At some point in the next year, I want to add a couple more lights to my system. As I currently have 4x Abstract Gladiator Revolutions, and an Abstract controller, it makes sense to stick with Abstract for compatibility. I have been thinking of either some Colour Floods (for fill) or Twisters, plus the new Extreme series look interesting (although an Abstract rep told me the Extreme series might not be completely compatible with previous Abstract products).

I like to try before I buy, and with two big gigs this past weekend, it was an opportunity to hire something to try.

Abstract have just introduced an improved version of the Twister 4, the HP (high power?) suffix, and my local dealer had just added a couple of these to their hire stock. So after negotiating a better rate for two days in a row, I was the first to hire these out.

Friday was a school leavers ball for two hundred 16 year olds at Sandown Race Course. (For these sort of events the more lights and sound the better.)

I set up a Twister 4 HP on the floor under each t-bar carrying two Gladiators on each side and connected up the DMX leads. Immediately whilst testing the lights, I was surprised at the brightness of the beams. The venue has windows the full length of two opposite walls, and at 6.30pm with the curtains wide open the beams were clearly visible with just a small amount of smoke fanned in to the air.

After their meal and awards, it was disco time. Due to the age group, they decided to only dim the main lights slightly. But the Twisters were very clear, and much brighter than my existing Gladiators. In fact whilst they were on, their effect was so powerful that it drew the eye away from the Gladiators completely. However, due to their position on the floor, once the dance floor was packed, only the front couple of rows of dancers could see them.

Both the Twisters & Gladiators have a single gobo/colour wheel (ie fixed gobo for each colour). Gobo shapes on The Twister differed from the Gladiators, but most of the gobo colours matched - with a couple of exceptions: The most notable being a rather cool UV blue colour from the Twister 4 HP’s that was stunning.

At one point I pulled the DMX cable out of the controller to check compatibility with the stand alone (master/slave) mode. My Gladiators continued to run in sync, but the Twisters went in to black out. Plugging the controller back in brought them back on. On pack up I checked the dip switches were correct (they were) how ever a Gladiator was first in the chain, so acting as the master.

The next night was a wedding in a marquee in the grounds of a large house. This time I made a point of putting a Twister first in the DMX chain, and mounting them on the T bars with the Gladiators (so as not to be lost once dancing started). I also switched the Twister 4 HP’s in to lamp-save mode (which dims the 250W projector lamp slightly to increase life) to try to even out the brightness difference experienced the night before.

On powering up the systems to test, all the power to the marquee went out!

It turned out the all the lights in the marquee (4 large chandeliers and around 16x 100W up-lighters), and both of the two 13 Amp sockets provided for the disco, were all wired back to a single 13A socket in the house!

Its not the first time I’ve seen this in a marquee, and is the reason my booking form states "two separate 13A sockets to be available for the disco (these must not be connected back to a single 13A socket)". Why do people spend big ££'s on a marquee, then not even provide enough power! Of course they blamed me for blowing the power! Luckily I carry a long extension lead, and after replacing their fuse, I ran my own power lead, finishing just before the guests arrived.

Due to running from one socket, I took down two of my Gladiators and all my pinspots. Without doing this my load would have been 6x 250W lights + 20x 30W pinspots = 2100W (=9A) + Sound system (console + 2x 1400W Power Amps). So I was ready to run with a basic light show of 2x Twister 4 HP’s and 2x Gladiators.

During the first dance I decided to use just the Twisters slow rotating on UV blue – Looked very effective. (Normally slow rotate the Gladiators on pink.) Again once the dancing started, the Twisters still dominated the light show – even though in lamp-save mode.

This time when I unplugged the controller DMX lead all four lights continued to run stand-alone in master/slave synchronised. It appears that the Twister can be a master to the Gladiators, but can not work as a slave when a Gladiator is a master. (I wonder if this would be the same compatibility issue that the New extreme series would have - if so, I could live with that.)

The Twister 4 is meant to have an improved “supersound” stand alone light show compared with the Gladiators, but it was hard to see how it was better – but then it is hard to tell from behind the console. The Twister’s built-in light show didn’t seem to contain as much (or any) strobing as the Gladiators built-in light show.

Overall, I’m very impressed with the Twister 4 HP. If I was asked to provide a small light show with minimum lighting, I would be happy just to use the two of these and nothing else. However due to the improved brightness, they don’t fit well in to my existing light show. If I brought these, I would need upgrade the rest of my lights to match – which isn’t out of the question.

Great review, I currently run 2 gladiators with 2 twisters and it provides a great show. I supplement this with a few other lights.

Thanks again for the review.

Vinnie

PS good idea to hire new kit before parting with the old hard earned cash - Top Tip

So are Abstract Twister HP's much different from the normal Twister 4's?

And if so.. what are the differences and what is the price difference anyone?

Either RRP's or do you know Chris?

According to the info from Abstract, the new Twister 4's are 20% brighter - what this equates to in actual lighting power I don't know.

The new ones are also a different shape, I suppose so you can get more on a lighting bar.

From looking on the net, the retail seems to be about £210 each, but I'm sure Chris might have a deal..........!

The new abstract twister 4hp I find is alot clearer. For example the gobos projected that are around the edge of the moonflower are clear and in previous models they have been a blur. Found that when in stand alone mode they strobed quite a lot. But wouldnt have that problem if using a controller.

it looks as if we have little option to change over, abstract look as if they have stopped making gladiators futurescans and twister 4s to focus on the extreme series which have the seperate colour and gobo wheels

i run...
two 250w futurescans
two 250w gladiators
in most mid-sized venues with a strobe and another sound to light effect for the warm up period!

like the look of the twister 4hp but not sure i want my disco to be a mixture of gobos and colours when at the moment they all match and are symetrical

when i upgrade im going for the new mad lighting heads (made by abstract) they have all the features of the abstract gear with 150msi lamps, allthough in anything less than 200 people there gonna be way too bright

tom

alot brighter?! that sound great, i borrowed some old twister 4's for nye, and these really stood out than my lights,

But the problem i would have with these lights, is getting them in really good set up, and have to move them because it is shining in people's eyes, o how i hate old moning people.

Dave

if you keep all the twisters on the same DMX address and then switch 10 on then the twister 4hp will do a show to compliment any twisters with switch 10 off......

looks loads better when running 2 or 4 of them all linked

same thing works with other lights in the abstract range..

Have added some photos on the below links of some photos I took of my Twister 4hp's on New Years Eve before people came. They look pretty impressive even if i say so myself! so have a look.
I've only had the units a month now and am very impressed with them.

TWISTER 4 EFFECT

LARGE OVERALL DISCO EFFECT (from New Years Eve)

TWISTER 4HP's on Lighting Stand

SPEAKERS AND LIGHTING STAND WITH TWISTER 4HP's

Hope they help with your decision making!

Nathan

they look great, i haven't seen any pics of them twisters, and they look amazing, very impressed!!

Dave

Pics look good...it may eventually persuade me to upgrade from my 'backup' Twister 3's!!!

Steve

thanks, they are the best piccies I've taken. Got a new Digital Camera for Xmas so can take better picccies ! Has taken me 4 years to get the setup looking like that and alot of money and time! lol

Pictures never show lighting to its full effect

anyone who wants this type of effect should get the Twister 4HP its the best one out there by far.....

Rob,
What lights did you decide to go with in the end?

Has anyone else had any dealings with these lights and have any views on them ?

Has anyone else had any dealings with these lights. I have found that the outer gobos are quite blurry. Is this normal ?

Outer gobo's are as sharp as any on mine

I use the twister 4hps with the XP2s. I have always liked my HPs the brightness on them is excellent. Eventually i would like the XP5s. But im happy with the twister 4hps. At the moment i just link the twisters with a dmx cable. I like the twister 4hp better than the EVL Spin. I dont have the spins though only the hps

But however someone mentioned they do work on a djc1. Something to do with swapping the pins on the dmx cable Some features work apart from the blackout so i have been told.

The 2 pictures at the bottom of this page are the new twister 4 HP's, they are so much better than the old twisters, they are brighter and more responsive but the downside is that they are slightly bigger.

Fantastic moons the 4HPs!!!!!!

I'm especially interested to read this. However not running a mobile disco myself, my line of business is lighting hire to bands/disco's for larger venues and also installs for pubs and small winebars/venues.

I have been discounting abstract as a condender for years as had a bad experience with 4x futurescans. Currently I am only hiring out pulsar manufactured par cans and various Martin products, mainly roboscan 812's and 518's & robocolour II's.

What kind of economy are you seeing from these units? Are abstract offering discharge lamps now in their fixtures as thats the main falling point for me. When fixtures are mounted 10ft off the ground you cannot afford to be replacing halogen lamps frequently.

Any else on here do installs or any recommendations. I am looking to renew some kit and as others have read on my other posts. Im not impressed by the martin MX series of scanners and therefore need a new solution (as the county is running out of 812's I can refurb!!).

The 200watt bulbs they take have lasted me for months. I have had the same bulbs in my Abstract XP5 Moonflower lights, and they are used most weekends for hours at a time. Which i suppose would be about the same as an entertainment venue with a fixed install. Moving the lights about also tends to shorten the lamp life i have found. But as per being fixed, dont think it would be a problem. The access panels are easy to get to on all Abstract products.
I have always got Martin equipment, but wanted some DMX twisters and the martin equivalent DMX Ego's would have cost double what i paid for the pair.




Nathan