Recently acquired a few Source Four LUSTR+ LED ellipsoidals.  These are pretty close to state-of-the-art stage fixtures.  I was able to pair them first with ETC’s Element console, which allowed me to experience the freedom of selecting from a fairly extensive gel catalogue the actual colour of the fixture light, as well as some spiffy live colour changes during the production. In addition, the LUSTRs were paired with I-Que moving mirrors and DMX iris units, which the Element grouped under one slider for intensity, plus virtual wheels for pan, tilt and iris.  Took a little getting used to, but after a while, it was extremely handy.  Could be pursuaded to consider adding an Element to my inventory!

Later I paired them with my Hog II console.  Not quite as elegant, as I have to choose colours by inspection, and tune by eye. Still, over 6,000 points of hue and 255 levels of saturation give tremendous flexibility without requiring scrollers or multiples of instruments.

Meanwhile, I also got to experiment with the Element software on ColorBlast RGB fixtures.  Again, the convenience was impressive, although I hesitate to give up the flexible groupings possible with the Hog platform. 

The greatest joy of the new technologies remains the flexibility they afford for creativity. Perhaps even more so, given my memory of where things were when I started this journey.