Ready to upgrade???

So, I'm ready to upgrade my studio lighting setup. I mainly shoot outdoors where I utilize my speed lights. But I love to shoot newborns, and find myself drawn to that niche in studio. But occasionally (more and more) I need to use my studio lights for events like Homecoming pictures, or Santa pictures at Christmas. Occasional things, but big enough money makers that I can't justify having hot spots like I get with my current setup. I have 2 calumet 400's and a couple of shoot through umbrellas. I started with eBay cheapo triggers and was having too many misfires, so I decided to bite the bullet and get pocket wizard's. And now I'm ready to figure out some softer, better quality light. I was thinking 2 alien bee 400's a large softbox for the main and smaller one for the fill, but I'm wondering if I will get the same light with big softboxes on my current lights. Any thoughts?

Changing lights will/may give you more power control, the ability to do Supersync/HSS, more consistent color across the power range, or have faster recycle time but in the end the light quality is a function of the modifiers you have and how you use them.

Ok thanks! That makes sense! I will play with modifier on my current lights before I get a whole new setup. Anyone have experience with a brand of softboxes that they love?

Get the ab800s instead. The minor upgrade in cost is worth it. Bug thst ssid if you are getting hotspots its probably bad modifiers or badly using uour modifiers. Bare bulb strones throw light all over the place in pretty much the same patterns. If you had snother brand like the bees but used the same umbrellas in the same wsy you eould get pretty much the same result.