ADJ Inno Pocket Spot or Cheap Chinese 15 watt LED Moving Head Light?

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I have decisions to make. I can spend about $510+ tax on 2 inno pocket spots with a carry bag. Or if I went Chauvet Intimidator 150s the price is $800 before a Cyber Monday 20% discount...so $640 + the carry bag for two of those runs $79.99...So $705 or so plus tax. About $200 - $215 price difference between the two options.

The Chauvet Intimidator bag would take up a good bit more room in my Traverse. Having to fit it along with 2 sound systems, and a 16 up light package and all my other lighting effects, and 2 speaker stand bags, and lighting stand bag would be a real challenge. The bag appears a good bit bulkier than the F4 par bag the inno pocket spots fit into.

Those pockets are 12-watt units, a bit less than my Intimidator Scan led200s. My opinion, they work for smaller gigs but the light's not terribly bright in a decent-sized room. I'm also guessing you're in the 1500 lumens range versus 4500 lumens for the intimidators. My view, the few hundred extra is going to be well worth it. Choose wisely.
 
I have no desire to go and purchase, and set up larger truss, or totems. My plan is to put two moving heads on the table, 1 on each corner, ...

Understood however, if this is how you approach lighting a Bar Mitzvah then I should not expect to see you participating in threads attacking other DJs about their setups. :)
 
Understood however, if this is how you approach lighting a Bar Mitzvah then I should not expect to see you participating in threads attacking other DJs about their setups. :)

Me attack other DJs for their set ups? Never. I do critique and point out the obvious flaws though. I also will offer suggestions.

You know...Even the ADJ promo video has the inno pocket spots sitting on the DJ Table.

Also, when I saw DJ Kool at the DJ Expo in 2013, ADJ did the light show. They simply put 4 moving heads on the floor. I don't remember what models they were, I think they were the predecessors to the current Inno Pocket Z4 wash moving heads, but they were compact style lights set to sound active the entire time. I didn't hear any DJ say "Those lights should be on a Truss/Totem/ mounted high and pointed down". Rather, I heard from other DJs that those were rather nice looking lights, and one guy I was standing near commented on how well those 4 compact moving heads filled the ball room. That ceiling was easily 25 feet high, and the back of the ball room was at least 60 feet from the stage. A simple 4 head light show set to sound active was "good enough" for showcasing DJ Kool at the DJ EXPO.

Why wouldn't my 2 moving head light show with the moving heads placed on the table along with an extended multiple effect lighting package on a lighting stand not be "good enough" for a bar mitzvah?

Here's the video I took of DJ Kool's performance at the 2013 DJ Expo.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkBIOngMf24
 
I think the ADJ concern at the DJ expo is to sell product by putting it right in front of a potential buyer. Expo visitors are impulse buyers so, it makes sense to use a modestly priced DJ product with no rigging instead of a theatrical stage wash. It was never about DJ Kool.

IMHO the video of these things sitting on a table is really cheap and somewhat amateurish compared to today's typical Bar Mitzvah. The lights are hitting people in the face, often blocked by bodies right in front, do absolutely nothing for the pitch dark dance floor, and wander along the same wall area like a gimmick at the amusement park midway.

You are advocating as sufficient for a Bar Mitzvah a lighting solution that costs less than a single Eon speaker. I'm not sure what you expect the client to find from this in terms of a comparative value proposition?

Sure, there will be occasions where what you intend will be just fine however, I can't help notice that your primary concern is to be cheap and avoid any real staging or effort. I think that will be the first thing prospects will notice about your approach.

This approach is also a stark contrast when you consider how quickly a newbie on a budget gets pounced on within these boards for having some wires showing or not using the latest or greatest setup.
 
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This approach is also a stark contrast when you consider how quickly a newbie on a budget gets pounced on within these boards for having some wires showing or not using the latest or greatest setup.

Wires are TOTALLY different .. :)
 
There are wires showing behind you in your avatar photo - you bottom-feeding loser!!!! :)
Those were carefully stretched into that position to give it the casual, bar-chic look .. I don't play around with my cable ...
 
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Very retro-chic.
You got a Meteor mixer?
No, but I was thinking of upgrading to this bad boy ...

dj%2Bmixer.jpg
 
Only when I sell my mono upgrade package.
 
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Back to the original question for this thread. The old saying is usually true. You get what you pay for. You buy cheap and you get cheap. I like to buy name brand products. They usually have a reputation to look out for and most will stand behind what they sell. They will want you to keep coming back buying more of their products and tell other people about their products.
 
Back to the original question for this thread. The old saying is usually true. You get what you pay for. You buy cheap and you get cheap. I like to buy name brand products. They usually have a reputation to look out for and most will stand behind what they sell. They will want you to keep coming back buying more of their products and tell other people about their products.


YES! ...and that is exactly why Subway has the most locations in the country out of any restaurant out there, and McDonalds serves more patrons than any other restaurant out there. You buy cheap stuff, you will realize it sucks, and never come back because the quality of the product is poor! This is why there are long waits in order to eat at Ruth Chris, Flemings Steak House, and Mortons, and Bonefish Grill every day of the week. Which high end restaurant did you eat at today Macho? I went to Mcdonalds once YEARS AGO...then I realized it was poor quality, and never went back :spam: Top of the line quality, and paying a premium for something trumps the cheap stuff...Wait...Wait a minute? :scratchhead: by this logic, wouldn't have Mcdonalds and Subway failed a long time ago? You can get better quality food/product almost any where else!


What is more important is seeing the value in a product line/level and making the decision as to what product best fits best in the application you are going to be using it in.

High End Martin Moving Heads don't serve the same purpose as Chauvet or ADJ. And off market low priced non brand name lighting may or may not serve the same purpose for the desired application as well.

Someone who is totally into Martin products, and think anything less priced is cheap crap is welcome to their own opinion. However, to others ADJ, and Chauvet put fourth a premium, very nice lighting product. To some, the Chinese non name brand lighting might be "the same exact thing as Chauvet or ADJ without the name" ....and believe those cheaper low end fixtures to deliver the same or similar result, and may refuse to spend the $$$ on ADJ or Chauvet, or Blizzard, or Eternal Lighting etc. In the end, it depends on how one looks at it all, and what does the individual want the lights to accomplish for them.

...I'm not going with the Chinese fixtures, but I do believe those that call ADJ or Chauvet cheap, inferior, low level products weak sauce, and not worth using as Mobile DJs are in the wrong when it comes to Mobile DJ world. I would see spending thousands on high end martin moving heads useless, and foolish as a DJ.

If I were a concert production sound stage/lighting company, or a big Dance Club Owner, I might see it differently. To say you need Martin Moving heads to put on a high end mitzvah, sweet 16, divorce party...whatever the private event, in a ordinary hotel ball room, venue etc. is foolish in my book as well.
 
YES! ...and that is exactly why Subway has the most locations in the country out of any restaurant out there, and McDonalds serves more patrons than any other restaurant out there. You buy cheap stuff, you will realize it sucks, and never come back because the quality of the product is poor! This is why there are long waits in order to eat at Ruth Chris, Flemings Steak House, and Mortons, and Bonefish Grill every day of the week. Which high end restaurant did you eat at today Macho? I went to Mcdonalds once YEARS AGO...then I realized it was poor quality, and never went back :spam: Top of the line quality, and paying a premium for something trumps the cheap stuff...Wait...Wait a minute? :scratchhead: by this logic, wouldn't have Mcdonalds and Subway failed a long time ago? You can get better quality food/product almost any where else!


What is more important is seeing the value in a product line/level and making the decision as to what product best fits best in the application you are going to be using it in.

High End Martin Moving Heads don't serve the same purpose as Chauvet or ADJ. And off market low priced non brand name lighting may or may not serve the same purpose for the desired application as well.

Someone who is totally into Martin products, and think anything less priced is cheap crap is welcome to their own opinion. However, to others ADJ, and Chauvet put fourth a premium, very nice lighting product. To some, the Chinese non name brand lighting might be "the same exact thing as Chauvet or ADJ without the name" ....and believe those cheaper low end fixtures to deliver the same or similar result, and may refuse to spend the $$$ on ADJ or Chauvet, or Blizzard, or Eternal Lighting etc. In the end, it depends on how one looks at it all, and what does the individual want the lights to accomplish for them.

...I'm not going with the Chinese fixtures, but I do believe those that call ADJ or Chauvet cheap, inferior, low level products weak sauce, and not worth using as Mobile DJs are in the wrong when it comes to Mobile DJ world. I would see spending thousands on high end martin moving heads useless, and foolish as a DJ.

If I were a concert production sound stage/lighting company, or a big Dance Club Owner, I might see it differently. To say you need Martin Moving heads to put on a high end mitzvah, sweet 16, divorce party...whatever the private event, in a ordinary hotel ball room, venue etc. is foolish in my book as well.

When you start getting those $3K+ Mitzvahs with the Pocket Spots, we'll eat our words. I fully agree that the big guns aren't necessary to DO those jobs .. I'm just saying they probably ARE needed to GET those jobs. Showcase events, where one tries to outdo another (quinces, mitzvahs, etc.) are ALL about IMAGE (for many) .. not right .. but reality.
 
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Ricky a person can make the mistake of buying a product for the price thinking they are saving money. Once that product doesn't perform the way they want it to they realize they should have spent the extra money to get the thing that will work well, last longer and worth the money. I've made such mistakes before through trial and error. That was my learning process.

When I was looking to buy a pair of powered speaker tops I went to GC. One of the salesmen I know all to well tried to get me to buy those cheap Alto speakers that first came out. I went with the Yamaha DSR 115's. They were twice the price but well worth it!!!!!!!!! I still have them and they still sound and work great.
 
YES! ...and that is exactly why Subway has the most locations in the country out of any restaurant out there, and McDonalds serves more patrons than any other restaurant out there. You buy cheap stuff, you will realize it sucks, and never come back because the quality of the product is poor! This is why there are long waits in order to eat at Ruth Chris, Flemings Steak House, and Mortons, and Bonefish Grill every day of the week. Which high end restaurant did you eat at today Macho? I went to Mcdonalds once YEARS AGO...then I realized it was poor quality, and never went back :spam: Top of the line quality, and paying a premium for something trumps the cheap stuff...Wait...Wait a minute? :scratchhead: by this logic, wouldn't have Mcdonalds and Subway failed a long time ago? You can get better quality food/product almost any where else!


What is more important is seeing the value in a product line/level and making the decision as to what product best fits best in the application you are going to be using it in.

High End Martin Moving Heads don't serve the same purpose as Chauvet or ADJ. And off market low priced non brand name lighting may or may not serve the same purpose for the desired application as well.

Someone who is totally into Martin products, and think anything less priced is cheap crap is welcome to their own opinion. However, to others ADJ, and Chauvet put fourth a premium, very nice lighting product. To some, the Chinese non name brand lighting might be "the same exact thing as Chauvet or ADJ without the name" ....and believe those cheaper low end fixtures to deliver the same or similar result, and may refuse to spend the $$$ on ADJ or Chauvet, or Blizzard, or Eternal Lighting etc. In the end, it depends on how one looks at it all, and what does the individual want the lights to accomplish for them.

...I'm not going with the Chinese fixtures, but I do believe those that call ADJ or Chauvet cheap, inferior, low level products weak sauce, and not worth using as Mobile DJs are in the wrong when it comes to Mobile DJ world. I would see spending thousands on high end martin moving heads useless, and foolish as a DJ.

If I were a concert production sound stage/lighting company, or a big Dance Club Owner, I might see it differently. To say you need Martin Moving heads to put on a high end mitzvah, sweet 16, divorce party...whatever the private event, in a ordinary hotel ball room, venue etc. is foolish in my book as well.

I agree to an extent. If all you're looking for is a 'moving head', then sure, ADJ, Chauvet and Martin all make 'moving heads'. If you're looking for a quality light, then I completely disagree. There's a reason that a Martin moving head costs as much as it does, and it's not just because it says 'Martin'. Yugo makes a car .. and it'll get you from Point A to Point B.