is returned there is a form you can submit to hmrc to reclaim the vat / duty paid; you can’t claim any handling/processing charges back as those are service fees.

 

Honestly, the new system is a mess and going to lead to so many problems.

[TomHoward]

Thanks, I was thinking about asking Thomann but they don't seem to have a lot of answers yet. I hadn't even thought about the VAT on the replacement item..

[themadhippy]

Foreign businesses can register for UK vat

You forgot the most attractive feature,they have to pay for the privilege and if they want electronic VAT refunds hold a uk bank account.Talk about a fluster cuck

[ImagineerTom]

There are several circus industry business’s based outside the uk who have looked at signing up to the uk system so that they can continue to sell product to Uk acts - basically unless they had half a million quid of Uk business it was cheeper to /not/ sell in the uk than to do all the extra work and paperwork.

 

This is our new level playing field that for some reason has been built on top of Mount Everest and which is for some reason on fire at the same time.