Back in the early days of mobile discos, pin-spots were a common feature of most DJs’ rigs. That’s because they were pretty much the only ‘beam effect’ on the market. Whether mounted on a T-bar, standing on top of lightboxes and screens, or incorporated into some form of moving contraption (scanners, helicopters, harvesters, etc.), pin-spots were everywhere. These days, of course, DJs have lots more options when it comes to effect lighting, however for some purposes – such as table-spotting or illuminating a mirror ball – there’s nothing that beats a good old pin-spot.

Now, while the razor-sharp beams of pin-spots still have a place in modern event lighting, the old Par 36 lamps that we all used to use have been well and truly consigned to the DJ history books. These days LED light-sources offer a multitude of advantages including lower power consumption, reduced heat, digital dimming and long lamp life. Which brings us to the subject of this review: the Event Spot Bar RGBW from the Prolight Concepts Group’s LEDJ range, a modern LED-powered four-head pin-spot fixture.

Having first unboxed the unit, I was surprised at how weighty and robust it feels. It is fully constructed from steel and aluminium – no plastic casings here – and gives the impression of a piece of equipment that has been made to last. With a weight of 8.1kg, it isn’t unmanageable but is extremely solid and has clearly been designed to endure a hardworking life on the road.

The spots themselves are a similar size to old Par 36 fixtures, but a little longer and slightly narrower. They are permanently mounted to the main bar and can swivel through a little over 180-degrees. Their hanging brackets then allow a full range of tilt movement, while a pair of plastic thumbscrews lock them securely into place.

A 15W quad-colour (RGBW) LED is fitted within each spot, which creates a potent beam of white or coloured light. I was impressed by the brightness, which certainly surpasses that of a traditional Par 36 lamp, and also the colour mixing, as there is minimal colour shadowing.

The standard beam angle is 4-degrees, which is a little narrower than a Par 36 lamp, and creates a razor sharp shaft of light that is ideal for generating beam effects in a haze-filled environment. Two sets of rigid diffusor lenses are also supplied, which can be used to increase the beam angle on one or more spots if required. The 10-degree option is ideal for spotlighting tables or venue features, while the 45-degree lens transforms the spot into a soft wash light that will illuminate a large area of a wall, ceiling or dancefloor.