Review: Robe CycFX

Something different

We’re sort of at a point now where LED is not only a practical and viable lightsource, but it’s starting to become the accepted norm for many applications.  Robe got onto the LED bandwagon pretty early on and their product line has matured well over time as a result.  Only a few years ago, 5W LED modules were complex and difficult things to make, not to mention expensive.  Now 15W chipsets are becoming commonplace, and indeed you’ll find eight of them inside the CycFX 8.

CycFX is available in an 8 or 4 module unit, and these check in at one and half a metre respectively.  Two CycFX 4 makes one CycFX 8, albeit with a bit more control circuitry.  Operation is largely the same, with more engines and accordingly more control channels being the only discernable differences between the two models.

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The 15W RGBW LED engines in each unit are each located behind a lens, all of which are mounted on a common zoom assembly.  Zoom range runs from a tiny 8 degrees through to a very respectable 67 degrees, and getting from one end of the range to the other takes virtually no time at all.  On the topic of all things fast, the whole head assembly tilts through 270 degree range and does so very quickly indeed.  Too fast to bother timing in fact.

Mounting the fixture is easy thanks to dual Omega brackets with a choice of three mounting positions and dual safety wire attachment points.  You can also just sit the unit on the ground, and I didn’t find anything in the literature to say you can’t mount the CycFX vertically if you want.

Control is via DMX512, and you have a choice of four modes requiring 14, 21, 45 or 53 channels.  8 or 16 bit control is available for tilt, zoom, colour and dimming functions, and there’s even a SunStrip emulation control mode.  There’s even tungsten lamp emulation and fade effects when you run at 2700 or 3200K.

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Robe has long provided good colour temperature selection support, with the virtual colour wheel a feature of every one of their LED fixtures I can remember reviewing.  CycFX 8 is no exception, and added to this are a range of pre-programmed pixel effects which do a bunch of different things.  Strobing is available at rates up to 20Hz, and you can even run the fixture in standalone mode.

I think the final word should go to application.  You can certainly use the CycFX as a Cyc light – the tilt and zoom control over the beam would give you some good options to achieve nice flat lighting.  But I think it could do more – a bunch of these on some vertical trusses would look great behind a band – I love the idea of a big sweeping parallel beam effect.  Even with no movement, just a staggered zoom effect running through a bunch of these would look great.  I think the applications for CycFX are considerably wider reaching than its name would have you believe.  I like it.

• Brand:  Robe
• Model:  CycFX 8
• RRP: CycFX8 – Aud$5079.00 inc GST.  CycFX8 in dual touring case – Aud$6117.00 inc GST.
• Product Info:  www.robe.cz
• Distributor:  www.ulagroup.com