Lights, lasers, action! We're hitting the highlights of X-Laser's standout booth at LDI 2023 and it's the kind of stuff that makes our roadie hearts race.
The Past: LDI 2023
Now back home at their Maryland HQ after a successful LDI 2023 show in Las Vegas, X-Laser is encouraged by how the show went after returning for the first time since 2018.
Assembled in conjunction with their friends from Colorado Springs, Eddy Sound, the 20-foot by 20-foot X-Laser booth showcased a balanced lighting setup totaling nearly 60 fixtures. In all, the rig was about a 60-40 split between lasers and traditional lights. And the rig was specced that way for a reason (we’ll get to that later).
Key to the entire setup were the three tables showing three different lighting consoles in action: a Vista by ChromaQ, an Avolites Quartz and a grandMA3 light. The point of the layout was to show—literally—that lasers can be just as approachable and programmable straight from the lighting console as “regular” lights.
To further drive that point home, pro lighting designers programmed each of the booth’s three fully timecoded shows directly from a console via X-Laser’s Mercury laser control system. (In case you couldn’t make it to Las Vegas, X-Laser will be posting videos of each show soon on their YouTube channel.)
McKenley Hoelmer of Eddy Sound programmed the Vista and Avolites shows, while Drew Hornback of DH Production Designs programmed the grandMA3 show. But beyond just the crisp programming, the designers were on site at LDI with the X-Laser crew to help give hands-on demos to LDs curious about this direct-from-console solution.
As mentioned earlier, the X-Laser booth rig featured what was basically an even split between laser fixtures and traditional lighting fixtures. This aptly demonstrated not just the quality and visual appeal of a “blended” light show, but also the seamless workflow that Mercury gives LDs: Lasers. Lights. All together. All programmed together.
Seeing three different consoles using the same gear for three different shows demystified the idea of programming lasers. Understanding that the DMX profile functions similarly to a media server immediately sparked a wave of brainstorming among LDs.
The Present: Stellar production-grade fixtures & special pricing
As impressive as it was to see the Mercury firmware system in action on multiple consoles and running multiple shows, the laser projectors from X-Laser’s current lineup made the programming pop and left LDI onlookers in awe.
X-Laser's headlining projector was the 36W Triton unit. Mounted prominently at the top of their booth, these laser projectors could be seen from any corner of the show floor. Notably, these are the same units used on Coldplay's "Music of the Spheres" tour, a testament to their world-class status. They boast world-class hardware, crisp optics, advanced color mixing, and can punch through the largest outdoor arenas.
X-Laser also showed off its range of Skywriter projectors, the tour-proven workhorse fixture that’s available in two, five, 10, 20 and 30-watt power levels. The Skywriter’s relatively accessible price point (especially for two- and five-watt models) and built-in Mercury integration make it a good fit for production companies and designers seeking to add the unique punch of laser effects to their arsenal, all with maximum impact and minimal hassle.
Speaking of impact, we thought it was helpful how X-Laser explained that designers and producers get a more impactful setup from a higher number of lower-power lasers versus just a couple of higher-power ones. In other words, they explained that a setup with six to eight five-watt units would be more compelling than one with just two or three 10-watt fixtures. It’s not just about how many total watts you have, it’s how you use them!
Like many fellow LDI visitors, we asked X-Laser for ballpark pricing on their production-grade fixtures. They informed us that a good estimate is about $1,000 per watt of laser power. So, a Skywriter HPX M-5 (which is five watts) costs around $5,000. You can do the math for the rest of the lineup, but compared to today’s top-line moving fixtures, that seems like a solid value—especially when you don’t need to invest in a separate control ecosystem to run them.
X-Laser also made sure to mention their LDI show specials: 15% off all projectors five watts and above. Contact X-Laser to lock in this deal before December 31, 2023, + mention the @LimeLightWired swag special, and X-Laser will hook you up with a special “tour pro” swag pack.
The Future: A lineup like nothing before
We hope to see X-Laser at LDI 2024. But whether they’re back in Vegas is much less important than what they’ll be debuting in early 2024. They couldn’t share all the details, but it’s something that hasn’t been done yet in the world of entertainment laser projectors. Based on what they could tell us, you should definitely keep an eye on them.