ACME SANDANE FROST

The ACME SANDANE FROST is an IP66 rated LED Par with a few points of difference. It is marketed as a compact, lightweight, energy-efficient light that offers high output and exceptional colour mixing. I know there are a lot of LED Pars on the market, but this one is well worth a look.

Construction

The ACME SANDANE FROST would be classed as a compact fixture with dimensions of 266mm (w) x 158mm (d) x 320mm (h). It weighs 6.5kg. The face of the light, the actual LED array, is about eight inches in diameter. This makes it about the same as a Par 64, arguably the most popular Par size.

It is also IP66 rated, meaning that it is fully protected from dust and can withstand high pressure jets of water from any direction. Basically, it can live outside, just not underwater. It’s compact, it’s light, and it’s easy to hang or put on the floor. With one clamp, it’s a one-person job, and with no moving parts, it’s a low to no maintenance fixture.

Optics, Colour, and Brightness

SANDANE FROST is a multi-source LED Par. It features 55 6W RGBL (Red, Green Blue, Lime) LED diodes, with the lime LED included for more accurate colour rendering. Colour temperature is variable from 2,500K all the way up to 8,000K.

The fixture draws 215W of power and has an output of 9,400 lumens. Pound for pound, it packs a proper punch. For context, an old school conventional 500W WFL (Wide Flood Lens) Par 64 gives a lumen output of about 3,500 lumens. The ACME SANDANE FROST uses less than half the power and gives much more than twice the amount of light of a standard Par 64. Very efficient.

Possibly the main selling factor that separates it from the rest of the LED Par pack is the electronic frost. It is a frost with no moving parts. It is variable and can switch between different angles. It is effectively DMX controllable Smart Glass. If you have seen how Smart Glass works, it’s glass that can go from clear to frosted with the flick of a switch, (most commonly seen in high end shower screens) then you will know how this technology works.

I love the out-of-the-box thinking by ACME to use Smart Glass to shape the beam. Using innovation like this in a market as cost-driven and competitive as the LED Par market speaks volumes to their R&D team behind the scenes.

The beam angle goes from 18° – 53°. For reference, a VNSP (Very Narrow Spot) in a Par 64 has a beam angle of about 12° and a WFL (Wide Flood Lens) has about a 50° beam angle.

Applications and Features

LED pars in general are great to put anywhere you need blocks of colour. Put them on a truss behind a band, have them uplight a drape or a wall. Just about anything that needs to be lit or coloured that isn’t front light could use the SANDANE FROST. You can use it inside or outside, as part of a show, or an installation. The beam angle is adjustable to cover just about the full Par range.

These would be a handy addition to any venue’s inventory. They would also be very much at home in the inventory of a production house. LED pars are really handy; if you have them, you will use them.

When you are trying to make and market an LED Par, you operate in a pretty narrow band. If you put too many features in it, you no longer have a simple Par. If you do too much to the optics, you risk pricing yourself out.

Control and Programming

The SANDANE FROST is a pretty simple light to control and program, which is exactly what you want from an LED Par. You can control the colour, intensity and beam angle. It can be controlled via either a 3-pin or 5-pin DMX cable. It has five different control modes; 6 ch, 7 ch, 8 ch, 9 ch and 11 ch modes. It has an onboard control panel which allows you to manually control the fixture.

Verdict

The ACME SANDANE FROST Par gives you the option to have all your different lens Pars (WFL, MFL, NSP, VNSP) in the one light. You could argue that it is a 4-in-1 par.

Switching between all four can be done at the console. As it has no moving parts, it means no noise. Add to this a superior light engine and an IP66 rating and what you have is a high quality, versatile LED Par pitched towards the high end of the market at a really good price. Do yourself a favour and check it out!

Product Info: en.acmelighting.com/item/SANDANE-FROST

Distributor Australia and New Zealand: www.ulagroup.com

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The Specs

• Light Source: 55 x 6W RGBL LED
• Total lumen output: 9,400 lumens
• Colour temperature output: 2,500K – 8,000K
• Life expectancy: 20,000 hours Beam angle: 18°, 36°, 53°
• Field angle: 37°, 96°, 128°
• DMX controllable Smart Glass technology 4 touch-button control panel
• Optional half or full-size anti-glare shield
• Double bracket design, and multiple installation methods are available