I recently had the chance to review the ETC D22 LED PAR. I was excited to see the ETC D-series fixture available for less than $700. This fixture has the same seven color engine of the other LED pars in this family. It also has the same backlit LCD screen and controls as its bigger brothers.
The fixture provided a great range of colors as I would expect given my experience with the rest of this family. However, the brightness was a little less than desired. If you were going to pairing this fixture up with conventional fixtures, you should make sure to arrange a demo prior to purchase. Like all fixtures – you have to know where to use it. This fixture would excel in smaller areas, wall washes (column effects), specials and anywhere else you want amazing color and smooth dimming.
It is generally recommended that you consider a throw distance of 15 feet or less for this fixture. However, it would work very well as a wall accent, or scenery lighting. In my testing at this unit we had a throw distance of about 20 feet. I felt that at 20 feet the overall brightness was about 65% of ETC Source Four 575 W fixture at full intensity.
I was disappointed to see no power through option on the fixture. It has a molded in place power cable. It also only supports five pin DMX. However, the body of the fixture is so small that is understandable.
If you were looking for a small LED light with a lot of flexible color choices and a very smooth dimming curve this fixture might be just what the doctor ordered. If you were pairing it with other LED lights and using it within the recommended 15 foot or less throw distance you will likely be very satisfied with the overall brightness.
However if you were trying to pair this fixture with other conventional lighting at a high-intensity brightness, you will probably want to look for another fixture.
The fixture is an excellent fixture, but it is designed for small spaces and short throw distances or as accent lighting. Like all ETC fixtures it seems very robust and I believe it will hold up well over time. If it fits your need you should certainly check it out.
