Stairville Hz-200 Compact Hazer DMX

So I?ve waited a couple of months before writing this review so I can update on the problems I found

I play in a typical 5 piece pub band so venues can vary from small little pubs where we?re shoved in a corner to occasional functions / weddings etc in larger halls. Using haze really makes a huge improvement to the visual aspect of the band, we don?t have many lights and only cheaper ones but haze just makes them pop out and really gives atmosphere.

The 1st gig we did with haze was a very large pub/club with their own built in lights and it was incredible, using the unit stand alone with the supplied remote control to vary amount of haze and interval. The haze was fine and light, no adverse effects on the singer.

The next gig was a small-ish pub and I couldn?t get the hazer to produce a low enough level of haze, even on minimum settings it was too much for the small pub so I had to keep switching it on /off during songs (on the remote) no major problem but was a pain. we only want a very fine level of haze not a thick fog type effect.

I then decided to go to DMX control from the laptop, which we always have on for playing background music before, in between and after sets. A £5 dmx cable, freestyler software (free) and ½ hour working out how to do DMX and I can now have much better control of the haze and get it really low for very small venues. This problem is only relevant in SMALL pubs, the sort of place that is a squeeze for a 5 piece band. I?d seriously recommend running DMX as its so much more controllable than the handset but the handset does work ok.

Now we?re running haze via DMX we use it at every gig and we absolutely love it! We?re looking into better lights and lasers now to make the most of it. It uses hardly any fluid, I can?t believe how little it uses. 5ltrs will last so many gigs. Without DMX we couldn?t use it at every gig and the review would be worse, but still good. I think this low output is a problem on all budget hazers and for £5 to run DMX its worth doing.

Seems pretty decent so far.
Tested it yesterday during a 3h+ band rehearsal in a room of about 75m3 of stage space. I used it mostly faded on DMX mode.
It doesn't take long to warm-up. If you use it cued, however, expect a small delay between tracks.
It's a bit noisy but not as much as to be a problem while the band plays its calm parts. There was a repeated pulse-like knock while both dip-switched and remote controled but nothing other than the usual operating noise while faded.
The amount of haze is very satisfying. When on 100%, the effect you get is more fog-like at first but if faded, you get a very pretty haze that lingers on.
After about 2 hours of continuous use, I can't see the change on its fluid levels. It should last for a few shows, even if abused.
The box looks good and sturdy, like it could last for quite a few in and outs if treated properly in the hands of a touring band.
Considering its price and category, I think it's a good choice.

Bought this hazer to have for parties in our large shed. It is a great piece of kit. Normally runs on the timer for about 5-7 hours each time we have a party.

Pros:
- It seems to be pretty economical on the fluid (Stairville PHF Pro Haze Fluid 5 ltr. is the one I use).
- Have used it 4 or 5 times now and not had any issues with it at all
- The haze is very light, the perfect amount for highlighting and accentuating the lighting we have. But doesn't really affect visibility at all
- The ability to adjust the vertical direction on the output head is great
- The ability to adjust the fan speed from off - gale-force wind is another super benefit which helps when adapting this fixture for a small, medium or large sized indoor venue.

Cons:
The only thing that comes to mind is the controller, the output and timer amount has no value assigned to them, so you have to just blindly play about with them until you're happy with the result. I think we have it active for about 4-5 seconds every minute for the whole night, with the fan set to around half-speed. That seems to do the trick and after about 30 minutes of it being on the beams stay highlighted for the rest of the evening.

I have been using this hazer regularly for the past 6 months now in a small theatre (capacity 120 persons) predominantly for live band performances, theatre and dance theatre, and it hasn't let me down once. The spread of the haze is excellent for the size of the unit, filling the room entirely and consistently (room size - 13m x 10m x 6m) with haze on full output setting in less than 5 minutes. The DMX control works perfectly while connected to a lighting desk or other dmx controller, allowing separate fader controls for output and speed - this allows me to place the hazer anywhere I wish in the theatre without being restricted by the length of the remote control cable (which is still a pretty decent length if the hazer is to be used manually on stage within 5m of the operator). I have yet to find any limitations to this product - the particle size of the haze may be slightly larger than a more expensive hazer but this hasn't put me off using it at all, and theatre lights look great with it. I would definitely recommend this product to someone on the same budget.