Right, makes sense. The picture really sums it up quite well because of the practical example.
Thanks to my HZ-300, I can see the beams off my spots really good as well as off my Q-spots(both non-ADJ Elation fixtures, sorry!), and it makes sense what you're saying about the wash lights now because it's not a "focussed" beam of light. I did get a few photos and they from what came out usable, they are pretty cool.
I'm looking for more wash lights, maybe even some moving head units or something. I have to do something soon because I'm very unhappy with a particular non-ADJ/Elation fixture that has given me a high degree of grief over the years. I'll be revisting my LED wash discussion, which is very much budget based.
Bringing it back around:
The cast and crew(and myself) LOVED what the HZ-300 hazer brought to the show. It helped make the lights "pop", gave a more professional edge to the production, gave the cast on stage and on the floor an appearance of being "shot on film". Granted, for me, it was quite a pop. The HZ-300 and the ICE-101 have been the highest priced bits of gear I have bought to date in regards to lighting. My hand is being forced into buying better gear, which is good and bad. It's bad because it's costing me so much more, but overall the good outweighs the bad, because the results are what I'm after. It just costs me more to get stuff, which means it takes me longer to get it. I can't drop prices to do more shows to make it up on volume.
My needs and requirements for lighting has evolved from "just need some lights" to now having some fairly exact requirements(some self-imposed). I feel pretty comfortable with the choices I've made. I've also gotten good advise from yourself, Jingles, my dealer and Support from Elation an ADJ.