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High End Systems continues to stay one step ahead of everyone else when it comes to LED light engine sourced moving profile fixtures. This month's official release of the SolaFrame 3000, with its 1000W Appotronics light engine, takes brightness in this category of fixtures to the next level. Not just by a skip, but by a monumental jump.
There are two different versions of the 3000 a buyer can choose from, the Ultra-Brite or the High Fidelity models. With more than 37,000 lumens, the Ultra-Brite has greater output and a higher native color temperature. The High Fidelity model offers a higher 95+ CRI, but a lower color temperature and a 25,000 lumen output. For this report, we're taking the Ultra-Brite on a test drive.
I'm looking at a fixture that is not physically larger than its predecessor, the 2000 model, but it packs about 50 percent more lumens into its output. It also adds 20 percent more muscle, weighing in at 106 pounds. This really isn't a big deal as HES has placed handles on the base as well as additional handles on the yoke, making it easy to hang from a truss or move around on the deck. The exterior frame is more aesthetically smooth with fewer corners than the previous models in the Sola line. The sexy contours of the molded plastic covers make the fixture physically attractive before I've even turned it on. The steel and aluminum frame makes it solid.
The fixture is indeed large, but fits snugly into a piece of Tyler GT pre-rig truss, a must for many in the touring industry. Despite the weight, the fixture can be hung with a pair of clamps at any angle without losing torque on the pan motor. I test out the pan and, for a light this size, it has a little hustle in its movement, taking under three seconds to pan 540 degrees from a dead stop. I test out the circle function and, as with previous models from High End Systems, the fixture's pan and tilt torque brings a well-executed effect into motion with no delays in processing speed. Pan and tilt locks are in place.
* Colors That Bloom
The native color temperature...