Robe is a top name in entertainment lighting, and the Czechia-based company continues to deliver new and innovative products to the market. Robe has their successful lines of BMFL, Pointe, DL, and LEDWash/Beam fixtures. Now, they are releasing their Esprite (pronounced es-pree, where the “t” is silent). Let’s explore this fixture to learn why it is different from the competition.
Light Source
First and foremost, the Esprite has a 650-watt light engine with a 6,700K color temperature. It is rated at 20,000 hours and is the first “transferable” engine on the market. Loosen a few screws on the rear of the head, two connectors, and the engine can be pulled out — only slightly more complicated than replacing a lamp.
The transferable engine concept is innovative — Robe fully thought it through. It has a unique serial number, tracks the hours used, and records the serial numbers of all the fixtures it has been coupled with. Esprite uses an internal light sensor to measure the engine’s intensity level and can then indicate the intensity level. Let us break that down so we can have a better understanding.
We know that LEDs dim as they age. If we have a rig of a dozen Esprites, we can ask them to tell us what their max intensity level is based on the inherent dimming as the engine ages. When the control channel is set to indication of maximum light intensity, the fixture will change to a color (see image 1). For example, if a fixture turns red, it is indicating a drop of 6-10 percent. And then the user can find the lowest common intensity and set all the lights to match.
The native color rendering index (CRI) of the engine is 70, but the second color wheel has two color filters to increase the CRI to 80 or 90, as needed. In order to increase the CRI, the filter blocks some of the blue light to provide a more uniform color spectrum, but that decreases the output — estimated drop of 18 percent at 90 CRI. It provides 27,000 lumens (85,000 lux) at 16.4 feet (5 meters) and is flicker free for use on cameras.
Both dimming and strobe are electronic and performed fantastically. The strobe flashes at a maximum 20Hz (times per second) or can pulse or be set to a random flash pattern. The dimming curve was flawless and faded out all the way out to 0 percent. Robe proudly markets this as their L3 system or Low Light Linearity 18-bit dimming system. It’s top notch.
Color System
Since the LED engine is white only, all color mixing is done mechanically with subtractive CMY flags. The color mixing was fast and smooth. Even at the most saturated colors, the light output was still useful. Using the cyan and magenta flags, I was able to mix a quality Congo blue.
Additionally, there is a variable CTO and two color wheels. Surprisingly, I was impressed by the quality, smoothness, and range of the variable CTO. It warmed up the beam very well and could blend in with tungsten sourced fixtures or assist the CMY flags to achieve a crisp pumpkin orange. The specifications say 2,700K to 6,700K. On each of the two color wheels, there are five colors plus open. The first wheel is populated with saturated colors, including UV, while the second has lighter colors including a unique four-color dichroic and the two CRI booster filters we discussed earlier.
Gobos
There are two gobo wheels, one rotatable and one static. The rotating wheel has seven gobos plus open while the static wheel has nine gobos plus open. The stock gobo selection is a useful set of breakups consisting of dots, lines, curves, and geometric shapes and patterns. Users can easily create clouds, fire, water, stars, and textures right out of the box. Additionally, the fixture has an animation wheel which creates continuous movement to take projections to the next level.
Beam
The zoom is quick and impressive ranging from 5.5° to 50° (9:1 ratio). The front lens is 5.9 inches in diameter to provide a thick beam. There are four framing shutters, each on their own plane to allow overlap between other shutters. The shutter assembly can rotate +/- 60° and you can achieve a full blackout. The iris is fast, can pulse, and when it cannot close any further, it goes to black (gate closes) which allows for easy programming.
The fixture ships with an uninstalled hotspot lens accessory. It fits in any of the rotating gobo slots and has a 6:1 center to edge intensity ratio. In other words, it changes the field from flat to peaky.
Control
The 16-bit pan and tilt are smooth and accurate. Plenty of user options in the control channel like the ability to turn the display on/off, change the dimmer curve, adjust the cooling fan speed, and set the fixture to blackout while moving.
Users have their choice of two operating modes with different channel counts and levels of control: 42 or 49 channel. I tested the unit in 49 channel mode. It weighs in at 61.3 lbs., so it should be a two person hang with two clamps with omega style brackets. Connections include: PowerCON True1 input, two network RJ-45 (for sACN, Art-Net, MA Net, MA Net2), 3- and 5-pin DMX, and optional LumenRadio CRMX wireless DMX.
Summing Up
The Esprite is a profile luminaire that is packed full of features. There is nothing to sacrifice when using it. The LED engine is bright, transferable, and replaceable. Internal technology allows the users to balance the light output of their rig to create consistency. The unit moves fast, responds quickly, has a creative useful gobo set, and can mix all colors beautifully. Robe’s Esprite is going to be a big hit in the industry, so look out for it on riders, plots, and LD’s wish lists.
At a Glance
Transferable Engine…and Much More
Esprite is a new full-featured mid- to large-sized profile moving light. Output is provided by a bright 650W White Transferable Engine (WTE) and includes two gobo wheels, CMY color mixing, two color wheels, variable CTO, two frosts, iris, prism, 9:1 zoom, framing shutters, and an animation wheel. The fixture has everything you want in a moving light.
Robe Esprite
PROS
- LED source
- Fast movements
- Numerous features
CONS
- None
FEATURES (Bulleted List)
650W LED White Transferable Engine (WTE)
Framing shutters
Rotating Gobo Wheel
Static Gobo Wheel
CMY Color Mixing
Two Color Wheels
Variable CTO 2,700K — 6,700K
Two Frosts
Iris
Prism
Animation wheel
9:1 Zoom System (5.5°-50°)
STATS
Size: 28.9” x 17.4” x 10.4” (HxWxD)
Weight: 61.3 lbs.
Wattage: 870 (Standard)
Voltage: 100-240, 50/60Hz (auto-ranging)
MSRP: Contact Robe Dealer
Manufacturer: Robe
More Details: www.robe.cz/esprite
