Quartet vs Prelude
Simon Waldman
Strand Quartet and Prelude lanterns?
--
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I
thought to myself, "Where the heck is the ceiling?!" - Dilbert
--------------------------------------------------------------
Simon Waldman, England email: swal...@bigfoot.com
http://www.bigfoot.com/~swaldman/
--------------------------------------------------------------
timweatherhead
>Out of curiosity, what difference is there (apart from price) between
>Strand Quartet and Prelude lanterns?
Quartet lanterns are 500w and Prelude 650w. Preludes have a more
proffesional appearence when in a group of other Strand lanterns ie Cantata,
Minim, Alto.
If I was given a choice it would be Prelude every time.
Simon Waldman
Hmm... just had a look in the Strand catalogue... it says Quartet takes
500 or 650W, prelude just 650 - but I know that most of the preludes
I've used have 500W lamps in! So it seems both can take either.
> Preludes have a more
> proffesional appearence when in a group of other Strand lanterns ie Cantata,
> Minim, Alto.
I'd certainly agree with that.
> If I was given a choice it would be Prelude every time.
I think the same applies here, with unlimited budget - but given the
difference in cost I have yet to find any functional difference! Having
worked with preludes for a year or so I came across my first Quartets
this week and can't find any difference apart from cosmetics and the
rather annoying focussing controls on the latter...
Oh well!
I'd be grateful if any further replies could be emailed to me as well as
posted, as I'll be away from three weeks from tomorrow and this thread
will probably have expired from my server when I get back.
Thanks,
-Simon.
--
"Civilization is doomed, children no longer obey their parents, crime is
rampant, the world is becoming polluted and everywhere people fight
unnecessary wars."
- From a 4000 year old Babylonian Tablet.
Gareth Hughes
from "timweatherhead" <timweat...@breathemail.net> contains
these words:
> Quartet lanterns are 500w and Prelude 650w.
Not quite right - Quartets and Preludes can both quite happily be
lamped to 500w (T18) or 650w (T26).
Anyway, the Quartet/Prelude dilemma is not quite so relevant these
days as it used to be, as I believe the profiles from both ranges, as
well as Cantatas and Optiques, have been discontinued in favour of
the new SL range. Which, incidentally, are rather tasty!
--
G A R E T H H U G H E S -- Theatre Electrician & Lighting Designer
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
email : g dot hughes at zetnet dot co dot uk (type it as you say it!)
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Simon Waldman
> Anyway, the Quartet/Prelude dilemma is not quite so relevant these
> days as it used to be, as I believe the profiles from both ranges, as
> well as Cantatas and Optiques, have been discontinued in favour of
> the new SL range. Which, incidentally, are rather tasty!
I sincerely hope not, I doubt that my student theatre could afford
SLs... and I have a dislike of CCT profiles, which are I suspect the
budget alternative.
--
Todays Computer Science lecture will be conducted entirely through
the medium of interpretive dance.
Jon Primrose
Patt.23.
Preludes take a larger holder and a "B" (?and "A") size gobo.
I can be more precise if required !
Jon
************************************************************
Jon Primrose
Exeter Uni Drama Department lightheart design
www.ex.ac.uk/drama www.lightheart.demon.co.uk
Ian Grey
>Quartets only take an "M" size gobo, in a holder the same size as for a
>Patt.23.
>Preludes take a larger holder and a "B" (?and "A") size gobo.
Therein lies another key difference, with a larger gate, optics have
to be better to fill it well.
Andy Broomsgove
Waldman) wrote:
> Out of curiosity, what difference is there (apart from price) between
> Strand Quartet and Prelude lanterns?
> --
>
> Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I
> thought to myself, "Where the heck is the ceiling?!" - Dilbert
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> Simon Waldman, England email: swal...@bigfoot.com
> http://www.bigfoot.com/~swaldman/
> --------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
Apart from the fact that the Prelude profile has now been discontinued,
you mean?
The Quartet was introduced as a cheap (supposedly) range aimed at the
School and Amateur market. It has a partly plastic body.
The Prelude was the smallest fully professional profile and is the
smallest fully professional F/PC.
Strand will regret their decision not to have a unit to replace the
Prelude profile with in price terms. The new SL's are quite a bit more
expensive.
Nobody much likes Quartets.
Andy
Andy Broomsgove
Waldman) wrote:
> > If I was given a choice it would be Prelude every time.
>
> I think the same applies here, with unlimited budget - but given the
> difference in cost I have yet to find any functional difference! Having
> worked with preludes for a year or so I came across my first Quartets
> this week and can't find any difference apart from cosmetics and the
> rather annoying focussing controls on the latter...
Ah well, you have to think about the long term as well as the short.
Just how long will that plastic body on the Quartet last?
Also I don't think you get as much light out of a Quartet as you do a
Prelude.
You get what you pays for!
Andy
Andy Broomsgove
Waldman) wrote:
> > Anyway, the Quartet/Prelude dilemma is not quite so relevant these
> > days as it used to be, as I believe the profiles from both ranges, as
> > well as Cantatas and Optiques, have been discontinued in favour of
> > the new SL range. Which, incidentally, are rather tasty!
>
> I sincerely hope not, I doubt that my student theatre could afford
> SLs... and I have a dislike of CCT profiles, which are I suspect the
> budget alternative.
I'm afraid 'tis true.
Andy
Colin Cuthbert
luminaires now that SL has been launched.
SL has replaced the entire Prelude range, Cantata profiles and Brio.
The Quartet range remains unchanged. About two years ago the Quartet Mk2 was
launched with improved light output, superior optics and with new focus
knobs to replace the 'rather annoying focussing controls' which Simon
mentioned.
It's a little unfair to say that 'nobody much likes' the Quartet. We sell
hundreds of them every month and I believe it is the best selling theatre
luminaire in the UK.
Incidentally, we've sold more than 10,000 SLs since they were launched a
little over three months ago.
Colin Cuthbert
Strand Lighting
cut...@strandukk.com
Remove the second k.
Andy Broomsgove <abro...@cix.compulink.co.uk> wrote in message
news:memo.19990712...@abroomsg.compulink.co.uk...
> In article <37886601...@bigfoot.com>, swal...@bigfoot.com (Simon
Andrew Coulton
> >Out of curiosity, what difference is there (apart from price) between
> >Strand Quartet and Prelude lanterns?
>
> Quartet lanterns are 500w and Prelude 650w.
My Strand Catalogue has them both as 650. As do all the units (of both types)
that my old school owns.
> Preludes have a more
> proffesional appearence when in a group of other Strand lanterns ie Cantata,
> Minim, Alto.
>
> If I was given a choice it would be Prelude every time.
Prelude have a slightly higher spec - eg the optics are a bit better, the
stirrup can be put at 2 heights (I've never needed to do this, but I'm sure it
must be useful sometimes). Also, the power cord is detachable which means that
damaged cord is actually replacable without sending the unit for service. I've
also heard bad things about cable degeneration on the Quartets due to the way
the cable exit works - apparently after a couple of years, the cable can start
to wear/short between cores etc.
The catalogue also lists 'elctrical isolation during bulb access' as a feature
for the prelude, presumably meaning that it isn't available for the Quartet. I
think I'm right in thinking that Quartet's are supposedly only allowed for
'professional use only' if this is true?
The Prelude is basically a Quartet with frills.It's certainly better suited to
heavy and regular use. I'm pretty sure that the case is a lot more robust
(though note that the safety bond point on a Quartet is part of the case, on the
Prelude it's on a separate piece of metal in the side runners of the lantern).
If you can afford prelude, go for it. Then again, I understood they were both
being discontinued for the SL - or has someone been telling me porkies?
Andrew
Andy Broomsgove
cut...@strandukk.com (Colin Cuthbert) wrote:
> SL has replaced the entire Prelude range, Cantata profiles and Brio.
> The Quartet range remains unchanged. About two years ago the Quartet
> Mk2 was
> launched with improved light output, superior optics and with new focus
> knobs to replace the 'rather annoying focussing controls' which Simon
> mentioned.
>
> It's a little unfair to say that 'nobody much likes' the Quartet. We
> sell
> hundreds of them every month and I believe it is the best selling
> theatre
> luminaire in the UK.
Yeah, but where are they going? I've not seen one in a professional
context.
So I assume they are going out to schools and the like and I'm not sure
that counts exactly.
You're going to have to do quite a lot to persuade Prelude users to
convert to them I suggest, even if the changes you have made are as good
as you claim.
I'd say your range is crying out for an equivalent to the Source 4 junior.
The trouble is, the SL is really a replacement for the Cantata.
>
> Incidentally, we've sold more than 10,000 SLs since they were launched a
> little over three months ago.
The SL is a good unit. Had you brought it out several years ago I doubt
ETC would have managed the market penetration it now has.
I'd somehow guess 10,000 units in the global marketplace isn't quite as
impressive as it sounds.
As it is, we shall have to see whether the industry jumps back to Strand
or whether the ETC bandwaggon continues to roll.
Andy
Frank Wood
them changing the lampholder is a real pain!
Andy Broomsgove wrote in message ...
Selecon
I seem to remember that the Prelude had better optics (bigger (or better)
lenses???) than the Quartet, but this is going back a while, so my memory
grows ever dim...
Also, just a quick note on the mains isolation talked about in the
Prelude... It works by not being able to open the door while the removable
cord (kettle plug) is plugged in. This means that you have to unplug the
cord to open the unit = mains power isolation.
Hope the info is of help...
Best regards
Olaf
Andrew Coulton wrote in message <3788CF11...@proscenia.clara.net>...
Damien
strand lantern can. as for the S L it is only a copy of a lantern made by
another company, that is strand all over.
Simon Waldman <swal...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
news:3788D558...@bigfoot.com...
>
> > Anyway, the Quartet/Prelude dilemma is not quite so relevant these
> > days as it used to be, as I believe the profiles from both ranges, as
> > well as Cantatas and Optiques, have been discontinued in favour of
> > the new SL range. Which, incidentally, are rather tasty!
>
> I sincerely hope not, I doubt that my student theatre could afford
> SLs... and I have a dislike of CCT profiles, which are I suspect the
> budget alternative.
>
>
> Todays Computer Science lecture will be conducted entirely through
> the medium of interpretive dance.
Gareth Hughes
from "Damien" <@lineone.net> contains these words:
> at teast CCT give you a good light out put and a better service than any
> strand lantern can.
So are you saying that the Freedom is a better lantern than the SL?!