timmeh2 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Hi Just a small point but don't forget that these days most MAC500s have questionable reliability. You certainly don't want to be in the middle of the show worrying which one will stop working first. Inevitably one will go wrong. The old favourites are fixed-gobo position error (FGER) and the rotation index error (RGER) People say that the Gobos on the Mac are easy to change but I wouldn't call having to use tweezers and needle-nose pliers easy. Its quite a delicate operation and the spring holders will try to go AWOL as you compress them to fit inside the wheels. I have also seen an odd thing on these units where in the past someone has swopped the front lens for a 17 degree but left the focus lens at 23. This gives you an odd focus range and halves the output as your lens efficiency goes down the drain. On the series 1 units you have to strip the entire head to get them out, this is slightly improved with the others as you can simply rotate the lens through 45 degrees and it pops out of the holder. By far the biggest loss of light output on the Macs is the rear reflector which tarnishes and loses all of its shine. Buffing it up can help a lot but its one of the hardest things to get it because you have to take the thing to pieces to get at it. There's no modular construction here. So in a nutshell we have an old, heavy unit with questionable reliabilty, poor, inefficient optics and woeful pan and tilt speed. I think I join the others when I say I'd vote for the Robe, it might not be as bright (according to some) but at least you'll have a working rig. Given the choice I'd also go for the 250 Entour as it is a fantastic little unit. All the bestTimmeh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indyld Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Well that last remark is irrelevent as you can swop out the gobos on either model to suit anyway. Whether is is possible to swap the gobos out "easily" is not the point if you don't have the budget for a gobo change, either in terms of getting different gobos or time taken / costs to do it. A lot of hires are outside the realms of "swap out every gobo in the head", especially with one off shows. The choice of fixture is therefore sometimes a question of which set of stock gobos the LD would prefer, making Congos point about them not as irrelevant as some seem to think it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyF18 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I've got some Robe ColorWash 250ATs, I've had them for about two years now and they've been on tours, gigs, festivals etc ever since I've had them without any time off. Not had one let me down yet - my only criticism is that they seem to go through lamps quicker than other makes of moving light, but I can live with that.They certainly will give the Mac500s/600s a run for their money, whether a new Mac 500/600 would be brighter or not I don't know - I haven't seen a new one for a long time (there are better units on the market for better money now). I've had plenty of old Macs in bits while I alternate between swearing at them and trying to fix them. Oh yeah - I too would drive an old Mini over the rubbish, unimaginative car that the new Fiesta is (maybe not for the same reasons outlined above - reliability etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uhhehhahh Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Its not always about the light output, you might want to think about which has gobos that suit what you are doing better Mark Custom gobos? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmeh2 Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 Its not always about the light output, you might want to think about which has gobos that suit what you are doing better Mark Custom gobos? Hi Most Mac500s have a fixed gobo wheel which is nothing more than a piece of metal with various patterns stamped in them. Also consider the additional costs of buying a set of custom gobos (£60+ each if you use glass-etched), and then you've got to pay someone to put them in and take them out again. A lot of LDs base their choice of fixture on what the factory gobos are. All the bestTimmeh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam_Lowers Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 Another vote for the Robe. As mentioned the MAC 500 is not a very reliable unit! I have two on hire this week and the 6 Robe's are walking all over them! Also if you are in a school dont forget the weight. If you have to haul them into a school rig the 250's are much easier!I had to haul up these 2 mac's and even with loads of pullys they still weigh a ton! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damobarrowafc Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 The school that I do all the technical for have the Robe Colourspot 250at's much better that the Mac 500 previously used quicker response and faster panning etc. 2 centre stage would do wonders for the production Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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