R90 Lighting, one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest and most prominent lighting rental houses, recently received a delivery of Paragon LED profile fixtures just in time to deploy them on a private event with Gwen Stefani—one of the first major U.S. shows to utilize Elation’s new flagship lighting fixture.
“We didn’t have a single hiccup involving these lovely new lights,” said Joe Cole, Owner of R90 Lighting, after the event. “Everything was great right out of the box, and the spares stayed in their cases. New products usually have some wrinkles to iron out, but these fixtures were dialed in from the start. We look forward to seeing these in action over the coming months on many shows.”
The decision to expand R90’s inventory with 48 Paragon M fixtures is part of the company’s commitment to offering the latest high-performance LED lighting technology. The fixture will replace the long-standing ARTISTE PICASSO, which has served as R90’s go-to profile fixture for years.
Testing and Decision Process
R90’s team tested the Paragon firsthand in early January, after previewing it at LDI in December. Cole and his team carefully evaluated both the M and S models, comparing them to other fixtures in the market. “We eventually chose the Paragon M. It is 37,000 lumens, which is a huge jump from the PICASSO, it’s roughly the same weight, and now we get an IP rating.”
Cole says they invited lighting designers in to try out the fixtures and they were particularly impressed with its gobo set, variable CRI engine, and fast shutter assembly. Cole added, “The color mix is a huge improvement, and it’s fast in all aspects. It’s a full-featured profile that checks all the marks of a good, solid workhorse.”
Benefits for Outdoor Events
For Cole, the fixture’s IP54 rating was decisive. “Because we are Seattle-based, people always assume we want IP65 fixtures, but there are limits on weight for mobile stages so IP65 isn’t always an option. It’s nice to have something that is IP-rated and doesn’t compromise our weight loads on smaller stages.”
Versatile Fixture with Interchangeable Lens System
One of the standout features of the Paragon M is its interchangeable lens system, which allows the fixture to be easily transformed from a profile light into a Fresnel or beam light by swapping lenses. “We can exchange the profile lens with a Fresnel lens or a PC beam lens and essentially turn it into a wash beam light or a Fresnel,” he said, pleased that separate fixture investments were unnecessary. “It’s a great all-in-one fixture. Now, when we need a different fixture type, all we have to do is swap lenses.”
R90 Lighting: A Leader in LED Innovation
Founded 13 years ago, R90 Lighting specializes in cutting-edge LED technology and serves various markets, from concerts and festivals to corporate events and architectural lighting. Paragon joins several Elation lighting series in the R90 inventory, including Proteus, Artiste, KL, Paladin and Fuze.
R90 is one of several rental companies in the U.S. that have invested in Elation’s Paragon series. The company plans to deploy the new fixtures in a variety of upcoming projects, including an Easter show. As the company continues to expand its inventory with state-of-the-art LED lighting technology, it remains at the forefront of delivering innovative lighting solutions for events and productions across the Pacific Northwest.
Further information about R90 Lighting: www.r90lighting.com
Further information about Elation: www.elationlighting.com
