You are on the Desktop website, Click here to go back to our mobile website
REVIEWED
REVIEWED: Robe Cuete
I know what you’re thinking. Yes, it’s a review of a Robe product in a DJ-focused magazine! However, Robe have been busy expanding their range and filling gaps in the market with products like the CUETE.
As a brand, Robe are renowned for being one of the kings of intelligent lighting and are admired by anyone who has any interest in lighting, particularly those who work on the biggest live events and theatre shows. But some time ago (I believe in the mid-2000s), they produced a good range of club and DJ fixtures – products such as the Clubspot and Clubscan – which are still found working in installations around the world. 20+ years of service is testament to the brand’s renowned design and reliability.
More recently, Robe have released some amazing products that are more aimed at the touring and rental market rather than DJs, clubs and installations, and this is where the CUETE and its brother, the SPOTE, are squarely aimed. The CUETE is primarily designed to be controlled via DMX though it does feature sound-to-light mode as well.
In order to put the CUETE through a good test, we had a visit from Curtis Lewis from Robe, who arrived with a small range of Robe fixtures including this and also the SPOTE. We were very keen to get our DMX up and running to find out what they were capable of! SPOTE was one of the first lights to be released in a new range of Robe fixtures and CUETE followed shortly after.
The CUETE is based on the same chassis as the SPOTE but adds even more features and power whilst keeping the same physical size, resulting in a fixture that isn’t much bigger or heavier than, say, an ADJ Focus Spot 4Z or a CHAUVET DJ Intimidator Spot 360.
The CUETE features a 120w LED light engine, featuring Robe’s transferable engine technology (more of this later), which you’d be forgiven for thinking is comparatively small in today’s world. But trust me when I say the optics combined with the LED source make CUETE outshine other fixtures with similar and even higher power. It outputs a crisp, cool-white light at 4200 lumens that is incredibly sharp and defined thanks to the brilliant optics you’d expect from a Robe fixture. And this output is also very consistent and smooth across the field with no hot-spots.
The differences between SPOTE and CUETE goes further than just output power, however. CUETE also adds CMY colour mixing, which allows you to mix cyan, magenta and yellow to get virtually any colour you’d like.
This is in addition to the installed colour wheel featuring 13 colours! The unit also features a ‘virtual colour wheel’ channel that has a massive range of pre-set options that utilise CMY colour mixing to rapidly achieve its vast array of colours. There is also a second gobo wheel with 10 static gobos, including four beam reducers. Inside both SPOTE and CUETE you’ll find the same rotating gobo wheel with nine gobos that are replaceable, rotatable and indexable.
The included gobos have been carefully selected to give the user a variety of mid-air effects through haze, as well as interesting breakup and projection patterns on surfaces. During our testing we toyed with many different gobo and focus combinations and the effects you can achieve are absolutely mind blowing. CUETE allows you to combine both the static and rotating gobo wheel and focus at any point between the two, which can create some really interesting morphing and dynamic effects.
You can also set the gobo wheels to shake at a range of speeds, as well as automatically changing by sound or through a speed control. The slot and lock system that Robe uses on the gobo wheel is also incredibly simple and easy to operate, ensuring that custom gobos can be installed with ease.
CUETE features the same prism as SPOTE, which features eight facets and is rotatable in clockwise or anti-clockwise at any speed you like. You can also use the prism over either or even both gobo wheels to add something extra to the output. The prism was particularly impressive as it still managed to maintain a high level of brightness and sharpness when combined with two gobos – something that fixtures often struggle with. And built into the prism channel are 16 macros for the quick and easy triggering of effects.
Speaking of speed, if you want a fixture that can move any of its effects incredibly slowly (so much so that you can barely notice the movement or rotation) then both CUETE and SPOTE fit the bill. I’ve seen lots of fixtures that can move stupidly fast but not slowly, often resulting in a minimum speed that is either still too fast or causes jerky and stepped movements.
Thankfully this isn’t something you have to worry about with CUETE. It can perform super slow, smooth movements but, when needed, can also move extremely quickly and with incredible precision. Changing gobos and colours happens in a split second, which is great for colour bumps or rapid gobo changes. Moving heads can also sometimes come with a limited range of movement but again, this is something that CUETE excels in with 270 degrees of tilt and a 540-degree pan – it will point almost anywhere you need it to!
Further features include variable frost and dimmer. The dimmer will dim the LED rather than through a shutter mechanism, ensuring that dimming is linear and smooth thanks to Robe’s L3 ultra smooth dimming technology. A variable-speed strobe effect is also possible thanks to the LED technology, and as well as variable speeds, it also offers variable pulse and random strobe modes. The variable frost filter allows you to add everything from a touch of softness to a complete blur to the projection, and this channel also has pulse and ramping effects. You’ll also find controllable focus, allowing you to remotely morph between gobos or simply set a focus point of your choice.
On the outside of the CUETE is Neutrik powerCON TRUE1 in and link out for power, Neutrik 5-pin locking XLR connectors for DMX and RDM, and you also have the choice of ethernet in and out for a range of other control protocols. Something that stands out is that the CUETE is extremely quiet when running. The fixture has fans to cool the internals but these were barely noticeable, something that will be very welcome in situations where you don’t really want to hear the lights – perfect for weddings!
Included are two omega brackets with ¼ turn locks for mounting. There is also a point to attach a safety cable, whilst a tilt lock mechanism ensures that the unit can’t move during transport.
The CUETE ships with a fixed 16-degree lens but you can opt for a wider, 24-degree lens. The unit we tested was the standard one, but it looks as though the lens change is a very quick and simple process. As with all Robe products, there is a range of accessories available, including a wireless DMX module and a range of flight cases in addition to the wider lens.
So, the CUETE brings something new to Robe’s line up and a new product to the DJ and installation market. Of course it will come with a price tag higher than that of most moving heads on the DJ market. But I’ll be honest, it’s not as expensive as you might think, especially considering just how much more you can do with these lights. Robe are back in the professional DJ market once again and the CUETE is a strong contender as a replacement for our current moving spot lights, which happen to be due for renewal in the near future. We couldn’t find anything we didn’t like about what CUETE does; the gobos are amazing, the CMY system is silky smooth and rich, the movements are accurate and smooth at any speed, and the optics are incredible. But then you wouldn’t expect any less from a Robe fixture.
It’s also worth mentioning that the CUETE is backed by a two-year warranty and a minimum 50,000hr LED life expectancy. And even then, the LED engine is transferrable if required. Yes, that’s right! Robe have produced another first – you can transfer your LED engine. The process takes less than five minutes, it gives your light a much longer lifetime, and it’s both eco-friendly and economical.
Anyone with an interest in saving our environment should love this feature (it’s definitely something to sing about if you’re installing the CUETE at a venue), but it also future proofs your light, as the chassis will be useable for many more years and you won’t have to send it away to be upgraded – it’s that simple.
Furthermore, with on-board near field communication (NFC), you can just put your mobile phone against the module and receive information on the engine’s serial number, hours used, intensity drop, and even details about the fixtures the engine might have previously been used in.
I’m told this is just the beginning of a new range from Robe; the SPOTE and CUETE are the first to be introduced into our market and there will be more to follow. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what the company comes up with next but for now, our market has two incredible new moving heads packed with Robe’s famed reliability and performance.
As a brand, Robe are renowned for being one of the kings of intelligent lighting and are admired by anyone who has any interest in lighting, particularly those who work on the biggest live events and theatre shows. But some time ago (I believe in the mid-2000s), they produced a good range of club and DJ fixtures – products such as the Clubspot and Clubscan – which are still found working in installations around the world. 20+ years of service is testament to the brand’s renowned design and reliability.
More recently, Robe have released some amazing products that are more aimed at the touring and rental market rather than DJs, clubs and installations, and this is where the CUETE and its brother, the SPOTE, are squarely aimed. The CUETE is primarily designed to be controlled via DMX though it does feature sound-to-light mode as well.
In order to put the CUETE through a good test, we had a visit from Curtis Lewis from Robe, who arrived with a small range of Robe fixtures including this and also the SPOTE. We were very keen to get our DMX up and running to find out what they were capable of! SPOTE was one of the first lights to be released in a new range of Robe fixtures and CUETE followed shortly after.
The CUETE is based on the same chassis as the SPOTE but adds even more features and power whilst keeping the same physical size, resulting in a fixture that isn’t much bigger or heavier than, say, an ADJ Focus Spot 4Z or a CHAUVET DJ Intimidator Spot 360.
The CUETE features a 120w LED light engine, featuring Robe’s transferable engine technology (more of this later), which you’d be forgiven for thinking is comparatively small in today’s world. But trust me when I say the optics combined with the LED source make CUETE outshine other fixtures with similar and even higher power. It outputs a crisp, cool-white light at 4200 lumens that is incredibly sharp and defined thanks to the brilliant optics you’d expect from a Robe fixture. And this output is also very consistent and smooth across the field with no hot-spots.
The differences between SPOTE and CUETE goes further than just output power, however. CUETE also adds CMY colour mixing, which allows you to mix cyan, magenta and yellow to get virtually any colour you’d like.
This is in addition to the installed colour wheel featuring 13 colours! The unit also features a ‘virtual colour wheel’ channel that has a massive range of pre-set options that utilise CMY colour mixing to rapidly achieve its vast array of colours. There is also a second gobo wheel with 10 static gobos, including four beam reducers. Inside both SPOTE and CUETE you’ll find the same rotating gobo wheel with nine gobos that are replaceable, rotatable and indexable.
The included gobos have been carefully selected to give the user a variety of mid-air effects through haze, as well as interesting breakup and projection patterns on surfaces. During our testing we toyed with many different gobo and focus combinations and the effects you can achieve are absolutely mind blowing. CUETE allows you to combine both the static and rotating gobo wheel and focus at any point between the two, which can create some really interesting morphing and dynamic effects.
You can also set the gobo wheels to shake at a range of speeds, as well as automatically changing by sound or through a speed control. The slot and lock system that Robe uses on the gobo wheel is also incredibly simple and easy to operate, ensuring that custom gobos can be installed with ease.
CUETE features the same prism as SPOTE, which features eight facets and is rotatable in clockwise or anti-clockwise at any speed you like. You can also use the prism over either or even both gobo wheels to add something extra to the output. The prism was particularly impressive as it still managed to maintain a high level of brightness and sharpness when combined with two gobos – something that fixtures often struggle with. And built into the prism channel are 16 macros for the quick and easy triggering of effects.
Speaking of speed, if you want a fixture that can move any of its effects incredibly slowly (so much so that you can barely notice the movement or rotation) then both CUETE and SPOTE fit the bill. I’ve seen lots of fixtures that can move stupidly fast but not slowly, often resulting in a minimum speed that is either still too fast or causes jerky and stepped movements.
Thankfully this isn’t something you have to worry about with CUETE. It can perform super slow, smooth movements but, when needed, can also move extremely quickly and with incredible precision. Changing gobos and colours happens in a split second, which is great for colour bumps or rapid gobo changes. Moving heads can also sometimes come with a limited range of movement but again, this is something that CUETE excels in with 270 degrees of tilt and a 540-degree pan – it will point almost anywhere you need it to!
Further features include variable frost and dimmer. The dimmer will dim the LED rather than through a shutter mechanism, ensuring that dimming is linear and smooth thanks to Robe’s L3 ultra smooth dimming technology. A variable-speed strobe effect is also possible thanks to the LED technology, and as well as variable speeds, it also offers variable pulse and random strobe modes. The variable frost filter allows you to add everything from a touch of softness to a complete blur to the projection, and this channel also has pulse and ramping effects. You’ll also find controllable focus, allowing you to remotely morph between gobos or simply set a focus point of your choice.
On the outside of the CUETE is Neutrik powerCON TRUE1 in and link out for power, Neutrik 5-pin locking XLR connectors for DMX and RDM, and you also have the choice of ethernet in and out for a range of other control protocols. Something that stands out is that the CUETE is extremely quiet when running. The fixture has fans to cool the internals but these were barely noticeable, something that will be very welcome in situations where you don’t really want to hear the lights – perfect for weddings!
Included are two omega brackets with ¼ turn locks for mounting. There is also a point to attach a safety cable, whilst a tilt lock mechanism ensures that the unit can’t move during transport.
The CUETE ships with a fixed 16-degree lens but you can opt for a wider, 24-degree lens. The unit we tested was the standard one, but it looks as though the lens change is a very quick and simple process. As with all Robe products, there is a range of accessories available, including a wireless DMX module and a range of flight cases in addition to the wider lens.
So, the CUETE brings something new to Robe’s line up and a new product to the DJ and installation market. Of course it will come with a price tag higher than that of most moving heads on the DJ market. But I’ll be honest, it’s not as expensive as you might think, especially considering just how much more you can do with these lights. Robe are back in the professional DJ market once again and the CUETE is a strong contender as a replacement for our current moving spot lights, which happen to be due for renewal in the near future. We couldn’t find anything we didn’t like about what CUETE does; the gobos are amazing, the CMY system is silky smooth and rich, the movements are accurate and smooth at any speed, and the optics are incredible. But then you wouldn’t expect any less from a Robe fixture.
It’s also worth mentioning that the CUETE is backed by a two-year warranty and a minimum 50,000hr LED life expectancy. And even then, the LED engine is transferrable if required. Yes, that’s right! Robe have produced another first – you can transfer your LED engine. The process takes less than five minutes, it gives your light a much longer lifetime, and it’s both eco-friendly and economical.
Anyone with an interest in saving our environment should love this feature (it’s definitely something to sing about if you’re installing the CUETE at a venue), but it also future proofs your light, as the chassis will be useable for many more years and you won’t have to send it away to be upgraded – it’s that simple.
Furthermore, with on-board near field communication (NFC), you can just put your mobile phone against the module and receive information on the engine’s serial number, hours used, intensity drop, and even details about the fixtures the engine might have previously been used in.
I’m told this is just the beginning of a new range from Robe; the SPOTE and CUETE are the first to be introduced into our market and there will be more to follow. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what the company comes up with next but for now, our market has two incredible new moving heads packed with Robe’s famed reliability and performance.
The full review can be found in Pro Mobile Issue 110, Pages 78-80.
