BUYERS GUIDE: LOW NOISE GEAR

Jun 1, 2004 8:00am

CITY THEATRICAL
AUTOYOKE 99

The AutoYoke is a DMX-controlled yoke that can transform any ETC Source Four or Strand SL into a moving light. The unit features 16-bit pan and tilt, iris, and focus and can control virtually any scroller via a single DMX line. The AutoYoke was designed with a minimum number of moving pieces and a sophisticated power supply, and there are no fans. “Quiet, quiet, quiet,” raved the judges when it won a 1999 EDDY Award. The AutoYoke was developed to fill two requirements: a color temperature that would match the rest of the light plot (tungsten source) and quiet operation. The AutoYoke is completely silent when not moving since it has no droning cooling fans like other moving lights. London's Royal Opera House tested all moving lights available in the world before choosing to make the AutoYoke the heart of its automated lighting system when it did a complete lighting renovation in 2000. Today, you'll find AutoYokes in use in nearly every Broadway and many off Broadway theatres, as well as churches and opera houses around the world.

ETC
SOURCE FOUR®
REVOLUTION^™

ETC has begun shipping the new automated ellipsoidal for the theatre, the Source Four Revolution — an addition to its popular Source Four fixture line. Revolution is designed specifically to be a theatrical lighting designer's tool. Pan/tilt positioning, color media, diffusion, 16° - 36° zoom — all of the adjustments of an ellipsoidal are accessible by the designer from the console. Its incandescent source ensures that Revolution blends seamlessly with the other fixtures over any stage. The easy-access 750W QXL lamp, quick-change color scroller, and two innovative module bays for optional beam control features are designed to speed the job of configuring and maintaining a theatrical lighting system. Revolution is designed to meet theatre's acoustic demands. Extremely low-noise cooling keeps Revolution unobtrusive. To help eliminate sounds created by fixture movement, zoom, and all other motorized actions, ETC has developed QuietDrive^™ — a proprietary solution for making motors run quietly, allowing the Source Four Revolution to go through its paces while not disturbing the performance. Each Revolution also carries an on-board Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) dimmer. The PWM dimmer and power-factor-corrected power supply generate no line harmonics for no-noise theatrical use.

HIGH END SYSTEMS
COLORMERGE^™

High End Systems' ColorMerge^™ dichroic color mixing system replaces high-maintenance gel scrollers and reduces costs. It fits any standard-sized ETC Source Four ellipsoidal fixture and delivers smooth, silent, clean mixing and fading. The ColorMerge uses dichroic glass technology for maximum color consistency. It also offers quiet fan-less operation and integrates easily into existing dimmer systems. ColorMerge attaches between the lamp house and the lens of a standard size SourceFour ellipsoidals, including the Source Four CE and the Source Four HID fixtures. It does not interfere with the Source Four shutters or gate area, so the user may still use patterns, irises, gobo changers, and all the usual Source Four accessories. ColorMerge uses three channels of standard DMX: one each for Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. Each unit is connected to a ColorPower Supply unit using 4-pin XLR cables. Each ColorPower Supply can control up to 12 ColorMerge units.

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY®
INTELLIGENT RACEWAY^™
DISTRIBUTED DIMMING SYSTEM

Based on Entertainment Technology's patented IGBT dimmer design, the Intelligent Raceway is a highly advanced lighting control option, offering several critical advantages over older, SCR-based dimming equipment. First, and most importantly, IGBT dimming works without filter chokes, cooling fans, vibration or buzzing. The advanced IGBT dimming technology makes the Intelligent Raceway virtually silent, thus eliminating dimmer and lamp noise. The Intelligent Raceway is installed adjacent to the lights it controls. There is no need for a separate air-conditioned equipment room to house — and soundproof — noisy dimmer racks. Because the Intelligent Raceway can be cooled convectively — without the use of noisy fans — it is not only quieter than traditional SCR dimmers, it also conserves energy both directly and indirectly. As a safety feature, when IGBT dimmer technology senses short circuits and other difficult loads, it shuts down instantly and automatically before equipment damage takes place.

VARI*LITE®
SERIES 3000^™ SPOT AND WASH LUMINAIRES

The VARI*LITE® VL3000^™Q Spot and Wash luminaires are powerful 1200W fixtures with 50% audible reduction in noise output from the original Series 3000^™ luminaires. The VL3000Q Spot and Wash luminaires maintain the new standards set by the original Series 3000 fixtures for imagery, beam control, color, and brightness. The “Q” range fixtures are designed for situations where the absence of noise is critical to the performance. The Series 3000Q fixtures move and operate the same as the original Series 3000 luminaires. The trade off is strictly thermal. The “Q” range has an ambient temperature rating of 40°C, compared to the 50°C rating on the standard Series 3000 fixtures. The change in size and weight due to the modifications is minimal, allowing a consistent hang configuration and appearance no matter which luminaire type is required. The bottom vent cover is 1" taller, and the fixture is 1 lb. heavier than the original Series 3000 fixtures.

LOOK SOLUTIONS
UNIQUE HAZER

The Unique is a water-based hazer. The pump and fan are independently adjustable, so any effect can be easily achieved and maintained. Stand-alone controls and DMX-interface are built-in. The heater is self-cleaning — it neither clogs nor requires periodic replacement. Two liters of Unique Fluid last for up to 50 hours. The Unique is practically silent, and many productions have made it the hazer of choice specifically for this reason. The Unique is manufactured by Look Solutions in Germany and distributed in the USA by Theatre Effects in Hagers-town, MD.

MARTIN PROFESSIONAL
MAC 2000 PERFORMANCE

The MAC 2000 Performance is a powerful 1200W profile framing spot and animation projector. Useful for accurate illumination coverage of stage props and scenery, the precision adjusting, four-blade beam-framing system transforms the elliptical beam into a variety of shapes. Fine adjustment is within millimeters thus eliminating any excess back light. Also key to the MAC 2000 Performance is a gobo animation wheel, useful for special theatrical effects such as fire, sky, and water imaging. The entire wheel can be swiveled for flexible positional control. The MAC 2000 Performance incorporates a 10-lens optical system that produces an extremely bright and sharp beam with high definition contrast and consistent beam field characteristics. It houses a CMY color-mixing system plus an innovative color temperature correction system. Other features include a gobo wheel with five indexable rotating gobos, additional effects wheel with rotating beam shaper and three-facet prism, and a variable frost. It also incorporates a fast and precisely moving focus and zoom system. Variable and smooth dimming as well as extremely fast strobe effects are possible via a combined dimmer/shutter. The MAC 2000 Performance operates at a very low noise level, a must for the strict standards of TV studios and theaters.

AVOLITES
ART 2000 DIMMERS

When it comes to dimming control, Avolites emphasizes its “Studio Quiet” cooling system featured across the full spectrum of the ART 2000 range of dimmers. The design goal was to produce exceptionally quiet cooling within the dimmer while still offering the very high levels of noise suppression needed across the lamp filaments. This quiet cooling has been achieved by using a specially designed and optimized ducting system plus a high-specification, high-mass heatsink for the power devices. By over-specifying the heatsink, the dimmer receives adequate cooling, even with all channels running continuously at full load. Such is the efficiency of the heatsink that the fan normally runs at under 20% of its full-rated speed, virtually eliminating any fan noise. Rusty Sneeden from the AV Staging Group states, “ART2000 is a powerful dimmer rack but so quiet that I forget it's running.” Dave Oldroyd, a UK-based TV director of photography says, “The Art 2000 dimmers are the quietest system I have ever used,” and the very quiet Birming-ham Royal Ballet are the happiest customers of all.

ADB LIGHTING TECHNOLOGIES
WARP

The Warp is an 800W zoom profile/ellipsoidal reflector spotlight reviewed by Andy Ciddor in Lighting Dimensions [April 2004]. The next step is a retrofitable motorization kit which allows on-site conversion of a conventional WARP into a fully motorized WARP: pan and tilt; infinite and independent rotation of the framing shutters; iris, gobo, zoom, and focus. Silence is achieved by using absolute sensors — hence, no noisy pan and tilt reset at Power On; three-phase stepping motors; and no fans at all. Priority is given to high precision repositioning, rather than speed. Control is by DMX512 and Ethernet (ArtNet; ACN ready). WARP/M is not a moving light but the first fully motorized theatre spotlight for professional theatres and concert halls.

TECHNI-LUX
SGM GIOTTO 400 SERIES

The Giotto 400 Series was created with theatres, TV studios, and churches in mind. The units require very low maintenance and are extremely quiet, a fact that is backed by extensive independent lab tests broken down by sound level per function. The SGM Giotto 400 series offers several 400W models: Spot, Profile, and Wash, all featuring electronic flicker-free ballasts, hot re-strike lamps, and auto voltage sensing from 100 to 240VAC. All Giotto 400 series luminaires operate virtually silent at only 54db. The fine-tuned, high-performance optics allow output to compete with any 575 to 700W unit on the market today while consuming less power and producing less heat. Effects include rotating glass gobos with indexing, rotating prisms, variable frost, linear zoom, rich dichroic colors, variable iris, CMY color mixing, strobing, dimming, profile shaping system, remote focus, 16-bit smooth movement and positioning, and color correction for film, TV, and studio use. Additional features include DMX 512-RS 232 input signal using 5-pin XLR in and out; automatic energy saving when the fixture is blacked out; hot re-striking of the lamp.

MORPHEUS LIGHTS
COLORFADER3^™ LINE

Morpheus' ColorFader3^™ is the preferred choice for CYM mixing color changers in sound-sensitive environments. The same patented technology that lets ColorFader3 transition from any color to any color anytime also permits ColorFader3 to make transitions quietly. ColorFader3 has independently controlled cyan, yellow, and magenta filters to bring the same subtractive color mixing flexibility found in automated fixtures to your choice of conventional fixture. This three-filter system is also the key to quiet operation. The length of each filter is just five times the beam width, so there's minimum filter movement during CYM transitions. When compared to two-scroll mixing units with scrolls that are 22 times beam width, ColorFader3 delivers faster and quieter transitions. S Fader^™, the smallest ColorFader3, is sized for ETC Source Four ellipsoidals. It's convection cooled, using UV blocking glass to silently absorb heat from the beam. With no fan, there's no fan noise. M Fader^™, XL Fader^™, and 8 Fader^™ are the larger format ColorFader3 units, with fans that can be variable-speed controlled from any DMX console. This feature lets fans be remotely turned down or off and then gradually and quietly brought back to speed when needed

WYBRON
NEXERA LINE

Nexera is Wybron's new family of affordable dichroic CMY color mixing luminaries. Convection cooled and servo-driven, these fixtures utilize no fans, providing silent operation. Nexera wash lights and ellipsoidals operate like conventional theatrical fixtures but with the addition of Wybron CMY dichroic color mixing and noiseless performance. The fixtures feature a 575W compact tungsten source and provide superb light output and beam uniformity. The patent-pending Wybron CMY color mixing module produces a wide color palette with an exceptional range of control over the most subtle theatrical colors, all with seamless transitions. Each unit requires 3 DMX channels, so they are easy to use and patch, even on the simplest of control consoles. The Wybron CMY dichroic color-mixing module also means designers can make color changes in real time.