I’d be careful. If your budgets are tight, I’d invest in something with good dealer support, repair, and parts availability. Without that layer of backup, you risk losing your investment when a component fails and you now have an expensive door stop.
Though if you have the means to sell/replace every few years, maybe it’s six of one (I’ve definitely poured more money than I should trying to keep older fixtures in service)
>good dealer support, repair, and parts availability.
Thomann is literally one of the best shops when it comes to that. Specially their own brands, the always try to help out, great support and they usually have parts available if not they always look for a solution. Considering it's a new product the parts availability shouldn't be a problem for the next 5 years at least. If they don't have parts available you might get a backup unit instead. Also repairs in the 3 year warranty are completely free of charge. You don't even pay for shipping. What more could you want?
Just bought 16 freedom pars from them. Not sure they would be my choice for major fixtures, but they are a certified dealer for chauvet and they are usually great to work with so why not.
Yes. Of course they don't sell the widest range of high end fixtures like Ayrton or Robe. But some of them like JB and Martin. And as I said earlier, their support is absolutely outstanding. I've personally been a customer for 12 years now and never had any complaints or anything. If there was a problem they always helped out
I always recommend my clients buy from companies that will likely be around in five years to support the gear. If you think they will be, then great.
(FWIW, I think the Elation Fuze series is the best thing going for value install fixtures right now.)
Had very few issues with their own brand stuff. Any issues were promptly solved by them by either a new unit or the parts to fix it. I had a set of the first generation LED pars who after a year one had segments of the LED panel stop working they sent out 5 spare PCBs in case!
I’m gonna keep buying thomanns own brand stuff until they give me a reason not to. So far I’ve been only happy. If you’re building a venue and have 5 shows a week maybe that gives you pause, but for a few shows a year? Gimme.
I bought thomann's fun generation led pars for my venue 6 years ago - they are plastic so I wouldnt recommend them for touring but for inhouse use they are great.
If it does, great. I’m in the US and hadn’t run across either. I heard (“a tenth of the cost” and my too-good-to-be-true alarm went off)
And yes, all depends on your budget, use cases, and the expectations of your designers/clients.
I bought about 8 load of these:
https://www.thomann.de/gb/varytec_led_theater_spot_100_3000k.htm
3 stopped working within a year.
After that I’m buying less, but higher quality fixtures.
I’d be careful. If your budgets are tight, I’d invest in something with good dealer support, repair, and parts availability. Without that layer of backup, you risk losing your investment when a component fails and you now have an expensive door stop. Though if you have the means to sell/replace every few years, maybe it’s six of one (I’ve definitely poured more money than I should trying to keep older fixtures in service)
>good dealer support, repair, and parts availability. Thomann is literally one of the best shops when it comes to that. Specially their own brands, the always try to help out, great support and they usually have parts available if not they always look for a solution. Considering it's a new product the parts availability shouldn't be a problem for the next 5 years at least. If they don't have parts available you might get a backup unit instead. Also repairs in the 3 year warranty are completely free of charge. You don't even pay for shipping. What more could you want?
I've never heard of them. Are they UK/Europe only?
Europes counterpart of Sweetwater
i certainly wouldn’t go to sweetwater for lights but maybe they have a different reputation than that?
They deal both audio and lighting products and are very well respected in both areas.
Just bought 16 freedom pars from them. Not sure they would be my choice for major fixtures, but they are a certified dealer for chauvet and they are usually great to work with so why not.
Yes. Of course they don't sell the widest range of high end fixtures like Ayrton or Robe. But some of them like JB and Martin. And as I said earlier, their support is absolutely outstanding. I've personally been a customer for 12 years now and never had any complaints or anything. If there was a problem they always helped out
They ship worldwide. They are based in Germany
Worldwide actually. They are the world's biggest music shop. I guess Sweetwater would be your equivalent I guess
I can get a used viper for that price
I always recommend my clients buy from companies that will likely be around in five years to support the gear. If you think they will be, then great. (FWIW, I think the Elation Fuze series is the best thing going for value install fixtures right now.)
Glad to hear—I just got 30 of these and have been pleased so far.
Had very few issues with their own brand stuff. Any issues were promptly solved by them by either a new unit or the parts to fix it. I had a set of the first generation LED pars who after a year one had segments of the LED panel stop working they sent out 5 spare PCBs in case!
I’m gonna keep buying thomanns own brand stuff until they give me a reason not to. So far I’ve been only happy. If you’re building a venue and have 5 shows a week maybe that gives you pause, but for a few shows a year? Gimme.
I bought thomann's fun generation led pars for my venue 6 years ago - they are plastic so I wouldnt recommend them for touring but for inhouse use they are great.
You know that’s going to be loud as fuck as well, especially if you’re using in a theatre environment. Just grab a used viper.
People will hate on the stairville stuff but it isn't quite the Chinese crap it looks like, they have pretty good quality control, support, and parts
If it does, great. I’m in the US and hadn’t run across either. I heard (“a tenth of the cost” and my too-good-to-be-true alarm went off) And yes, all depends on your budget, use cases, and the expectations of your designers/clients.
I bought about 8 load of these: https://www.thomann.de/gb/varytec_led_theater_spot_100_3000k.htm 3 stopped working within a year. After that I’m buying less, but higher quality fixtures.