Written by guest blogger Larz Hanson, Detour DJ & Audio (and former Facebook Fan of the Month!)

I told my wife I’m trying out a killer new “strip” light at some upcoming gigs. She paused, furrowed her eyebrows a little then told me she didn’t mind me being a DJ and working with bands, but she had a real problem with me setting up lights just for strippers at parties. She left the room in a huff before I could explain…

Maybe you’ll understand better. I’m talking about the new CHAUVET COLORrail IRC fixture. I have several older CHAUVET COLORstrip lights, and they’ve served me well for a number of years. They’re bright, and have some nice features, especially when linked in multiples for “runway” effects.

The new COLORrail IRC, on the other hand, picks up where the COLORstrip leaves off and improves several aspects. The COLORrail IRC is made with a stout, extruded-aluminum shell. At first glance, it simply looks better than the COLORstrip…which can be important for some of the intended buyers of the COLORrail IRC. A nice feature is the choice of a single mount point, so the light can be hung from truss with just one clamp (the COLORstrip takes two), or dual “feet” that double as mount points too.

Enough about the impressive construction though. It’s a light fixture, so you wanna know about the light. Without a doubt, the COLORrail IRC is BRIGHT! Loaded with 320 tightly packed 10mm LED’s, the COLORrail IRC has a strong output. A smart design feature is the way the LED’s are arranged along the length. As opposed to the COLORstrip’s repeating blocks of four by four similarly colored LEDs, the COLORrail IRC spreads them out evenly.

This results in very smooth color mixing without multicolored shadows or “color banding”…something easily appreciated when being used for uplighting at elegant events. Like the COLORstrip, the COLORrail IRC is loaded with interesting automatic programs for colors and effects that look great in singles, or linked together for continuous, multi-fixture effects. Using DMX, the COLORrail IRC allows many ways to access those colors and programs, or design your own using from two to 26 channels!

But wait! There’s more! This is the “IRC” version of the COLORrail, which stands for “Infrared Remote Control”. Many CHAUVET customers will LOVE this feature because it allows simple access to the light’s options via an inexpensive optional remote without having to understand DMX or even touch the fixture. By just pointing the remote at the front of the light and pressing a couple buttons, a user can access one-touch dimmable colors, color mixing, auto programs, strobing, and more! This feature is ideal for event lighting contractors who want a neat, clean array of uplights and don’t need DMX control. A wide variety of customers use modern lights in so many different ways, the IRC option is an ingenious way to solve several issues, and the COLORrail IRC is an excellent light to team with it.

I can’t even explain all the features packed into the COLORrail IRC in this brief blog. In short, it’s brighter and whiter than the COLORstrip, smoother looking with beautiful fades and effects that work well alone or linked in lines or shapes. The IRC version appeals to an even wider customer base, and the whole thing is built like a baseball bat! Kudos, CHAUVET!

Once I show my wife what I was talking about, I’m hoping she’ll talk to me again…