You are on the Desktop website, Click here to go back to our mobile website
REVIEWED
REVIEWED: Equinox Helix XP 150w Gobo Flower
Way back in issue 99 I reviewed the original Equinox Helix 100W Gobo Flower. And I rather liked it. I ended the review with the words, “it’s fantastic and worth every single penny.” Fast forward 15 issues and here I am reviewing Prolight’s new Equinox Helix XP 150W. Let’s explore what this new arrival has to offer…
When companies release new products in a series or updates to previous models, we usually expect the newer versions to be better. In the case of DJ gear, we’re looking for brighter, louder, maybe even more outrageous than the original. Products need to be
loaded with new stuff, making them so irresistible that the money is pulled out of our hands by some magical force powered solely by our own craving to own the latest kit.
The original Equinox Helix 100W Gobo Flower was great and, even though the Cheetah before it was no slouch, it sold in bucketloads (thanks to my review, obviously). In my original review, I said: “I would love to see a V2 of the Helix with a higher-power LED and maybe interchangeable, rotating GOBOs. That, for me, would make it the ultimate moonflower.”
Ta-da! And as if by magic, three years later we have the Equinox Helix XP.
With a similar size/shape and a detachable top/bottom bracket, at first glance the Helix XP appears the same as its predecessor. The unit weighs less than 5kg and is also available in white. But look inside and that’s where the magic begins.
Prolight has replaced the 100W cool-white LED with a 150W version, while the 42-degree beam angle means you get a slightly wider projection. The more powerful LED provides increased brightness and whilst you may not notice it in small rooms, the projections at the back of the room are much brighter.
The Helix XP also blesses us with PowerCON in/out and eight replaceable rotating GOBOs. Equinox has really done its research regarding the GOBOS – I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d spoken to a bunch of mobile DJs to gauge exactly what they need from them. There’s no sign of the clapping hand, or the radiation symbol (thankfully), but as the GOBOs are
replaceable anyway, who cares? Don’t like them? Swap them out for ones you do.
Changing the GOBOs is simple. You take off the small hatch, unclip the GOBO from the wheel, remove the retaining clip, put a new one in, and re-attach it to the wheel – job done. It can be a bit finnicky at first, but once you’ve done one the rest will be easy.
As well as the eight GOBOs already inside the unit, Prolight provides a pack of 11 extras including a snowflake, heart, pumpkin and star.
There are plenty of GOBO specialists online who can provide custom options, but as a mobile DJ I found that the included GOBOs are perfect.
Regarding the colours, they all look amazing thanks to the 150W LED source. I’ve always found that red looks a bit naff on LED-powered fixtures, but on the Helix XP it really does stand out. In fact, so do the purple and 3200K white options – the latter is highly effective for projecting warm-white GOBOs around the room. The unit’s motors also allow you to slow down the dish rotation and GOBO rotation to practically nothing, so achieving a very slow rotation for the first dance is no problem.
You have plenty of options for control. There’s a CA-8 remote control input on the rear – and I think everyone has one of those somewhere! This allows you to choose from any of the built-in shows, adjust the motor speed, and so on. Alternatively, you have some basic control via the menu on the back of the fixture. There are six different show modes to tap into and refine to your needs, even as far as selecting a specific GOBO and colour.
But to be honest, for full control and maximum creativity you’ll want to use DMX. I own a Wolfmix W1 lighting controller and once I’d created a profile for the light, I had full access to all its features. This allowed me to create some interesting shows for different parts of the evening.
There’s plenty to like about the Equinox Helix XP and it’s hard to think of many ways Prolight could improve it, other than maybe a higher-power LED source. Although I do feel 150W is more than enough for most gigs you’ll be faced with.
When I heard about the Helix XP some months ago, I was really hoping that wireless DMX would be built in. It’s already included in the low-cost Equinox Colour Raider battery uplights, so would’ve been a nice little addition, especially for DJs who already own the Colour Raiders and bought the necessary hardware to control them. I get that there are already options out there for controlling them wirelessly, but it would’ve been a welcome upgrade and another tick in the box.
One final simple addition that would’ve made sense (and I’m sure wouldn’t add any production cost) is the inclusion of lock washers on the bracket. The little plastic ones you get aren’t great at keeping the unit at an angle on your lighting bar. OK, so you can pick up
these washers up from your local DIY shop for next to nothing, but to have them included would be brilliant!
To summarise, the Equinox Helix XP is a fantastic light that offers significant improvements on previous Equinox models. So, where will Prolight go from here? I guess time will tell. But for now, the Helix XP more than does the job and I’ve no doubt it will sell like hot cakes.
When companies release new products in a series or updates to previous models, we usually expect the newer versions to be better. In the case of DJ gear, we’re looking for brighter, louder, maybe even more outrageous than the original. Products need to be
loaded with new stuff, making them so irresistible that the money is pulled out of our hands by some magical force powered solely by our own craving to own the latest kit.
The original Equinox Helix 100W Gobo Flower was great and, even though the Cheetah before it was no slouch, it sold in bucketloads (thanks to my review, obviously). In my original review, I said: “I would love to see a V2 of the Helix with a higher-power LED and maybe interchangeable, rotating GOBOs. That, for me, would make it the ultimate moonflower.”
Ta-da! And as if by magic, three years later we have the Equinox Helix XP.
With a similar size/shape and a detachable top/bottom bracket, at first glance the Helix XP appears the same as its predecessor. The unit weighs less than 5kg and is also available in white. But look inside and that’s where the magic begins.
Prolight has replaced the 100W cool-white LED with a 150W version, while the 42-degree beam angle means you get a slightly wider projection. The more powerful LED provides increased brightness and whilst you may not notice it in small rooms, the projections at the back of the room are much brighter.
The Helix XP also blesses us with PowerCON in/out and eight replaceable rotating GOBOs. Equinox has really done its research regarding the GOBOS – I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d spoken to a bunch of mobile DJs to gauge exactly what they need from them. There’s no sign of the clapping hand, or the radiation symbol (thankfully), but as the GOBOs are
replaceable anyway, who cares? Don’t like them? Swap them out for ones you do.
Changing the GOBOs is simple. You take off the small hatch, unclip the GOBO from the wheel, remove the retaining clip, put a new one in, and re-attach it to the wheel – job done. It can be a bit finnicky at first, but once you’ve done one the rest will be easy.
As well as the eight GOBOs already inside the unit, Prolight provides a pack of 11 extras including a snowflake, heart, pumpkin and star.
There are plenty of GOBO specialists online who can provide custom options, but as a mobile DJ I found that the included GOBOs are perfect.
Regarding the colours, they all look amazing thanks to the 150W LED source. I’ve always found that red looks a bit naff on LED-powered fixtures, but on the Helix XP it really does stand out. In fact, so do the purple and 3200K white options – the latter is highly effective for projecting warm-white GOBOs around the room. The unit’s motors also allow you to slow down the dish rotation and GOBO rotation to practically nothing, so achieving a very slow rotation for the first dance is no problem.
You have plenty of options for control. There’s a CA-8 remote control input on the rear – and I think everyone has one of those somewhere! This allows you to choose from any of the built-in shows, adjust the motor speed, and so on. Alternatively, you have some basic control via the menu on the back of the fixture. There are six different show modes to tap into and refine to your needs, even as far as selecting a specific GOBO and colour.
But to be honest, for full control and maximum creativity you’ll want to use DMX. I own a Wolfmix W1 lighting controller and once I’d created a profile for the light, I had full access to all its features. This allowed me to create some interesting shows for different parts of the evening.
There’s plenty to like about the Equinox Helix XP and it’s hard to think of many ways Prolight could improve it, other than maybe a higher-power LED source. Although I do feel 150W is more than enough for most gigs you’ll be faced with.
When I heard about the Helix XP some months ago, I was really hoping that wireless DMX would be built in. It’s already included in the low-cost Equinox Colour Raider battery uplights, so would’ve been a nice little addition, especially for DJs who already own the Colour Raiders and bought the necessary hardware to control them. I get that there are already options out there for controlling them wirelessly, but it would’ve been a welcome upgrade and another tick in the box.
One final simple addition that would’ve made sense (and I’m sure wouldn’t add any production cost) is the inclusion of lock washers on the bracket. The little plastic ones you get aren’t great at keeping the unit at an angle on your lighting bar. OK, so you can pick up
these washers up from your local DIY shop for next to nothing, but to have them included would be brilliant!
To summarise, the Equinox Helix XP is a fantastic light that offers significant improvements on previous Equinox models. So, where will Prolight go from here? I guess time will tell. But for now, the Helix XP more than does the job and I’ve no doubt it will sell like hot cakes.
The full review can be found in Pro Mobile Issue 115, Pages 90-91.
