Moving Head Engineering Spec: Beam vs Wash vs Spot — A BOM Guide for Rental & Theatre
When a show goes up, you need fixtures that busk fast, tour hard, and look great on camera. This field guide explains how to choose professional moving head lights for rental houses and theatres—what Beam, Wash, and Spot/Profile each do best, how to mix them for clean, repeatable looks, and which specs change outcomes. We’ll cover photometrics, color engines, dimming curves, noise, and network control for dmx moving head lights. You’ll also get copy-paste BOMs, spare ratios, and tips for bulk pricing, customization, and OEM/ODM when working with a manufacturer / factory. If you’ve ever debated a brighter led moving head light versus a quieter one, this checklist helps you spec with confidence.
What each head does (and where it shines)
Beam = tight aerial punch; Spot/Profile = texture & framing; Wash = even base for camera. Mix all three for depth.
Beam — aerial punctuation and long throws
Use: narrow, high-contrast shafts through haze; festival punctuation, EDM hits, halftime stabs.
Why: small apertures + narrow optics keep intensity over distance; prisms/gobos multiply geometry in air.
Caveats: needs haze; harsh as front light; check fan noise near mics.
Spot/Profile — texture, framing, storytelling
Use: crisp gobos, logos, shutters for lecterns/cyc edges; animated textures for theatre/corporate.
Why: rotating gobos, animation, iris, and framing shutters = surgical control.
Caveats: heavier and pricier; framing saves focus time and cleans stage pictures.
Wash — the foundation your camera loves
Use: even skin-tone base, color ambience, soft transitions; daily driver for drama, TV, musicals.
Why: fresnel/PC optics or multi-cell arrays deliver smooth fields and pastels.
Caveats: prioritize high CRI/TLCI and low-end dimming that doesn’t step on close-ups.
| Type | Best at | Optics/Features | Typical Zoom | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beam | Aerial effects, long throws | Narrow optics, prisms, fast pan/tilt | 1–5° | Requires haze; huge punch per watt |
| Spot/Profile | Gobos, logo, shutters, texture | Rotating gobos, animation, iris, framing | 10–35° | Clean edges; theatre & corporate staple |
| Wash | Base light, pastels, camera | Fresnel/PC lensing, multi-cell, CTO | 8–50° | Quiet modes; high CRI/TLCI for broadcast |
Pros (Beam)
- High impact with few fixtures
- Reads at long distances
- Prisms create big looks fast
Cons (Beam)
- Needs haze policy approval
- Harsh as key/front
- Noise risk near mics
Specs that actually matter on site
Photometrics: real lux at distance beats wattage; judge field uniformity and edge quality; test mid-zoom for hotspots.
Color engine & white: RGBW/RGBA for saturates/pastels; CMY for continuous sweeps; for camera aim CRI/TLCI ≥ 90 and controllable CCT.
Dimming/strobe: 16-bit fades with clean low end; flicker-free modes that match your camera shutter.
Optics (Spot/Profile): dual gobo wheels, animation, iris, framing shutters save time and maximize looks.
Acoustics & cooling: check fan curves and SPL @1 m; theatre needs quiet modes that hold color/brightness.
Build & service: tool-less covers, clean airflow, field-swappable PSU/fans/UI boards—ask techs how long lens cleaning takes.
Control & networking for dmx moving head lights
Channel modes: standardize across the same family of moving head stage lights to avoid cue bloat; unify palettes and color libraries.
RDM / Art-Net / sACN: use RDM for addressing/health checks; transport over Art-Net or sACN (E1.31) with VLANs + IGMP Snooping on managed switches.
Showfile hygiene: ship base palettes (focus/color/beam), gobo indexes, shutter cuts; new ops should be productive in 10 minutes.
Rental-friendly engineering choices
Weight & rigging: centered clamps, predictable CoG, solid handles = faster trims and happier crews.
Flight cases: 2-in/4-in, stackable, correct foam, desiccants; QR codes tied to the patch sheet.
Spares: plan a 1:20 hot-spare ratio; carry fans, PSUs, UI boards, and a rescue splitter; keep one pre-addressed spare per truss.
Budget tiers & BOM templates
Small theatre (frontlight + texture): Wash 8–12 (high-CRI), Spot/Profile 4–8 (rotating gobo, iris; shutters if budget), Beam optional 4; unify modes and pre-address by zone. → Browse professional moving head lights
Medium rental package (tour-ready): Wash 12–20; Spot/Profile 12–20 (framing at FOH); Beam 8–16 (haze required); add distributed nodes, managed switch, UPS at FOH. → See moving head stage lights
Camera-heavy corporate: high-CRI Wash with CCT control; quiet Profiles with shutters; minimal Beam if haze is restricted; lock flicker-free mode and test dimming vs shutter.
Outdoor festival / civic: IP-rated Beam/Spot mix; rain covers; surge protection; higher spare ratio; weatherized connectors and strain relief.
Procurement (bulk / customization / OEM-ODM)
Bulk & price ladders: request breaks at 10/25/50/100; confirm MOQ, lead time, production slots, and freight windows.
Customization / OEM/ODM: logo silkscreen, UI language packs, preloaded showfiles, case kits, firmware whitelists, pre-addressed universes—good manufacturers / 工厂 / 生产商 provide checklists and EOL reports.
Documentation & SLA: serial lists, matched firmware, written SLA (response, loaners, parts shipping), plus training/remote onboarding.
Commissioning & handover (lower TCO)
Acceptance tests: spot-check lux at throw, photograph fields, record 10–0% fades, measure fan noise @1 m.
Docs: patch sheets, universe maps, case labels, maintenance cadence (lens/fans).
Operator-ready: color/beam presets by scene, “rescue” cues, quick ref of fixture modes.
Common pitfalls (you can avoid)
- “Spec-sheet bright, stage dull”: poor field uniformity or unusable mid-zoom—test at your distances.
- Looks don’t match: mixed color engines and gobo libraries—standardize palettes and lock a mode policy.
- Too loud for theatre: fan curves surprise you—always test “theatre mode” in a quiet hall.
- Network gremlins: sACN multicast without IGMP = floods; segment with VLANs and label ports.
Buyer-oriented FAQ
Q: For a 400–600-seat theatre, how many heads to start with?
A: A balanced starter rig: 8–12 Wash for base, 6–10 Spot/Profile for texture and shutters, 4–6 Beam for specials. Keep modes unified across your moving head stage lights.
A: A balanced starter rig: 8–12 Wash for base, 6–10 Spot/Profile for texture and shutters, 4–6 Beam for specials. Keep modes unified across your moving head stage lights.
Q: When should I pay extra for framing shutters?
A: Corporate/theatre with lecterns, cyc edges, and logo gobos. Framing saves focus time and cleans stage pictures.
A: Corporate/theatre with lecterns, cyc edges, and logo gobos. Framing saves focus time and cleans stage pictures.
Q: Are Beam fixtures a must?
A: If haze is allowed and you want aerial punctuation—yes. If haze is restricted, prioritize Profile and high-CRI led moving head light Wash fixtures.
A: If haze is allowed and you want aerial punctuation—yes. If haze is restricted, prioritize Profile and high-CRI led moving head light Wash fixtures.
Q: Do you support bulk / customization / OEM/ODM?
A: Yes—logo/UI localization, preset showfiles, case kits, firmware whitelists, and factory EOL reports. Bulk price ladders and scheduled batches available.
A: Yes—logo/UI localization, preset showfiles, case kits, firmware whitelists, and factory EOL reports. Bulk price ladders and scheduled batches available.
Q: How do I keep looks consistent across brands?
A: Standardize color libraries/macros, match dimming curves, and enforce a mode policy across all dmx moving head lights in the spec.
A: Standardize color libraries/macros, match dimming curves, and enforce a mode policy across all dmx moving head lights in the spec.
Request a rental-ready package
Ready to spec professional moving head lights for rental & theatre?
Send plan/elevations and throw distances—we’ll return a balanced Beam/Wash/Profile mix, patch, and spare kit you can rent daily without babysitting.
Professional Moving Head Lights LED moving head light range
Bulk / Custom / OEM-ODM quotes & factory docs: WhatsApp +86 13521391704 · Email sales@starshinelights.com