ETC's product manager for the Source Four LED, Matthew Armendariz-Kerr, explains, "We knew that if we were going to build a profile fixture powered by LEDs, it had to be worthy of the Source Four name. When you think Source Four, you think beauty of light, efficiency and industry standard appearance.
"We had to achieve all three. Our engineers and designers went to work on it and delivered - in a big way. They were able to package our exclusive Selador LED x7 Color System in a bright fixture that is shaped and sized like a Source Four and offers the quality and functionality designers expect."
The Source Four LED produces a sharp, clean beam of focusable light or a smooth wash, to give extra versatility to almost all lighting projects, says the company. The luminaire will initially be available in three varieties: Lustr+, Daylight and Tungsten.
Just like ETC's Desire Lustr+ luminaire, the Source Four LED Lustr+ offers a complete palette of colours, thanks to the Selador x7 Color System. Meanwhile, Source Four LED Tungsten and Daylight produce maximum brightness at the respective warm (3000K) and cool white (5600K) colour temperatures. Each offers the same projection quality beam.
The Source Four LED is suitable for venues where energy efficiency is highly important, or where seamless and silent colour changing may be required. And it is specifically designed to work well alongside traditional types of lighting.
Armendariz-Kerr continues, "There has to be a benefit when adding new technology to a lighting rig. With LEDs, there has always been implied energy efficiency. Unfortunately, this has not always been true with all LED fixtures, especially some of the current LED profiles on the market. But efficacy has always been an ETC imperative. So, with the Source Four LED, we demanded that the amount of light we produce for the power used be exceptional. With this new line of fixtures we are achieving between 30 and 40 lumens per watt, depending on the model. These are compelling numbers, best in class compared to other offerings.
"We've spent a lot of development effort making sure the product is right and that it delivers the best possible quality. We understand that richness of colour is vital to a performance; and beyond that, we have an aesthetically wonderful product. It looks, feels, and focuses like a Source Four, with the added benefits of an intelligent fixture."
ETC has already done a number of large scale tests with a number of beta sites. Armendariz-Kerr says, "Lighting designers are really happy with it. They have confirmed that we've created a useful and exciting product that people can integrate into their rigs and existing design approaches, while opening up a range of new possibilities."
(Jim Evans)
