chauvet 4bar vs 200b

[Daddy-O]

I'm looking for a simple light setup for our band. We're a 3 piece and play basic small bar gigs so we're not looking for anything too fancy. I've read through the lighting guide and got a general idea of what might work for us. Cost is definitely an issue so we'll be piecing this all together over time.

 

To start with I'm looking for a front/side wash. My first thought was a couple of 200B's mounted to the mains similar to Glen B's setup, except only 1 per side. My second consideration is one 4Bar, possibly adding another one sometime down the road.

 

I like that the 4Bar comes with a footswitch for some simple manual control. I probably won't be adding a DMX controller until much later, if at all. I assume that the pair of 200B's will be much brighter but there's no manual control so we'd just have to run them on sound activation mode. Is there a very basic foot controller that I could use to get some manual control of the 200B's? I assume that a pair of 200B's plus a simple controller might be approx the same cost as a single 4Bar. Or, if we add a second 4Bar later, can they both be controlled by one of the footswitches?

 

Thanks for any info.

[soundlight]

The 200B is a wash fixture, whereas the 4-bar lights have very narrow beams compared to the 200B's wide wash of the stage. It's really all about what you want, whether you want to pick up performers or color the whole stage.

 

The 200B is a nice fixture, and has been around for a while as LED lights go. The 4-bar is brand new, but rapidly gaining popularity as a go-to solution.

[Daddy-O]

Thanks, soundlight. BTW--your lighting guide is an incredible resource. Thanks again for all the hard work in putting it together.

 

How narrow is the 4Bar beam? Will one of them (for now) give some basic wash light if angled across the stage (or, more accurately, the corner of the bar), placed closer to the guitar/lead singer?

 

Also, any suggestions for a cheap, basic foot controller for the 200B? That might be a better solution for us if I can get some simple manual control. (although I really like the simple setup and transport of the 4Bar)

[twostone]

For maximum use of both fixture you'll need a DMX controller hardware or software if you have a lap top you can down load Freestyler for free you'll need the proper adaptors and cables for the DMX application. If it were me I would go for the 48 bar because at least you have some kind of semi controller and I prefer smaller beam angles vs the wide beam angles. You can always move the bar further back for a wider beam angle. Just my 2 cents good luck let us know what you decided.

[Plan-B]

MBT makes the SCX101 a 16 channel footswitch which could probably control the 200b's which are 6 channel.

[BillESC]

From a purely aesthetic point of view, using only one 4Bar will be ugly. Having only one side of a performers face lit just doesn't make it.

 

Get a pair of 200B's and the SC101 foot control, it will give you a much better "look."

[Rich4Once]

 

From a purely aesthetic point of view, using only one 4Bar will be ugly. Having only one side of a performers face lit just doesn't make it. Get a pair of 200B's and the SC101 foot control, it will give you a much better "look."

 

 

Agreed. You can always add more 200Bs down the line, or add a 4Bar or two as back lighting if the initial pair of 200Bs are sufficient for your front wash.