With each new product, we say to ourselves that Ayrton has reached the limits of what’s possible, and a few months later, the team unveils a brand new product that proves the opposite. But here it must be said that they have done very, very, very well by offering a versatile and tailor-made fixture for service providers. It wins an SLU innovation award!
With the Rivale, Yvan Péard and his team have managed to combine More with Less. If we compare it to the Ghibli, it produces more flow with a high-efficiency LED source that consumes 30% less, an ultra-wide zoom, and a magnificent beam. It is smaller and lighter (28 kg) but offers an ultra-complete range of functions because it is optimized.
The icing on the cake is that it is rated IP65 and benefits from a continuous pan and tilt. Since its launch in November, Ayrton has already delivered 5,000 units and new orders are coming in every day. Needless to say, we couldn’t wait to test it!
Strength and voluptuousness, one look and you know that Ayrton is in the place!
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The Rivale Profile is the first fixture in the all-new Ultimate series. In addition to the fact that this range heralds a series of fixtures benefiting from the latest technological advances, they will also be as sleek! That is to say, each fixture belonging to the Ultimate range will have the same design and the same proportions as the firstborn, the Rivale Profile. It is a unique and extremely complex challenge that Ayrton has decided to take on. The near future should bring some very good surprises!
The same roots
Don’t be surprised if you seem to see a familiar shape wandering across the stage. There is a family resemblance with its cousin, the Cobra. This design, which for a while was supposed to house laser sources, seems to take a much more important spot in the image of Ayrton, and for years has perfectly mastered the look of their fixtures. This atypical design is a real mix of power and “softness” that we enjoy seeing.
As always, wherever you look, there is no concession on quality. The exterior appearance is essential since, with the design, these are the first two points that will generate the first “gut feeling”. The finish is impeccable and it creates a feeling of confidence. For this, it is important to use good materials. The mobile structures of the fixture are made of aluminum and steel sheets, the heat sinks in aluminum and copper, and finally, the covers are molded in flame-retardant self-extinguishing ABS PC (class V0).
Présentation video
AYRTON – Rivale Profile – Presentation from Ayrton on Vimeo.
Hello Houston, we are at the base unit
On the base unit, the usual handles are no longer there, they have been integrated into the bottom of the yoke. A good idea that purifies the silhouette. Still, to combine size, maneuverability, and aesthetics, a second pair of retractable handles has been placed on the top of the yoke. The seal creates pressure on the entire base structure. To resist, the casing is made of cast aluminum.
Inside, we find everything relating to the different power supplies, high voltage, and low voltage as well as the fixtures’ motherboard. On the front panel, there is an IP65 LCD screen, the display can be turned around. It shows all the options and information about the fixture. On the right, a large round button surrounded by 4 keys allows you to navigate within the menu and configure the options.
To control the fixture you have the choice between classic DMX, wireless DMX, and 2 network protocols, ArtNet and sACN. Choosing the control mode is quite simple, there is only one with 65 parameters. On the other hand, you can create 3 personalized modes (Users Modes) and reorganize the control channels to your liking.
On the front side, a complete menu is controllable with your fingertips, on the fixture, a smartphone, or a light controller!
It is in the “Status” menu that the operator can activate the “Sun Protect” function. It allows the nose of the fixture to be oriented toward the ground (regardless of its positioning) when the control signal is cut. I also like the “Reset User” function to reset the “Address”, “Mode”, “Fan Speed” and “Constant Fans” settings. This allows rental companies to prepare the fixtures reset routines.
The “Defog” mode is very useful for removing fog from all elements sensitive to humidity. To summarize, the fixture heats up and the ventilation increases in flow rate to create a current of hot air and remove humidity. The possibility of heating the head and base up to 40° is valuable when the temperature drops to -20°. It makes the Rivale an obvious choice for winter outdoor events and ice rinks.
I’m not going to reveal the whole menu but there are many other interesting and above all very useful elements. The Rivale also features NFC technology which allows data to be quickly transmitted between two fixtures located nearby. With the Ayrton Mobile Manager app, you can read basic fixture information, such as product name, software version, or the status of menu options.
You can also define the fixture parameters such as the DMX address, its universe, and all other options. If the fixture is turned off, the data will be automatically synchronized upon power on. There are two other ways to configure the Rivale options: via the RDM or the fixture’s DMX channel 65!
No need to think this one out, everything is possible.
If we go to the other side of the base unit, we access the connections. All sockets are of course IP65 thanks to their cap and it is important to keep them closed when not in use, to protect them from dust and other dirt which could cause poor contact or worse.
The first connector is not visible, it is the antenna that allows the signal to be received via the CRMX TiMo™ RDM from Lumen radio. On the far left we find 2 PowerCON TRUE1 sockets for the power supply and its power “out” to another fixture. For wired network protocols, 2 RJ45 IN and OUT connectors allow you to control the fixture in ArtNet or sACN. Finally, the essential 5-pin male and female DMX sockets.
As usual, at Ayrton, it is possible to input one protocol and output another. We can easily imagine that the first fixture receives the Lumen Radio signal and sends the DMX to the other sources (whatever they may be) via the 5-pin female DMX socket.
The special IP test kit.
Between the power supply and the network is the fuse holder (below) and the socket for connecting the IPTESTKIT case designed to test the waterproofness of the fixture or to restore it when it has been opened.
It is, roughly speaking, a compressor with a pressure controller and a source recognition system with a database containing all the necessary values for each type of fixture.
You can’t see it, but an eSIM module has been integrated into the base unit to connect the fixture to the mobile phone network to collect information, faults, location, and much more to come.
We go back to the head, passing through the yoke. Here, no pressure, only emptiness. Finally, I am not talking about negative pressure but about the presence of component(s). Ayrton always comes back to what it has learned to improve its fixtures. To optimize costs and leaks, it was decided to limit the sealed areas to what is strictly necessary. This is why the yoke and a large part of the cooling system, at the back of the head, are not IP65.
Nothing on this side of the yoke.
R&D found a good way to go from the base unit to the head.!
The motorization of the continuous pan could of course only be moved downwards, so it is found in the base unit. That of continuous tilt has migrated into the head. No more “big” motors, they have been replaced by extra-flat models that are still just as powerful. The various connections between the base unit and the head are carefully protected from humidity in sheaths and waterproof housing.
The head is made-to-measure
The “Pampers” division of Ayrton has left no stone unturned to prevent leaks. Each cover has 10 screws for optimal tightening distribution, and their replacement is easy.
Once the 2 covers are removed, we discover an incredible superposition of parameters between which not even a baby finger would fit. We find, from the rear towards the nose, the source and its cooling system, 3 extractable modules, and the optics.
For light source cooling, nothing new. A radiator is crossed by a tube filled with a heat transfer gas. The whole thing is crossed by a flow of air supplied by 2 IP68 fans. This system cools a matrix of new generation 450-watt white LEDs whose efficiency and colorimetry have been greatly improved.
It develops 35,000 Lumens with a color temperature of 6500 K and a CRI of 69. On this source, it was decided not to integrate a lens to erase the “hot spot”. Fortunately, this point was specified to us because even after the measurements, there is nothing obvious on the brightness curves.
The small matrix with big brightness!
The efficient cooling fans.
Next comes, closest to the light source, the color and effects module to help with the fluidity of color transitions and have an optimal position of the gobos in the focal plane. An important new feature has been integrated into the Rivale, previously reserved for the brand’s Washes.
On the first module on the light source side, we see that the “flags” have made way for discs!
The trichromacy + CTO system is made up of 4 discs, whereas previously, the Spot or Profiles were equipped with dichroic glass blades/flags. The increase in surface area gives much more precision in gradation and a much wider palette of colors, including a wider range of pastels. Using discs also speeds up cut transitions.
The disc turns in both directions and the shortest path will be favored. This feature ensures for quick bumps with trichromic colors. The discs also ensure color homogeneity across the entire lens regardless of their position. We find the 3 basic colors of subtractive trichromy, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow which can be combined with progressive CTO. A fifth component allows you to play on the CRI and gradually increase it to 87.
On the other side, the Gobo wheels end effects!
This system is completed by a wheel of 7 colors which starts with a CTB. The next module includes the effects wheel with insertion and rotation and not multiposition as in previous models.
Then come the 16 gobos which are distributed over 2 wheels, 9 fixed and 7 rotating and indexable: a very complete set for a fixture of this size.
A magnet positioned on each rotating gobo ensures more precise calibration and two marks, one on the gobo holder and the other on the main support, allow you to find a reference position when you dismantle and reassemble the gobos. A lug has even been added to each gobo so that they are all oriented the same way. the user thus finds the same orientation of the images for an identical DMX value. The last important detail a fan enclosed in an aluminum housing brings a flow of air where the parameters and the light intersect.
The second module is very classic with the iris module and 4 framing blades/shutters on 4 focal planes which offer great creative freedom. The plate supporting the blades is indexable through 120°.
I am starting to wonder if it isn’t more beautiful on the inside!
The parameters, the motors, the cards… Everything is optimized to save as much space as possible.
The third module receives the zoom, the focus, 2 frosts, and 2 prisms. The 2 original diffusers, 1°, and 5° are interchangeable and it is possible to stack them. The rotating and indexable prisms, a circular x5 and a linear x4 can also be stacked. On the nose of the fixture, we can admire the 160 mm lens.
All the tools for blurring and multiplying are available!
The glass lens.
The incredible Rivale
It’s time to plug in the power plug. The 2 axes are equipped with absolute encoders and apart from a slight shudder, the Pan and Tilt resets are done without any rotation. The ArtNet connection with the console works without problem and it awaits your instructions as soon as it receives data confirming the power of the new motors. I point the nose of the fixture towards our target and turn the dimmer up to 100%.
I never would have thought that a 450-watt source could produce this amount of light. The beam is nicely outlined, homogeneous, and powerful. When I play with the pan and tilt settings, the fixture is very responsive. It makes rapid movements with clean end stops. Conversely, slow movements are very gentle by combining the 2 axes. On the zoom side, the aperture range is impressive and when you add the iris there is only a thin thread of light that crosses the room.
Ideal optics from the widest zoom to the smallest iris and zoom setting!
I’m looking forward to testing the possibilities of the new three-color trichromic system. The use of discs produces a clear evolution in the extent of the color palette, homogeneity, and transitions. The uniformity of color, from the start of inserting the disc, is remarkable. The beginning of the tint is faster and the longer disc range produces more colors between the lightest and most saturated shades.
If we multiply this increase in potential by 3 with the other 2 discs, we have an overview of the possibilities of the Rivale because we must also take into account the quality of the new broad-spectrum source. Progressive CTO works on the same principle and the color wheel has one CTB plus 6 other shades. To finish with the color, there is also the CTP parameter which raises the CRI to 87.
A tiny glimpse of the possibilities and “chromatic” qualities.
Even if we stay in the classic type of fixture, Ayrton always tries to make the difference with a little extra. The Gobo wheels feature some new designs for additional graphic possibilities. Combined with the two prisms and/or the effects wheel, the possibilities are numerous both in terms of volumetric dynamics and image projection.
The Rivale has been allocated 16 gobos!
This source is full of effects!
We find in this fixture all the finesse and know-how of Ayrton in the field of blade/shutter modules. Management is simple and precise. Squares, triangles, and lines can be projected leaving only a very slight gap of light.
The movements of the blades are perfectly managed, whether at slow or very fast speeds. You can also add the lightest frost to obtain a homogeneous defocusing effect on the 4 blades. The second diffuser is very good when there are no blades, for solid colors or to avoid any marking on a front wash.
Sharpening the beams.
Living in a soft world!
The great joys of science
Derating
It’s time to bring out the light meter and the coffee! After of course having cooled the fixture, we place the cell against the target, we count down and 3… 2… 1… 0 and the light comes out at full power! In less than 5 minutes, the derating reached 7% and then stabilized at 8.55%. Given the brand’s track record, this good result is unsurprising.
The smallest sharp-edged beam
I then reduce the aperture to the smallest sharp-edged beam. It stings the eyes and for a good reason, we measure more than 100,000 Lux, the limit of our light meter! We can nevertheless measure the aperture which goes down to 4.12°.
A beam of 20°
Zoom set for our reference aperture of 20°, we measure 12,200 lux at the center. Our fixture outputs 22,830 lumens. For a 450-watt source, it’s a real revolution! The intensity curve shows no incident.
Colors
We take advantage of this zoom setting to measure the CRI which is 69 for a basic white at 6260K. To show the quality of the source, we noted a UV Delta of 0.0006, a value very close to black. If we engage the CTP, the white is then 5550K with a central measurement of 7,320 lux. The CRI goes up to 87. With the CTO at 100% we have a warm white at 2952K with a CRI of 68.
The widest sharp-edged beam
For the widest sharp-edged beam we are outside of the target with a radius of 228 cm which corresponds to an angle of 49°. In the center, we have 2,035 lux and an average of 838 lux at the edge of the circle. The total flux remains stable with 22,030 lumens and the intensity curve is perfectly drawn!
Dimmer
No surprises with the dimmer curves!
Using them on tour with Jocelyn Morel
Jean Baptiste GUEGAN has just launched his new tour “Johnny, You, and I” in its version “Unplugged’N Roll” which tours through France in 2024 lit by Jocelyn Morel. The lighting equipment for the first dates of the tour was provided by the service provider Breton Audiolite who had deployed, among other machines, an 8 Rivale Profile kit.
A golden opportunity to ask Jocelyn to us his opinion.
Jocelyn Morel : These fixtures are truly exceptional for the quality of their light and their versatility. They exceeded all my expectations. The efficiency of the zoom is colossal, and its great amplitude makes it possible to envisage very varied sets of beams.
This fixture is the perfect example of ultimate efficiency. Whether for projection or volumetric effects, it is undoubtedly a fixture that will count in lighting projects in the months to come at the highest professional level. What a joy to use them!
Watt Else…
Ayrton is launching a new, innovative, and daring range with the Rivale that meets the demands of lighting engineers and service providers. This fixture is at the same time a spotlight, a technical achievement, and a success, it is all of that.
It is a Profile that opens the doors to the future by offering, in a waterproof casing of a very reasonable size and weight, a source that surpasses its big brothers and sisters in terms of light output and which ensures one of the best color spectra.
What we like:
- The light output
- The power
- The weight
- The quality of the beam and colors
- The quality of the different functions
What we miss:
General specifications
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