Acme reliability/Quality control.

[Pierre Le Sound]

I've been wanting to update to some LED lighting for some while. My local shop is offering a good deal on some kit.

So......I ordered the Acme SuperNova colour splash package. As I had to be in London early on Saturday, my better half collected them for me.

Woke up at lunchtime today, GREAT!, new toys to play with. You can imagine my disgust when I found that only two of the four units worked. The faulty units ran the fans, but no light or internal movement.:mad: :mad:

They're going back to the shop for a refund tomorrow, refusing the offer of replacements.

I don't think I'll be buying any more Acme gear. One faulty unit can happen, but two out of four in the same package is just plain rubbish. As I pointed out to the shop. I have no confidence in the future reliability if they send out this tat. Strangely, all four had a nice quality control sticker on the back, what for!...to check they're all the same colour? :bang: :bang:

If there are any recommendations floating around for similar units by a better maker i'd be pleased to hear them.

[Corabar Entertainment]

Sorry you haven't got your toys to play with Pierre :p However, we've got lights of just about all of the main makes, and we've had the best luck on the reliability front with the acme stuff! I think it's just luck of the draw :(

[ross@rds]

May not be Acme the lights could have been used on show in the shop ? maby its the shops problem or maby Acme's fault lol.

[groovy-nights]

I have a problem getting a part for a acme light.A few emails and phone calls to andrew at prolight and it was sorted.

[Paul James Promotions]

With the two that do work, are they any good?

I can get a good deal on these, and thinking about trying a set.

[Pierre Le Sound]

The lights were still in the packaging from Prolight, complete with the banding.

They looked quite good in the shop with the lights off and some smoke. Having looked at the two working units in the garage tonight, I have my doubts over the effectivness when used without the smoke. Which is rather important when you consider how many venues are smoke machine free. They are a single 3 watt LED. Supposedly, equivalent to a 300 watt bulb. I'm not convinced.:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Dragonfly]

when i bought my dynamos i bought 2 sets .... 1 complete set went back as someone had forgotten to attach the lamp holders to the units ... on all 4 of them , they just rattled around inside?? never had any huge problems with them though.

[Starlight]

I dont have a problem with Acme, I personally think you get plenty of bang for your buck. They've never let me down. However, I'm still undecided about these new LCD lights, my gut instinct tells me that they aren't as bright as many lights on the market, could be wrong but I cant see myself being a big fan of LCD lighting.

Mendoza.

[Corabar Entertainment]

I think you mean 'LED' lighting Mendoza :D

[Starlight]

I think you mean 'LED' lighting Mendoza :D

:D Late nights love! :p

Mendoza.

[Corabar Steve]

I dunno, there could be a market for Liquid Crystal Display lights for those applications that don't need to be too in your face :sj:

[soundmaster mobile disco]

I find that its always better to check and test everything that you buy from a dj shop.That way you can see them working and if you have any questions you can always ask before you leave the showroom.

I have acme lights and i have to say that i have never had any problems.I dont personally like the super nova led lights,i much prefer the impossibled and the marveled.

Hope that this has not put you of buying acme lights again?

[Vectis]

I've got nothing but good things to say about Acme gear - I use loads of it and have never had a sniff of a problem. It is very good value for money.

[soundmaster mobile disco]

I've got nothing but good things to say about Acme gear - I use loads of it and have never had a sniff of a problem. It is very good value for money.


I totally agree with vectisvibe

[flatliners]

i have had 4 acme twizzers gobo moonflowers never had a problem.
i am looking at american dj lighting at the moment fancy 2 white led pearls. supposed to be equivalent to a 300w halogen. i just think 2 white flowers among my other effects would look great. i mentioned them in another post.
the h20 effect looks good

[rob1963]

Whoaaaaa....full stops...5 of them in one post!

Nice one!

:clap: :thumbsup: :claphands:

[Quadrophenia]

Re Acme Supernova (Supanova) we have a set of four and they work well albeit limited. one thing to take great care over are the clips that hold it to the mounting bracket they snap very easily LOL we are just starting and cant compare to well to other lights but they seem to work for us but much better with a small amount of fog.

Quad

[spin mobile disco]

I have 4 acme dynamos, 2 dynarocks and have never had a problem. In fact in last year havent replaced a bulb on 1 of them.

[mark@pegasus]

Most of my show is made up of ACME lighting 2x Leo's 2x Scimitars 4 LEDJ PAR56 and the Supernova, did have a similar problem where the fan worked but nothing else, I reset all of the switches to off left it switched off for a couple of hours worked fine, I think the DMX boards just need time to reset themselves. Other than that I think they provide a nice if limited effect, be interesting to see how the perform if and when I get around to sorting out a DMX controller

[CRAZY K]

I've got nothing but good things to say about Acme gear - I use loads of it and have never had a sniff of a problem. It is very good value for money.

Agreed VV.

Over the last 5 years I have bought Stormbird, Dynatwin and Impossibled --- never had a problem.:D :D :D

Altthough I dont use them every week have never replaced a lamp--ok I know the Impossibled doesnt have one:D

Then again im the lucky guy who never has a problem with Cortex:)

I did have a problem with my Source Colourblade <groan> lamp holder replacement needed.

This is why I use the local DJ shop 30 minutes away---if its a problem straight back--replacement or hire stock immediately available:D

Works for me.

CRAZY K

[Corabar Steve]

Most of my show is made up of ACME lighting 2x Leo's 2x Scimitars 4 LEDJ PAR56 and the Supernova, did have a similar problem where the fan worked but nothing else, I reset all of the switches to off left it switched off for a couple of hours worked fine,The Leos turn everything off except the fan if they overheat, probably that.

[mark@pegasus]

Sorry Steve I was refering to Pierre's problem with two of his Supernova heads not working. never had a problem with the Leos and had them 8 years

[Corabar Steve]

Could be the same reason though.

[One Vision]

I love the lights they do but you do have to check new ones when they arrive as I do reckon the QC is a bit laxi, especially the ones manufactured at the end of last year as they just couldn't make enough for the demand.
My mate bought 4 of the Marveled lights, 3 were spot on but on one the hanging bracket had been put on wrong, they are usually towards the back but one was bolted at the front so the bracket was lob sided and even the sticker had been put in the wrong place so they obviously new of the problem but let it through as it had the QC sticker on it lol.

Fare doos though it was a simple swap from the shop he got them from and have all been great at gigs although my view is that 4 are way too much for a 6` span on the small show but that's another story :D

[Royalblue]

Have only ever had an issue with the supplied IEC lead. Apart from that no problems at all. I have had the lens pop out on the impossibled but that's easily fixed. I do really like the LED lights, and they're so much lighter!

[One Vision]

Hya Royalblue do you get of your gear from GK?

[Royalblue]

Hya Royalblue do you get of your gear from GK?

haha, very regularly!

[DazzyD]

one thing to take great care over are the clips that hold it to the mounting bracket they snap very easily LOL we are just starting and cant compare to well to other lights but they seem to work for us but much better with a small amount of fog.

Quad

I think all light effect are more impressive with a touch of smoke/fog/haze.

I can relate to the the plastic release handles (don't know the proper name for them) snapping on the mounting brackets, though. We use a 4-head Acme goboflower show and have replaced the handles with metal quick-release versions. Much better.

Like most people on this thread, we've never had a problem with the Acme stuff. The 4-head package is 3 years old now and has never let us down (although the supplier did 'forget' to put the bulbs in causing me to run around like a madman for bulbs as the lights arrived the day I needed them!).

Was using LED effects last night. It was a small room but they were really bright and effective and were commented on by a few people.

[adilowes]

I have 6 x Acme Spotnights and thought they were the best thing I have ever bought until I bought 2 x Acme Impossibleds 2 weeks ago and they are fantastic. Also just got 2 of the Kam LED floods 800s. Also ordered a DMX controller to really get into the light show control side of things. That will probably do me for lighting for a while. Will probably get rid of some of my abstract scanners, twister 4's and colour floods if I am totally happy with these.

But on this thread. Acme have always been fine for me and reliable. The occasional problem with lamp relays on the Pumas but that has been it. Probably better than abstract actually.:)

[pulsemobiledisco]

But on this thread. Acme have always been fine for me and reliable. The occasional problem with lamp relays on the Pumas but that has been it. Probably better than abstract actually.:)

One of the lamp relays went on one of my Puma's over christmas, sorted very quickly by my local shop.

My comlete light show is Acme and I've always been very impressed with their kit. I think it is great value for money. Sure I would love to have a full Martin light rig, but would the punters know any difference, probably not.