The term “PAR” is, at the outset of this new decade, a particularly notable misnomer. The trend has for some time been bending toward using multi-color LED wash devices in the place of the traditional PAR, which do not boast parabolic reflectors of any sort. Nevertheless, the name for subsequent iterations of the small, mostly-static stage wash light has stuck, likely because of the similar usage scenarios and the sort-of-similar-if-you-squint-at-it physical forms that many of these lights have. This is not a problem per se; there usually isn’t any compelling reason to make lights that explicitly reference their predecessors. On the other hand, a visual link with the past can help to add a touch of nostalgia or a retro feel to a design.
Either way, the demand for high-quality LED “PARs” continues — whether the look be retro or modern — and Vari-Lite is here to fill that demand. With three interesting new products in the VL800 lineup: the VL800 ProPar, the VL800 EventPar, and the VL800 EventWash.
Retro Beauty
The VL800 EventPar gets as close as any fixture I’ve seen to an actual sealed-beam PAR 64 housing, which comes in a flat black version, with silver and bronze versions being available by summer. Where the lamp would be in a traditional PAR can, there is an LED array that comes in two versions: warm white or RGBA. In front of this array sits a slightly frosted lens to help diffuse the light. This lens sits on a “rail” on the inside surface of the light and can be manually moved forward or backward to adjust the zoom of the fixture, from a 10-degree narrow beam to 30 degrees at the wide end of the range. The EventPar casts a lovely circular pool of light with diffused edges, with falloff approximating a traditional PAR. Dimming, to my eye at least, was very smooth with no noticeable artifacts or stepping, even at the very lowest levels.
As mentioned, the EventPar comes in two versions: a 300W RGBA and a 200W warm white. The warm white version has particularly pleasing light quality and color rendering. Vari-Lite publishes TM-30 readings for their lights, and their warm white version mimics a real incandescent light very closely with a color temperature of 3000K. Color-mixing offers no surprises in the RGBA version, with the amber and yellow part of the range looking particularly nice, as expected with the addition of the amber emitter. It has an adjustable color temp between 2700-10,000K.
Vari-Lite specifies 12,300 lux from five meters with a narrow zoom, down to 940 lux from five meters at full. The RGBA version boasts 4,300 lux from five meters with narrow zoom, and 295 lux from five meters at full.
Both versions offer a dual-rail accessory holder for gel or diffusion. Power is via Seetronic TRUE1-compatible in and throughs, and data is accepted via 5-pin XLR in and throughs. The EventPar is 22 inches long (with yoke) and 10.1 inches wide, making it a touch smaller than the average PAR can. It weighs 14.3 pounds. The fixture is rated IP24 and can take some splashing.
Sleek Modernization
Conversely, the VL800 ProPar has no illusions about not being a modern fixture. Sporting a sleek black housing, the fixture features seven 30W emitters on the front. Color-mixing for the ProPar is RGBW, mixing color as expected. Or like its brother, has gel-matched color presets available. The native color temperature is a very white 7300K, but a separate CTO/CTB channel can adjust it from 2700-10,000K.
Vari-Lite specifies 6,700 lux at narrow zoom at five meters, and 390 lux at wide zoom at five meters. Dimming, as with all the fixtures in this line, is extremely smooth with no noticeable artifacts. It seems that the days of steppy low-end LED dimming are behind us, for most manufacturers. Vari-Lite also includes a setting for smooth or fast dimming.
The ProPar sports a motorized zoom, which adjusts smoothly from 6 to 40 degrees. Power in is again via Seetronic in and throughs, and data is accepted via 5-pin XLR in and throughs. The fixture is 12 inches long (without yoke) and 9 inches at the widest point, while weighing 13.2 pounds. It comes with an IP65 rating.
Now Can You Make It Move?
Finally, for applications requiring remote focus, we come to the VL800 EventWash, a moving-head LED wash with all of the features of the ProPar on an additional motorized yoke. Like the ProPar, the EventWash has seven 30W RGBW LED arrays on the front, with the same zoom range.. Curiously, despite having the same LED packages, the EventWash has a lower specified output, with Vari-Lite specifying 4,680 lux at five meters at narrow zoom, and 280 lux at five meters while wide. I suspected, and Vari-Lite confirmed, that this is due to a slightly different optical system giving the individual dies a more collimated beam than the ProPar.
The EventWash also offers full pixel-mapping of its seven LEDs on the front, allowing the user to create interesting pixel effects in the air. Pan and tilt ranges from 540 to 220 degrees and completes a full range motion in 1.26s and 0.52s, respectively. Power is via Seetronic in and throughs, and data is accepted via 5-pin XLR in- and throughs. The fixture is 13.9 inches tall with a base that’s 8” by 5.5.” It weighs 13.2 pounds and rigs via a single standard Omega bracket fitted with your choice of hanging hardware.
All of the fixtures in the range feature three DMX-selectable dimmer curves, linear, S-curve, and square law, which is the default curve. Selectable fan modes make the fixture quieter for noise-sensitive environs. All the color-mixing versions of the luminaires have the ability to toggle the color calibration on or off via DMX.
At a Glance:
A Wide Array of Possibilities
The VL800 range of fixtures features a wide gamut of lighting solutions. I find the EventPar fixture particularly effective — the iconic amber glow from banks of PAR cans has been recreated in LED format, with the housing harkening to an earlier, lower-tech time in production. The other fixtures could fill a variety of roles, from accent lighting to TV and house of worship set lighting, to concert lighting.
VL800 Series
PROS: The EventPar’s excellent quality of light and classic looks.
CONS: Addition of a lime emitter could have improved color mixing fixtures
SPECS
VL800 EventPar RGBA/WW
- Light Source: 300W (RGBA)/200W (WW)
- Max Wattage: 360W (RGBA)/240W (WW)
- Beam Angle: 10°-30°
- CCT: 2700-10,000K/3000K
- Size: 17.8” x 11.1” x 16.5”
- Weight: 14.3 lbs.
- MSRP: $1,099
VL800 ProPar
- Light Source: 7 Osram 30W RGBW LEDs
- Max Wattage: 260W
- Beam Angle: 6°-40°
- CCT: 7300K (white)
- Size: 12” x 9” x 7”
- Weight: 13.2 lbs.
- MSRP: $1,399
VL800 EventWash
- Light Source: 7 Osram 30W RGBW LEDs
- Max Wattage: 230W
- Beam Angle: 6°-40°
- CCT: 7300K (white)
- Size: 13.9” x 8.5” x 6.7”
- Weight: 13.2 lbs.
- MSRP: $1,999
Manufacturer: Vari-Lite
More Info: www.vari-lite.com
