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DJ Effect Lighting: A Guide for the Perplexed

By BulbAmerica Editor

If you've ever shopped for DJ lighting effects you’ve probably been overwhelmed by the numerous types there are. What doesn’t help is that very seldom can you find a guide that enumerates the different effects, rather than just the different fixtures themselves. In this article I will go through the different effects and explain the differences between the effects and what you can expect from them. So, let’s get started. The simplest effects in the DJs arsenal, and the ones of with which people are most familiar, is the strobe. The strobe, which is now very commonly powered by LEDs, can either be white light or colored and flashes light at a variable rate, creating the unbeatable robot-like strobe effect. The beacon is another fairly popular choice for DJs. This inexpensive technique features a colored plastic cylinder or cone with a rotating bulb inside. Beacons are great for being placed on top of a speaker or anywhere where a little extra flair is desired.

Beam effects are one of the most widely used effects. Beam effects come in specific beam effects fixtures like the Chauvet LED Mushroom, which features a rotating series of colored lenses mounted in front of an LED light source. The effect created is a cluster of spinning, independent colored beams. Moving heads, like Elation's Beam Design heads, also are capable of producing beam effects. Don’t forget when you consider using a beam effect to consider getting a fog machine, these two effect units go perfectly together! A sub-family of beam effect is moonflower effects and derby effects. A moonflower effect, like that produced by Chauvet’s Vue 4.1 DMX LED, produces many different colored beams that collect on the surface it is directed at and form a pattern. Moonflower fixtures often produce numerous patterns and feature impressive color changing abilities. Derby effects are also another common beam effect. Derby effects feature the creation of many moving beams that can be layered on top of each other to create a multi-color beam effect. The derby effect, like all DJ effects, has a built in microphone that automatically syncs its pattern to your music.

The other main family of DJ effects is barrel and scanner effects. A barrel is usually a rotating cylinder with multiple mirrors to fixed to its exterior that reflects the light shined upon it from the bulb’s lamp. Optima’s Excalibur scanner features a barrel which creates many quickly alternating and rotating beams. Barrel effects also use gobos which are then rotated and use color changing to create a dynamic performance. Scanners create a similar effect and work similarly. Rather than use a rotating barrel, a scanner features a light source that shines on a single mirror which usually features XY rotation or rotation horizontally and vertically.

Of course there are other effects, like blacklights, lasers, snow machines, and bubble machines, which are easily distinguishable from the rest. BulbAmerica has all of these effects in stock and at unbeatable check us out today. Post any questions or comments you have on the blog or our Facebook or call 1-877-622-0897.

Let it Snow with Snow Machines from BulbAmerica

By BulbAmerica Editor

Snow machines are a fantastic lighting effect that rapidly transforms any stage or space into a winter wonderland. There is a blizzard of snow machines to choose from so hopefully this article will help you navigate the options. My favorite snow machines are offered by American DJ and Elation. In particular I like American DJ’s Snow Flurry Snow Machine and Elation’s Silent Snow Effect Machine.American’s DJ’s 2,000 cu. ft./min Snow Flurry has a 2.2L tank capacity to keep you pumping snow for a long time. The Snow Flurry stays cool with its ECO thermal control system so the machine does not overheat; this also ensures the Snow Flurry’s durability. The Snow Flurry also features intelligent pump protection (IPP) so when the machine gets low on fluid, it does not continue to run and damage the machine. The Snow Flurry can be controlled easily with either an included remote control and has adjustable volume level to control the volume of snow produced.

Elation’s Silent Snow is an excellent snow machine option that is great for clubs, theatres, and movie sets. It can produce any amount of snow fall from a light flurry to a steady snow fall. One feature that sets the Silent Snow from American DJ’s snow machine is that the Silent Snow can be controlled via a DMX controller, thus allowing you to integrate it directly into your lighting system. If you do not want to use the Silent Snow with a DMX controller, the Silent Snow comes with a remote control that features a knob that allows you to adjust snow volume as well as an on/off rocker switch. The Silent Snow features the same great construction and performance that all Elation products have, so you know that it is a trustworthy piece of equipment.

BulbAmerica has a great selection of snow machines that will provide your show with a wondrous snow effect. Check out what we have and let it snow!

Bubble Trouble: Great Bubble Machines from American DJ and Elation

By BulbAmerica Editor

The bubble machine is one of the most fun and easy to use effects around. Bubble machines can turn a stage or a dance floor into a whimsical and exciting environment with the flip of the switch. In this article I will review two of my favorite bubble machines, American DJ’s Bubble Blast and Elation Professional’s Professional Bubble Machine. The Bubble Blast is a high performance bubble machine conveniently placed on wheels for easy transport. The Bubble Blast produces 100s of bubbles per minute with its primary and secondary fan system which lifts the bubbles into the air and disperses them. The Bubble Blast is as easy to use as it gets. Simply fill the tray with bubble juice and flip the switch on the back of the machine and watch the bulbs fly. The Bubble Blast has a low current draw and solid construction to make it easy on the electric bill and durable, so you won’t have to worry about it being damaged in transit. The Bubble Blast also comes with an option remote control that can control the power, the duration of bubble blasting, and other features.

Elation’s Professional Bubble Machine is another formidable bubble machine option. Unlike the Bubble Blast, Elation’s bubble machine has a yoke on it that allows you to mount it on a truss like you would any other lighting fixture. Elation’s Professional Bubble Machine is powerful; it is able to widely disperse its bubble with its four separate bubble wheels and a trio of fans at the back of the unit. Another feature that sets Elation’s bubble machine apart is that it is also capable of being integrated into a lighting system via its DMX connectivity. This unit also includes a remote control that can serve as a timer and shut the Bubble Machine down when you believe enough bubbles have been created.

BulbAmerica has got the bubble machine for you. Come check us out today!

Elation Beam Design Moving Heads: Moving and Turning Heads Like None Other

By BulbAmerica Editor

As moving head light fixtures become more popular and more ubiquitous, it is harder and harder to choose the one worth your money and that is right for your needs. In this article I will discuss Elation Professional’s Design Beam series of moving heads and what I believe makes them unique and warrants an extra look. So, let’s get started. One feature that sets the Elation Design Beam series is their versatility. The Elation Design Beam 300 and Design Beam 1200 Compact can serve as spot, wash, and beam projectors with their respective 7.5˚ and 6.7˚ beam angles and by opening and closing the head’s frost filter, which changes the hardness of the beam’s edge. This versatility allows you to change the role of your moving heads as well as the look of your lighting effect on the fly. The Design Beam moving heads silently pan 630˚or 540˚ (user selected) and tilt 265˚, allowing for lively performances. The Design Beam and 300 and 1200 Compact also share nearly identical gobo performance with the ability for dynamic gobo prism and rotation effects. The Design Beam 300 and 1200 compact, however, have some distinguishing features that are essential to highlight.

The Design Beam 300 is distinguished from the 1200 Compact foremost by their different lamps. Both moving heads feature Philips MSR HID lamps. The 300 features a 300w MSR that puts out an impressive 33,150lux at 30ft. The 1200 Compact features a 1,200w MSR which produces an extremely bright 107,500lux at 25ft. One of the key differences between the 300 and 1200 compact is obviously their power and luminosity. In selecting between the two you want to consider how much power you have available, how high your trusses will be from the stage, and how much other light is being produced by other fixtures in your system. Another important difference between the two moving heads regards their color capabilities. The Design Beam 300 and 1200 Compct both feature CMY color changing, but the 1200 Compact also offers variable color temperature orange (CTO), in order to correct colors and make their rendering precise.

Elation’s Design Beam 300 and 1200 Compact are high quality and powerful moving heads. What sets the Design Beam heads from other moving heads is their unique frost filter that allows you a great deal of flexibility in deciding how you will use them. In short the Design Beam 300 and 1200 are an outstanding choice for performance spaces of all sizes.BulbAmerica has both moving heads in stock right now, so check it out today!

The American DJ Galaxian: Bring Your Show to Life with Lasers

By BulbAmerica Editor

LED Strobe Lights: An Essential Effect for the DJ on the Go

By BulbAmerica Editor

LED Scanners: An Illuminating Lighting Effect

By BulbAmerica Editor

Out of the Fog: A Fog Machine Guide for the Perplexed

By BulbAmerica Editor

Fog machines have long been one of the most popular effects in theatre and stage lighting. Fog not only sets ambiance, but it can also be used to emphasize lighting and laser effects as they pass through it. There are many fog machines with diverse specifications and features to choose from. This article is aimed at helping you sort through some of the product information and eventually choose the fog machine right for your needs. You will immediately notice that fog machines come in a wide price range, from about $38 to $1,400. The low-end fog machines are separated from the high-end fog machines by level of fog output (cu. ft./min), heater power, rate at which the machine heats, machine quietness, and other criteria. You should note that although fog output is one of the central criteria in fog machine specifications, there is no industry standard for this measurement: different manufacturers measure this differently and thus making a decision based on this spec alone would be premature.

Fog machines work by heating up the ’fog juice’ (often a mix glycerin or glycol mixed with water) and thus produce fog. Higher end fog machines have heating systems that heat up at faster rate. The Elation 800w Portable Fog Machine, for example, heats up in only 100 seconds. Fog machines with fast heat up feature stainless steel or nickel-aluminum alloy to ensure rapid and efficient heat transfer. Higher end fog machines will also have DMX universes so that they can be controlled remotely by a lighting controller and integrated into a larger lighting system. In addition to rapid heating-up, higher end fog machines, will feature fine tuned fan systems that are nearly silent and are ideal for noise sensitive events.

Low end and high end fog machines are also differentiated based upon the quality of the fog they produce. High end fog machines produce fog with a perfect haze of fine-particles that is also low in residue and thus requires less cleaning than a lower end fog machine. The dense and low hanging fog of dry-ice fog machines has long been the industry standard for fog. Dry ice fog machines, due to the difficulty in handling dry ice, have been replaced with fog juice based fog machines. Therefore machines that can replicate dry ice fog, like the Elation Low Lying Fog DMX Cooler, are often more expensive because they require additional technologies to ensure that the fog is adequately cooled after it is heated so it can hang low.

There are many fog machines out there with many different capabilities and features. Check out our comprehensive range of fog machines and see for your self how they differ. BulbAmerica stocks many different fog machines at many different price points so whatever you determine you need, we have it!

Great Options for LED Lighting Effects Are Here

By BulbAmerica Editor

A DJ’s performance is a spectacle of not only of sound, but also sight. The DJ’s lighting is essential to creating an environment where the music can come alive and entertain the crowd. Derby effect lighting is one of the most popular types of lighting effects in the DJ’s arsenal, and with the application of LEDs to these lighting effects, their lights are that much more powerful. Two lighting effects fixtures are particularly exciting. Chauvet’s Kinta X and American DJ’s Shooting Star LEDs are two of the brightest stars in DJ lighting and whose features will be highlighted in this article. Both the Kinta X and the Shooting Star LED use LED bulbs, allowing these fixtures to light up and switch colors incredibly quickly while remaining cool. These lightweight and high power fixtures both provide overall great lighting performances, but they do have some key differences.

The Chauvet Kinta X features a huge beam angle of 135°, and at only a power draw of 24w, the Kinta X will make the dance floor bright while not using too much power. One of the best features of the Kinta X is its ability to be not only linked up via master/slave, but it can be directly linked to Chauvet’s LED Mushroom and Double Derby X and then mounted together in a vertical column via Chauvet’s XBRACKET. The Kinta X’s various light programs and strobing patterns make it a lively addition to your DJ lighting set up.

American DJ’s Shooting Star LED has a slightly smaller beam angle, 112°, than the Kinta X. The Shooting Star makes up for this with American DJ’s TRI Color LED technology. Fixtures outfitted with this technology feature a 1 X 10w 3-in-1 RGB LED cluster. By having the fixture’s LED consolidated in a cluster, exciting colors such as cyan, yellow, white, and purple can be created through the mixing of colors. The Shooting Star achieves amazing colors using only a maximum of 20w. Like the Kinta X, the Shooting Star features a ¼” input for optional remote control to avoid using extra wires. Remote control is especially useful for the DJ on the go who has limited space, or installing a lighting system in a room with limited space. The Shooting Star is slightly larger than the Kinta X, weighing 9-lbs and being 12”x9.25”x11” versus the Kinta X, which weighs 6-lbs and is 11.1” x 11.7” x 10.4”.

For a derby lighting fixture, either the Kinta X or Shooting Star LED is a fantastic choice. Luckily BulbAmerica has both, giving the most options and at a great price. Check it out!

In the Spotlight #7: Choosing the Right CFL Shape

By BulbAmerica Editor

As CFLs become the go-to replacement for incandescent bulbs, they continue to multiply in the number of shapes they are offered in. What shape should you choose and why? These are good questions and in this article I will answer them for you, so let’s get started. CFL shapes can be broken down into two general shape categories, open shape CFLs and closed shape CFLs. Open CFLs refer to CFLs where the glass envelope is plainly visible such as in twists, mini-twists, and triple tube lamps. Closed CFL bulbs refer to CFLs where the envelope is concealed by another envelope such as with A-shape CFLs, globes, candelabras, bullets, and others.

The criteria you should use for deciding between closed and open shape CFL is the bulb’s application. Are you going to be using it in an enclosed fixture or in a partially exposed application like in certain wall sconces? For enclosed fixtures, most people go with open CFLs for two predominant reasons. The first is that open CFLs, such as mini-twists are often less expensive and less appealing to look at than closed bulbs, so people try to use them wherever they can get away with it. Furthermore, closed CFLs are often enclosed in an additional frosted glass envelope, further diffusing the light. Enclosed fixtures often come with frosted plastic or glass diffusers, therefore by using an A-shape CFL, or other such closed CFL, in an enclosed fixture you could be softening the light excessively or simply using redundant diffusers and wasting money. Put simply, my rule of thumb is that forclosed fixtures use open CFLs, and for open fixtures use closed CFLs. This should give you the light bulb and light you want.

When it comes to choosing between the different open CFL bulbs, you’ll again, want to take application into consideration. For lamps with shades, you’ll likely want to choose an open CFL with a smaller, more slender profile, such as a quad or triple tube bulb or a mini-twist. For larger fixtures, twist bulbs are a good choice. Similar considerations should be made when choosing among closed CFLs. Globe and Candelabra CFLs are typically used in more decorative or specialty applications like bathroom lighting or wall sconces, where the shape of the bulb itself is important. A-shape bulbs are good in many applications. Don’t forget about closed R (reflector) or BR (bulge reflector)bulbs either, they are typically used in recessed applications or ceiling fan fixtures. Hopefully this guide has been helpful and will assist you in navigating the numerous CFL shapes available.

Don’t forget to make BulbAmerica your one stop shop for CFLs. No matter what CFL you need, we’ve got it! As usual, leave us a comment or question on our blog or our Facebook. Also don’t forget to give us a call at (888)505-2111 with any further inquiries you have.