MIGHTY BRIGHT Duet2: The LED Music Light that Outshines the Rest

MIGHTY BRIGHT Duet2 LED Music Light

Introduction:  Musicians often perform in dark environments. Battery-powered LED clip-on lights are an excellent way to provide light for reading music.  However, these clip-ons vary greatly in quality according to brand.  The MIGHTY BRIGHT Duet2 LED Music Light is, without question, the best stand light I have ever tested.  It earns our Simply Violin Stamp of Approval as well as a permanent spot in my gig bag.

Head Switch

Features:  The MIGHTY BRIGHT Duet2 LED Music Light features independent switches integrated into each head that separately toggle between off, one light, or two lights (for a total of four lights).  The unit's high intensity LEDs (rated to last over 100,000 hours) emit an exceptionally bright light that, with proper positioning of the arms, spreads evenly over the music without shadowing or dark/bright areas.  The Duet2 comes with three AAA batteries, but can be used with an A/C adapter, which was not included in the unit that I tested.  The robust clip attached easily and securely to my music stand.  The Duet2 emits 24 lumens at 111 LUX.  (Lumens are a measurement of brightness and lux represents the intensity or concentration of that brightness on a surface area).  For the sake of comparison, most people light their living rooms to about 100 Lux.  The Duet2's light is a pure bright white, without excessive blue.  

Stand Clip

Fit and Finish:  The Duet2 is an attractive unit.  It is completely black, with all its major parts (including the arms) matching in color.  The lights and switches are elegantly and seemlessly integrated into each head. The unit is slim and has a sleek form factor.  It weighs only 3.7 ounces and can be bent to a compact position for storage.  The arms move easily and in any direction, without sticking -- a common problem with other stand lights that use the gooseneck design.

Dual LED Lights

Why LEDs?:  LED (or Light-Emitting Diode) technology has improved remarkably in recent years.  Modern LEDs  can emit quite a bit of light while drawing very little power -- with the potential for a very long life.  Because LED light is colored and very directional, a high quality LED is required to produce a true white light with sufficient spread to evenly illuminate sheet music.  Other stand lights I have tested produced light that still seemed to have some color, often blue, which can make the music seem more difficult to read.  The purity of the Duet2's white light was a welcome change.  LEDs are also typically shock and vibration resistant -- a big advantage for the traveling musician.

Duet2 after 10 Hours in pitch black environment

Usability:  For me, the most important quality in a stand light is that it last through the gig, without excessive dimming.  Often, an LED stand light is on its last legs well before a two or three hour gig is complete.  Therefore, my first test of the Duet2 was to install the batteries and run the light without interruption to see how long it would last.  Remarkably, the Duet2 lasted 10 hours without substantial dimming (at which point we ended the test).  Further, even at the end of the 10 hours, I could still read the music without shadowing or bright/dark areas.  The photo above was taken in a completely dark room at the end of the ten hour test. The slight bit of shadowing apparent in the photo was not visible to the eye. According to MIGHTY BRIGHT, this is because their precisely engineered optical grade lens spreads the light evenly with no “hot spots or shadows.”


Conclusion: The Duet2's even and natural light is easy on the eyes, reducing the eye strain and fatigue that can come with reading music in the dark. With its exceptional performance, lasting power, and elegant design, it far outshines its competition.
 
About the Manufacturer:  Located in California, MIGHTY BRIGHT has been in business since 1985 and specializes in a variety of LED-based products including clip-ons for printed books, USB-powered LEDs, book lights, and even a light for your Kindle eReader. 
 
Price:  The Duet2 retails for $34.99 with batteries.  A version with an A/C adaptor (but without batteries) retails for $39.99.

For Retailers: Contact Mike Vaughan (email: mike.vaughan@mightybright.com)