LED technology has taken over the stage lighting industry. With ever improving intensity, dimming and efficiency, the market is flooded with new models appearing almost on a weekly basis. K9 Lights has introduced its new Bulldog2 model that promises not only to improve upon LED stage lighting technology, but also to lower the LED PAR price point.
The most utilitarian design that most manufacturers are producing is the LED PAR. K9 Lights, distributed in the US by Houston, Texas-based StageLight, Inc., has upgraded its previous LED PAR fixture with the newly announced RGBAW K9 Bulldog2. The Bulldog2 adds an Amber LED to its white, red, green, and blue LED's. This, in theory, allows you to create a very pure, intense white light along with the ability to mix beautiful pastel colors. This could be an important improvement for low-cost theatrical and worship LED lighting market. K9 will soon be sending us a unit to evaluate.
Here's what we know: LED PARS are quite useful for general washes. They include the ability to change colors, they can do color blending and offer consistent color fields which are critical. The Bulldog2 has eighteen composite lens cells with five, more powerful 8W LEDs behind each lens. This arrangement is designed to produce a very even color field with no color creep. It should also dramatically reduce the effect of multiple colored shadows, an unattractive bi-product of separate LED color cells.
The Bulldog2 currently has two choices of lenses, a narrow spot 25-degree and a wide flood 45-degree. The wider lens may be ideal for shorter throws of front light and back light systems. This field angle could also be used for washing flats and cycloramas with color. If you want a tight spot for a solo artist, the 25-degree would be the appropriate choice.
We're told the new Bulldog2 also has an internal variable speed strobe effect, a sound-activated sensor, smooth dimming, and is fan cooled. It comes with a double yoke, making floor mounting easy. There is a four button LED display in the rear of the instrument that allows you to set the fixture's parameters. In comes in a handsome black aluminum finish and weighs only seven pounds. The lamp life is rated at over 50,000 hours, and includes with a one-year warranty.
But what also makes this fixture really attractive is its price. With a street price below $500, it looks like K9 Light's competitors will have to step up their R&D. We are very excited about the Bulldog2, and are looking forward to getting our hands on a couple of these fixtures soon so we can offer you a full review in the coming months.
