Strobes
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Buying stroboscopes for theatres, bars, mobile discos, clubs and more
Strobes are one of the classic stage and club effects. When the bright lights start flashing, dancefloors or theatres are suddenly immersed in a uniquely thrilling atmosphere. Physical movements seem like optical illusions, and the energy levels can suddenly really take off. When you buy a strobe at Thomann, you're benefitting from cutting-edge lighting technology, a range of high‑performance devices, and affordable prices ranging from everyday bargains to irresistibly hot deals. Rest assured: Our huge selection of modern, efficient, and highly flexible strobes has exactly the right one for your exact scenario and requirements.
Buying strobes from Thomann: expert advice and peace of mind
Online and offline, we provide both professional lighting technicians and everyday users with an exceptionally wide range of powerful strobes, as part of our huge catalogue of lighting solutions. We know that our customers expect optimal advice and reliable processing when they buy a stroboscope, or indeed anything else. Customer satisfaction with our service is our top priority: With our 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee for carefree testing at home, and our 3-year warranty for everything after that, you can always count on us!
Of course, the specialists in the Thomann lighting and stage department are always on hand to offer you advice and assistance in person, by e-mail at licht@thomann.de, by phone on +49 (0)9546-9223-45, or via our online chat function.
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First principles: What is a stroboscope?
Most people are familiar with the classic strobe light effect: Bright, pulsing bursts of light add dynamic energy and a sense of motion to any setting, be that an action-packed theatrical performance or a heaving dancefloor. What most people don't know is that, despite their widespread use in the event and entertainment industry, stroboscopes are actually a by‑product of optical electronics and measurement technology. The rapid sequence of flashes makes it possible for camera technicians and the like to accurately capture extremely fast movements. The combination of a sequence of rapid flashing lights with a dark background – this is the effect we all know from music videos and nightclubs around the world – makes movements appear like a series of individual frames. So in fact the traditional strobe effect is actually a simple yet effective optical illusion.
Buying stroboscopes: Some different approaches
In event and lighting technology, experts distinguish between at least two different types of stroboscopes. On the one hand, there are devices designed exclusively to function as strobes, with models that only emit white light, as well as similar devices that produce a wide range of colours. On the other hand, there are fixtures – from LED floodlights to moving heads – that, alongside their often extensive feature set, also include a strobe function. One noteworthy option are the hybrid models in which an LED floodlight is primarily designed as an area light for stage and similar applications, but also includes a strobe function. The advantage of this multifunctionality is clear: A pure strobe is used relatively rarely; if you choose a hybrid design, you'll end up using the fixture far more often. Buying an LED stroboscope makes this relatively major investment in your lighting setup significantly more affordable. For example, the Stairville Wild Wash Pro 648 RGBW is an excellent example of a 2‑in‑1 device – a four-segment LED floodlight with an integrated stroboscope.
Dynamic strobe and blinder effects
In recent decades, and indeed in the past few years, lighting and stage technology has come on in leaps and bounds. Strobes now offer innovative features that, until recently, seemed barely conceivable. The ability to adjust the flash frequency of a stroboscope lamps is just one of the more accessible and widely-used options available today.
Colour mixing: White/RGB/RGBW and more
The earliest types of stroboscopes only output white light – this too has changed significantly, with LED stroboscopes with RGB or RGBW colour spectrums now widely available. Devices that include the strobe function as one of their many features can go far beyond these colour variants, often also offering mixed colours. Certainly, a strobe still relies heavily on light intensity in addition to the actual flashing function, and white is simply the brightest light. But the fact remains: When buying stroboscopes, you can now choose from an unprecedented variety that caters to individual preferences, budgets, and an endless range of use cases.
Strobes with independently controllable segments
Among the most popular features offered by many modern strobes is the ability to control different segments separately. This makes it possible to design unique and very visually arresting lighting scenes. In doing so, the stroboscope moves from being just a source of light (or flashing light), instead becoming an standalone visual accent – extending far beyond a single uniform colour, and adding another striking option to your overall lighting setup.
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Different technological concepts and use cases
When buying stroboscopes, users can now choose between a variety of different concepts in terms of construction and technological capabilities. LED stroboscopes with hundreds of SMD LEDs provide a homogeneous colour output in the RGB or RGBW spectrum. Other models feature reflectors with a special surface that, alongside dynamic strobe and blinder functions, also produce a pleasing ambient effect. Just one of the many innovative products in this field is the Varytec Colors SonicStrobe – a typical LED stroboscope with ambience function and 48 individually controllable segments.
Using stroboscopes sensibly and selectively
The human brain is usually only willing and able to process an optical illusion of this intensity for a short time. After all, what the strobe effect ultimately does is cause a marked reduction in your ability to accurately perceive movement. For lighting technicians, operators, and designers, this means that strobes are among the effects best suited for careful and sensitive use. Constantly flashing lights in clubs or on stages is not the way to go. Instead, the power of a stroboscope lies in using the effect selectively, choreographing a light show in a particularly dynamic way. For example, by inserting a strobe that emerges from the calm of the scene before, it's possible to showcase a guitarist's solo, a play's opening scene, or the climax of a DJ set perfectly. There are of course countless other applications, none of which profit from being overused. But when the effect is used well, it can add something powerful, indeed electrifying to any production.
LED stroboscopes – the potential of sound‑to‑light mode
One way to fully exploit the potential of a stroboscope's rapid flashing effect is to let the music control the strobe. Ultimately, the goal is to represent movement in a visually striking way, so it's logical enough that this will work even better when the flashes follow the beat of a track that people are already dancing to. Of course, experienced event techs or DJs can set this up via timecode in a DAW. However, using a light fitting with an automatic sound‑to‑light mode is almost always the more practical and straightforward approach.
Choosing the right light for house parties and nightclubs
The most common strobes today are LED stroboscopes. Although slightly less common, there are also models with other types of light sources – for example, simple strobes based on classic designs such as the Eurolite Disco Strobe 25, a mini‑strobe with an integrated flash tube; or, for professional use, devices like the Botex SP-1500 DMX Strobe, designed to be used with a powerful 1,500 W discharge lamp. If you're looking for a stroboscope that can deliver real power, this model might be exactly the right choice.
We offer stroboscopes from popular brands such as:
- ADJ
- Botex
- Cameo
- Eurolite
- Fun Generation
- Ignition
- Martin
- Stairville
- Varytec
- and many more.
One piece of the puzzle – but a very effective one
Every modern light show – whether it's part of a massive festival, a typical band's performance on stage, a solo entertainer's act, a musical in a professional theatre, or anywhere else – is a composition of many different, but ultimately quite simple, lights and effects. One of the most effective is the stroboscope, which today is often both brightly coloured and also capable of contributing quite subtle ambient lighting effects. You too can find out more about the endless options when it comes buying stroboscopes by starting a virtual tour through Thomann's huge range, with so many of the items on offer guaranteed to be in stock.