Mirror Ball Lights

[Keithpaw 0]

Hi all

Could someone give me advice on par lighting for a mirror ball IE 36/56 or RGB LED or maybe something else

Many thanks

Keith.

[DJ Ben 0]

Par 36 LED

 

From Thomann

 

Or a Par 56 But you'd lose a lot of light as it's not particulalry directional.

 

I think the 36 would be the better one for your application.

 

smile icon

[Andy Westcott 0]

I can't say I've ever seen an LED 'par' light in action - are they really bright enough for mirror ball use?

[DJ Ben 0]

Absolutely.

 

Saw them in Lacey Green on the Prolight stand, and with all the other lights they had going on, the LED Pars still shone amazingly bright on the floor.

[UKHero 0]

I am sure there are good and bad or cheap makes of LED Par does any one have any specific led models that they have seen and recomend, and what sort of price....

 

 

 

Cheers

 

 

Nik

 

[DJ Ben 0]

The Prolight ones are very good. 64's are too big though IMHO. However, one of their LED Par56's will set you back about £100.

 

Alot of people I know use the Stairville ones from Thomann (see my post above) and highly reccomend them.

[brianmole 0]

LED par cans produce a wash - they are not focussed beams, so pointing them at a mirrorball is a waste of time and money. A traditional pinspot is what you need, this has a very narrow beam of light which works well on mirrorballs. I have also used an Acme Dynamo for the same effect with success.

[RobbieD 0]

Hi Keith,

 

You may also want to check out this recent thread on mirror balls for more good advice.

[Welsh Audio Man 21 0]

I recommend Par 36's. Except if your trying to throw it long distances (ie. the hall is 50 metres long, mirrorball centre, lights at either end of hall. When i was the stage manager for a reproduction of Grease, the mirrorball was situated above the stage, and i had to mount the lights a considerable distance from the ball. I ended up using Theatre Profile Lanterns, which can be focused, and concerntrated onto the ball. These contained a 650w bulb though!

[UKHero 0]

If you have the money and want plenty of power go for a profile stage light very expensive though but much more powerful than a pinspot... I must add though I like the effect of two thre or four pin spots aimed at a ball with different coulours on each one makes a nice effect.... But for sequence dancing should be just white...

 

looks great with smoke also

 

Nik

[digitaldistortion 0]

Absolutely.

 

Saw them in Lacey Green on the Prolight stand, and with all the other lights they had going on, the LED Pars still shone amazingly bright on the floor.

 

We have to agree to disagree on this one. The 32/64s I saw....my impression was that the fill/wash disappeared. They reminded me of light boxes....a screen effect that doesn't project!

 

Having said that, my boss (an engineer) has explained to me that whilst AN LED is an extremely focused beam, as soon as you add more, the efficiency drops quite dramatically. I myself use an LED torch for the disco.....finding fuseboards, sockets etc....I like the thin searchlight beam it gives out, which doesn't lose its intensity or begin to spread.

 

I wonder if a pinspot based on 1 LED would work for a mirror ball....should do....and you get the 50,000 hours etc....

[Andy Westcott 0]

I don't think they've invented a 36 watt LED just yet - but I'll bet it's not that far away. smile icon

[digitaldistortion 0]

I don't think they've invented a 36 watt LED just yet - but I'll bet it's not that far away. smile icon

 

On LEDs the numbers don't relate to the wattage...but the number of individual LEDs mounted.

 

[highslayer 0]

I've tried both the LED and conventional PAR36 on a mirrorball and in my opinion the LED just doesnt do it.

 

It does create a wash, and there are reflections arond the hall, but nothing as bright an piercing as the standard pinspot.

 

So - £32 for an LED or £6.63 for a conventional one, inc bulb.

 

I know which I'd use!

[Tom 0]

If you have the money and want plenty of power go for a profile stage light very expensive

 

They are not that expensive around £60 for a cheap one.

[digitaldistortion 0]

I've tried both the LED and conventional PAR36 on a mirrorball and in my opinion the LED just doesnt do it.

 

It does create a wash, and there are reflections arond the hall, but nothing as bright an piercing as the standard pinspot.

 

So - £32 for an LED or £6.63 for a conventional one, inc bulb.

 

I know which I'd use!

 

 

Ok.....but how many hours will you get from the conventional bulb, against the near indestructable 50,000 hours of the LED?

 

And I would still try a focussed 1-5 LED pin. These don't lose any definition. Look almost like a laser beam they're that focussed. The light is blue white not yellow.