Plus, the Angel's version is sold through his website to any laymen who wants to buy the levitation that he has seen on TV! Isn't this exposure in a certain way? Don't you prefer to own Icarus, that is sold in a restrict market, to magicians?
Just my humble opinion...

Angel's or the Icarus..? I'm sooo glad we're not still talking about the biggest hoax of 2005: Aliun.
:dancing:

But I have the E2, how does Icarus compare, If owners of both could write a few pros/cons I'd appreciate it.

Jack.

Icarus is much more easy to perform and you are always ready to go. I've seen once the gimmick of elevator 1 and I don't like it. I'm pretty sure E2 uses the some kind of gimmick. Also with Icarus you can levitate in a more visual way, you can levitate much more than with elevator, besides you can use Icarus to do a lean back type effect. Cons: Icarus cannot be seen from behind or from the sides.

There is no other lev on the market that gives the impact as the Icarus Effect. The height is just amazing. The owner of a magic store in my city has told me that there are a lot of complaints on the elevator. Lots of people wanted their money back. I don't blame them after seeing the Icarus Effect. The comparison of the Criss Angel effect, I was told that it is equally as good.. .however you do it in a different fashion, from the back. Well, good news people, you can modify the Criss Angel lev to do it like the Icarus Effect. Sure you have to create it - but to me that just means more control to the user and better understanding of what it is all about. They are both equal and both will provide magicians with the most outstanding lev to hit the market. Period.

I, as LDM did, already got the Criss Angel DVD. Icarus is on the way, and I will also post a head-to-head comparison. Stay tuned!

To be honest I thought I was stretching the limit when I got the E2 for $200
I wonder: the debate Icarus/Angel lev. is probably going to go on for 20 pages, I have no doubt that Mr.Paterson's lev. is a killer. But to me it have to be substantially better than Angel's if I were to invest in his.
As of now it seems Angel's lev. is a steal???

Jack.

Besides the difference in practicality and look, Icarus Effect differs from the lev that Angel is selling in that ALL of the materials (including some very hard to find bits) are included with the Icarus Effect. With Angel, you get just a DVD. You have to seek out and buy all of the materials yourself.

For anyone who makes money from performing Magic, Icarus Effect is a reasonable investment. It was priced as it is to keep it reasonably exclusive, so that everyone wouldn't be doing it, and to keep it out of the hands of the merely curious.

I see this as a good thing.

- entity

Very good point. On the same token, you could also look at Criss Angel's DVD in a similar light meaning, how many lay people will actually take the time and make the investment to seek out and construct their own gimmick, especially after spending the initial $100+ for the DVD? Just a different way of looking at it.

The thing is that some will buy the Angel DVD and learn the secret of the Jacob Spinney levitation, and then never go to the trouble of constructing it. But they will know how it works, thereby ruining the opportunity for anyone who HAS gone to the trouble of making it up, from performing it for that person.

Since the Angel DVD was sold directly to the general public through his website, I suspect that there were many Angel fans who bought the DVD, will never make up the gimmick, but who will know the secret and share it with their friends, not being bound by any Magician's compunctions about keeping secrets.

- entity

"Since the Angel DVD was sold directly to the general public through his website, I suspect that there were many Angel fans who bought the DVD, will never make up the gimmick, but who will know the secret and share it with their friends, not being bound by any Magician's compunctions about keeping secrets."

- entity

Which mean people will know the secret of the illusion wich is similar to the Icarus. Too bad. But everyone wants to make money.


"I'll go first...

I've been doing Magic for 37 years. I've been a full-time professional for 29 of those years, earning my complete living as a performer and magic consultant. I've acted as consultant for multi-million dollar stage productions, and for television and films. I have had my own stage and television productions as well.

I have 37 years of experience performing everything from large scale illusions and escapes to sleight of hand, hypnosis and mentalism. I have had hands-on experience over the years with, at last count, 11 different types of levitations, some close-up self levitations and others full scale stage levitations. I was performing the Balducci levitation long before you were even born.

Your turn.

- entity

What is your stage name? I couldn't find anything on your profile. that's nice 37 years experience. I wish I have that. Anyway congratulation.

Las

I hope that Magic is about more than just the money.

My name is Thomas Baxter.

- entity

Why does it have to come down to this guys?
I'm a new user and have read several threads; Invariably it turns into a ****ing contest!!!
Please, go to the top of this forum and read the flashing sentence!
Angel, Icaruss, Balducci, King rising, Pocket, Wild, etc etc. They all have their good and bad points but they all produce one common effect- you, the magician floats; The lay person isn't gonna be asking for the ins and outs of it, the price, or what the angular constraints are- they are gonna take it for what it is. You could (like I have) spend loads of money on the IE and yet get a far more reallistic reaction performing the Balducci! it's down to you the performer to perfect the art that you take the time and effort to buy and learn.
STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS WE SEE FURTHER.

How many of those people who bought the Angel lev or the Icarus are actually gonna sow up at your gig and start spilling the beans to all those that attended. I say none. So - as far as lay people knowing a secret or two... it ain't gonna make a bit of beans against magic or it's community at large. Stop worryin... it's all good. Some know and most don't. So you still will have an audience at the end of the day.

And yes the Icarus and Criss Angel levs are the same. If they are not.. then my version made at home is my own and I should have the right to sell it too. It does not use any special space age material... it also is not expensive to make and you can perform a stand alone levitation on the spot in front of any spectator. Anyone want to buy my instructions for $100 US - or $100 Cdn? Prove which country your in and I will honour the currency at par! PM me, serious enquiries only. I do not own any of the levs and have created my own version for my own purpose.

Look what's happened with the Balducci Levitation... Every school kid knows how it's done. The attitude you express resulted in it's widespread exposure.

Anyone who owns both the Icarus Effect and the Angel DVD knows there are major differences in the practicality, performance and look of the two levitations, as well as in the actual product being sold.

You can buy knock off illusions and illusion plans cheaply in many places on the internet. What you generally will get is unusable junk, something that some kid has thrown together based upon how he THINKS the original illusion was designed.

Attempting to rip off other people's ideas to make a little extra cash is not the right thing to do, Troller.

- entity

That's very nice of you troller to try and sell us some levitation. can we see a preview? maybe you came up with something ingenious.
if you really wanna sell it , that's not the way to do it! put up a preaview so everyone can comment.

- Matt

That is a funny post Troller, a guy who owns neither one has more advice and critiqing about the two levetations than any of the owners. You are giving really bad advice to people that are looking for advice. You rate levs without knowing jack, you could be hurting potential sales for the creators with your nonsense and you seem to pass off your speculations as first hand knowlegdge. Funny, I hope not that many people are using your advice, you sure do assume alot. Assume, doesn't that make an___ out of people.

Jeff

Eventhough you have not seen my version you seem to express the same negative feeling about my version as you are expressing those negative feelings towards me. Doesn't that make you a hypocryte?

My version doesn't use any of the material of the IE or the CA. I am also providing a service to fellow magicians that prefer to have a less expensive lev. I created my version from inspiration and it works.

If you want to see it, then send me a PM. I prefer to show this to a select few that are serious in buying an affordable lev and not to people that just want to insult me. If you want the IE or CA, you are free to purchase those too and then compare it to mine. I am sure you will find a difference in methods yet similarities in results. Since I did not purchase the IE or the CA verions, you cannot say I ripped them off. For I do not know their methods and therefore my method is from my own mind. Get over it. Stop insulting people. It doesn't help.

Troller, you are definitely a cool guy. Not that you need my advise, but please don't be swayed by the old-fashioned groupthink that 9 out of 10 people her regurgitate. My opinion is that that lot is the reason that most normal people run screaming into the night whenever someone threatens to do some magic for them.

As for your lev, can I contact you when I relocate to Indonesia (which I'll do shortly). I'll send you 100 rupiah by Paypal ;-)

Troller I hope you got my pm pls let me know because my computer froze when I was sending it

Hi I'm a new user.. actually this is my first post.... I would like to add my opinion to the "not logical to show the back to the audience issue" (Chris version). Well, which is more logical: facing the platform you are floating onto... or having your back face the platform... A pilot flying a plane won't land it tail first right? Yea you can fly.. but having eyes behind your head is a another effect altogether! Thus, I guess it's not fair to write off chris's method for that behind vs front argument. I have seen the chris method from a fellow magician's video. And have only seen the demo of icarus. What I can say is..(w/o exposing the secret) if you examine our lower body carefully, to levitate onto a plateform, the icarus is a better option as the 'set up' need not be made erm.. so high..(hope those of you who owns either get what 'm saying...)