CHAUVET DJ’s original Rotosphere LED was released back in 2011 as a modern alternative to the classic mirrorball effect. Since then, this fixture – and others like it – have proved popular with many DJs either standing on plinths or hanging from a goalpost rig as a centerpiece. Now CHAUVET DJ has revamped the concept with more powerful LEDs and a multi-zone feature that allows for the creation of impressive new effects; introducing the Rotosphere Q3.

In terms of size and shape, the new Rotosphere Q3 is very similar to its predecessor, however underneath its metallic sphere is where the changes have been made. In place of the five 3W tri-colour LEDs of the original, the new model boasts five 7W quad-colour (red, green, blue, and white) LEDs. This makes for brighter output as well as the option for true white beams to re-create the classic mirrorball look.

The LEDs have also been divided into three independently controllable ‘zones’. This means that different sections of the unit’s myriad of lens can be set to different colours, which opens up a huge amount of creative potential. It’s not only possible to create colour changing patterns, but also chasing patterns where colours move around the different sections of the Rotosphere Q3’s lens-covered surface.

Astute readers may have done the same mental maths that I did and worked out that five LEDs don’t divide into three equally. In actual fact, two of the zones have two LEDs, while the remaining zone only has the one. Initially I thought that this would give the fixture an uneven look, but I wasn’t thinking ‘in the round’. Inside the sphere the LEDs are each mounted to one of the five sides of a cube fixed to the base of the unit. The LED on the top of the cube is its own zone, while the others are grouped into pairs at opposite sides of the cube. This means that the single LED shines out of the lenses on the top of the fixture, while the pairs of LEDs project their light from opposite sides. The result of this arrangement is that whichever side you look at the ball, you will see lenses that are outputting light from each of the three zones.

This setup is hard to explain, but a helpful analogy is to imagine three different coloured pin-spots shinning on a mirror-ball, each from a different direction. The result would be a mixture of differently-coloured beams, shinning from different areas of the ball’s surface, with some overlap when two of the pin-spot beams both hit the same mirror facets.

In addition to full RGBW colour mixing across three independent zones, the Rotosphere Q3 offers variable speed rotation, in either direction, ranging from a slow 2RPM up to a brisk 19RPM. It also features a variable speed strobe function, from 0 to 20Hz, which can be applied independently to each of its three zones, making this an incredibly flexible lighting tool offering plenty of scope for creative lighting design.

Measuring 266 x 319 x 419mm, this is – by its very nature – a fairly bulky unit. However, thanks to its two integrated handles, it is easy to carry and rig. Although it is actually a little heavier that the original Rotosphere LED, I was surprised at how light the new model is when I first picked it up. Weighing in at 3.9kg, it would be easy to lift and carry even if stored in a heavy-duty flight-case.

The fixture is fitted with four rubber feet – to allow it to stand securely on a table or truss plinth – and is also supplied with a detachable bracket. It is equipped with both input and output IEC sockets – to allow daisy-chaining of the mains power supply for multiple fixtures – and is also fitted with a heavy-duty safety loop – for the attachment of a wire or chain if the unit is mounted in the air.