Antari Hazer Experience?

[keebs]

My primary units are two Reel Effects DF-50's and I have been on the same $24 gallon bottle of fluid for about 3 years and I use them several times per month. I don't know how often you've had to buy fluid for the 2D but I'm willing to guess more than a gallon.

Wow... I had no idea hazers can be that efficient!! That's wild. The 2D doesn't use a ton of fluid such that it's a real financial burden, but yeah certainly a ton more than what you described.

Just like comparing printers and the cost of ink, I often look at the "consumables" when making a purchase as well. A $300 machine that costs $25 a month for fluid isn't necessarily a good deal versus a $700 machine that costs $25 a year.

Hmmm, so are there hazers in that ~$700 price range that you/others recommend? Seems like most of the ones I've seen people mentioning are more like $1k-$2k. I could probably stretch-justify $700, but any more would be too much based on my usage I think.

T

[Bradfo69]

I probably shouldn't have used $700 as a number because you are correct... there is a gap in the middle there not served by any new product although you can find things used in that range occasionally. I've not bought any of my expensive atmosphere producing units brand new. They've all be used. Lemaitre G300, The F-100 although that's a fogger, the two DF-50's and the Antari Z-400 were all used. All the cheaper things were brand new.
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One you might really want to take a look at though is the American DJ Haze Generator https://www.google.com/shopping/prod...hXSv4AKHXv8A5E
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You'll get a lot more output than the Chauvet. The key to an American DJ hazer is simply this. If it works for the first month or two, it should work forever. If you start having a problem out of the box, it will always be a problem unit. Return it and try again.

[hitekvoop]

I just picked up my second tour hazer II, they're fantastic units. Did a breezy outdoor show with just a single unit and while I had to run it at 100% sustained for several hours, it was enough to get by. I purchased the second unit in order to spread the load for those bigger outdoor shows (and so I can run at 70% rather than 100).

Yes, they're around a grand which makes them MUCH less than the previous industry standard DF-50.

[keebs]

I probably shouldn't have used $700 as a number because you are correct... there is a gap in the middle there not served by any new product although you can find things used in that range occasionally. I've not bought any of my expensive atmosphere producing units brand new. They've all be used. Lemaitre G300, The F-100 although that's a fogger, the two DF-50's and the Antari Z-400 were all used. All the cheaper things were brand new.
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One you might really want to take a look at though is the American DJ Haze Generator https://www.google.com/shopping/prod...hXSv4AKHXv8A5E
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You'll get a lot more output than the Chauvet. The key to an American DJ hazer is simply this. If it works for the first month or two, it should work forever. If you start having a problem out of the box, it will always be a problem unit. Return it and try again.

Again, great, concise advise. I will look into used options and the American DJ (cringe) unit.

Todd

[keebs]

I bought my Tour Hazer and my Base Hazer Pro on ebay, paid £450 for each, and the Base Hazer was basically as new, not even any fluff on the fan blade leading edges which is a good indication its been run in a gig environment.

Keep your eyes out for bargains. the Look Solution Unique 2 is the same unit essentially too, just not built into a flight case. I find my hazers get used for all sorts of things, steps, props for other things - the flightcases are well worth it.

"Check out our new hazer, now capable of being used as a wrecking ball!"

haha, good call though. going to look on ebay for sure.

T

[Bradfo69]

I just picked up my second tour hazer II, they're fantastic units. Did a breezy outdoor show with just a single unit and while I had to run it at 100% sustained for several hours, it was enough to get by. I purchased the second unit in order to spread the load for those bigger outdoor shows (and so I can run at 70% rather than 100).

Yes, they're around a grand which makes them MUCH less than the previous industry standard DF-50.

The other nice thing about those is.... "100% sustained for several hours". You're really not supposed to do that with a DF-50. I ran my outdoors for about 20 minutes for a wedding last weekend and worried that I was running them too long continuously.
I wanted to use my G300 which tested fine the night before and of course, right before I needed haze during the wedding, it freaked out on me and wouldn't run. The following day, it ran fine. Standard gig "Oh Shit" moment but two well positioned DF-50's got me through since I was able to grab them and have them turned on quickly. No warm up time can be a Godsend.

[norty303]

Yep, I used a pair of TH2 on very high settings for extended periods outdoors, just keep going and going and going, and create significant amounts of fog too.
You can get all sorts of effects from them too, by combining fan speed with output in different ways.

The fluid costs about £35/5 litres, a bit less if you buy in bulk, but it does last a loooong time. I did 3 festivals on 5 litres earlier this year in one unit. I tend to buy 10 or 25 litres at a time for the savings.
You do need to use the recommended fluid, but you can use whichever one is cheapest and available to you, the HazeBase, Smoke Factory and Look Unique hazer fluids are all the same and interchangeable (haze fluids, not the smoke fluids in the hazers. If its significantly less than £35/5lt, chances are you're looking at the wrong fluid)

Just like Brad's oil crackers, the TH2 is nearly instant on as well, plug in, press active, haze shortly afterwards.

[Bradfo69]

I saw Ricks Tour Hazer at SELEM and it's on the "someday get one" list.

[WookieBoy]

I have tour hazer and a Pea Soup Phantom. The phantom produces a beautiful almost invisible haze that hangs for hours inside, but costs about the same as two tour hazer. For most things the tour hazer is a great no nonsense machine that should last you "forever".

I'd say save up for a Tour hazer/unique/haze base rather than buying a cheaper machine. It'll hold its value better and be much more reliable... of course, MDG have just updated their models and alot of the big hire companies are dumping their old units onto second hand dealers like Gearsource, so there's the chance of getting a bargain there....

[Bradfo69]

Threadjack....
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What are the major international acts using for the most part? Say for example, Rush recently when I saw them at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. It's a 19,500 person arena for the Flyers and 76'ers. Or Queen or Lady Gaga who I have seen recently. In some cases you can see where the atmosphere is being produced from and at other concerts you're not seeing a thing. With the budgets they have and the kind of money other gear costs, it makes me wonder if they're using hazers/foggers we haven't even heard of yet or... are they using Tour Factory or Phantom of MDG?
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I saw Crosby Still's and Nash a couple months ago and was a few rows from the stage. During intermission, I went up and was only a few feet from where the atmosphere was bring produced but the unit was behind a curtain so I couldn't see it and, what struck me was I couldn't hear a sound that this thing was making and it was producing billowing haze all night.
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(I went to PLASA last year and saw some machines I'd never heard of that were like $6000 for producing atmosphere - which is why I wondered if they use something totally different for major concerts.)