Xbox 360 Rock Band Stage Kit

I just picked this up after several weeks of considering it to be a very expensive novelty...$100 for an audio-sensing light show and fog machine? Heck...you can pick up a ton of stuff at a local Spencer's Gifts for that price, so why bother with this? It was only when I read that the kit actually SYNCS with the music in Rock Band 2 that I took a closer look.

This kit does NOT use cheap audio sensors to work, e.g. the lights aren't dependent on the beat to function like some cheap novelty light from Spencer's. Instead, each song in Rock Band 1/2 has a specific light show that has been specifically programmed to match, and the kit automatically senses and responds to the songs you've selected. The synchronization is UNCANNY. The strobe fires in JUST the right parts, and is used very sparingly so as not to diminish the effect. The timing of the fogger kicking on is also quite good. For example, it will automatically turn on a few seconds before a killer guitar solo...Read more

Full LED light and strobe show with a fog machine, all of it synchronized to the game. It works really well and gives the whole gameplay a much more full experience. With the nearly $100 price tag, it certainly isn't for everyone. In particular, it's not for people that would have a problem with their friends mocking them for having a synchronized light and smoke kit for a video game with plastic instruments.

The unit itself is pretty well built and professionally done. It works seemlessly with Rock Band and setup is pretty much as simple as pouring in the fog juice, plugging it into your 360 and loading the game. The only downside to using it is that if you have a singer, they have to use the light show's base unit as a control pad.

I was originally pretty hesitant about purchasing this. 100 bucks is not necessarily a lot of money, but this is definitely a frivolous purchase with the potential to be a complete waste of money. I was pleasantly surprised, as this thing turned out to be much more fun then I had anticipated. It really adds a new dynamic to the game, and it is an awesome addition to group jam sessions. I would not advise you sit in your living room alone and jam out with some fog and lights, as this would immediately make you a tool. However, with the addition of some pals and some booze, this thing quickly becomes the coolest gaming add-on ever. The one caveat is that the fogging unit is probably too generous with the fog. If you leave the machine on through an entire three song set, chances are you will not be able to see your hand in front of your face by the end, and you may pass out from affixation. This is a small price to pay for something so sweet, and if you had the guts to buy this...Read more