2009 Sep 10 - Thu

Elation Lighting Design Spot 575E Quality, or Lack Thereof

A few months ago, I purchased a couple of Design Spot 575E Moving Lights from Elation Lighting. After a bunch of research into feature sets and prices, these seemed to have the best bang for the buck. I purchased them through Bill Cronheim at Entertainment Systems. Bill had said they were reliable and free of worries and worked well.

When I received them, they appeared to work well. After I used them for a few hours, and got used to their capabilities, I realized that the two lights didn't match each other. One Design Spot 575E was having more problems than the other Design Spot 575E.

The first problem I noticed was that the focus motor wouldn't focus. After obtaining a copy of the service manual (what a joke that is), and some poking around, I re-adjusted the focus sensor, which is basically a magnetic sensor on a small circuit board. The sensor board doesn't appear to be long enough. After looking at the parts list, they have a B version of it. So perhaps there is a problem with it.

When using the Elation Lighting Design Spot 575E lights together during a focus session, I noticed the colour saturation on one was not as good as the other Design Spot 575E. Wouldn't you know it, the problem Design Spot 575E was the same as the one that had the sensor board problem.

I let Elation Lighting know about the problem.

I let it go for the time being and continued on with the show preparation. During a lamp check prior to a rehearsal, I noticed that the lamp would only point up at the ceiling. The belt appeared fine but lose. It tried to tighten the belt. There was no more ability to take up slack. Upon further observation, I found that the belt was splitting. As it happens, the broken belt was on that same Elation Lighting Design Spot 575E. Can you say LEMON?

I had the two Elation Lighting Design Spot 575E moving lights shipped out here to Bermuda. Do you know the customs and shipping expeneses I went through?

I offered Elation Lighting some token fee to pay for the LEMON Elation Lighting Design Spot 575E, made a request for replacement belts, CMY module, magnetic sensor board, requested a replacment NEW unit, and said I would buy another one in addition, because I think that they have some value.

It has now been several weeks now, and very little productive response from Gines Gines (Service Manager) and Eric Loader (Sales Manager) at Elation Lighting. I have tried to be friendly and open with them, but they don't seem to want to offer up any solutions.

I guess if I don't buy ten's or hundred's of lights from them, it doesn't matter much that I'm not happy with their after sales service or support. They can always try and sell lights to someone else.

Don't get me wrong, I love the fixture, but if they can't support it, well, I am no longer a supporter of Elation Lighting and their Elation Lighting Design Spot 575E Moving Head Fixture. I think what I received was not a new unit, as I expected, and had ordered, but a B stock demo unit. If they would just own up to that fact and get me my new replacement fixture, I'd be happy as a clam in wet sand.