October 10, 2025 • 7 mins
Dive deep into the ACME SUPERNOVA, a powerhouse moving head fixture making waves in the live events world. Chris and Lacy unpack its game-changing features, tech specs, and real-world impact for outdoor and stadium productions.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:19):
All right, welcome back to Geezers of Gear Future Tech.
I'm Chris, and as always joined by the one and only Lacey.
Today we're diving into a bit ofa beast, the Acme Supernova.
This thing's been making some serious noise in the live events
world, and for good reason. Hey Chris, I got to say, when
you first told me about this fixture, I thought, OK, another
(00:41):
big light. But then I saw the numbers. 1800
watts, 65,000 lumens. That's not just big, that's like
stadium big. Yeah, it's a proper powerhouse.
I mean, 1800 watts from an LED engine is wild, and that's
65,000 lumen output. That's the kind of punch you
need if you're lighting up a football pitch or, say, an
(01:03):
outdoor art installation at Vivid.
It's not just about raw power, though.
The Supernova's got a high CRI up to 90 with the filter in,
which is a bit rare for something this brawny.
That means your Reds and skin tones actually look right even
under all that intensity. So for folks who don't live and
breathe lighting, CRI is what color rendering index.
(01:27):
Basically how true the colors look under the light.
Exactly, and with the variable CTO, you can shift from a warm
2700 K all the way up to a crisp6700 K.
That's huge for stadiums or evenTV gigs where you need to match
camera requirements or just makesure the team jerseys don't look
weird on screen. I remember this one festival,
(01:50):
outdoors, of course, where we lost a whole row of fixtures to
a sudden downpour. If we'd had something with an
IP66 rating, like the Supernova,we'd have been laughing.
Instead, we were scrambling for tarps and praying for a break in
the weather. Yeah, I've seen that happen.
You think you're ready? And then the weather just winds.
(02:10):
So this thing's really built forthe elements.
Absolutely. It's a true outdoor fixture.
The IP66 rating means it'll shrug off rain, dust, whatever
you throw at it and at over 52 kilos it's not exactly dainty.
But that's the trade off for something that can survive a
monsoon and still light up a stadium.
All right, so it's bright, it's tough, and it makes colors look
good. But what about all the bells and
(02:32):
whistles? I know these things are never
just on and off anymore. Oh, you want bells and whistles?
The Supernova's got a whole Orchestra 2 rotating gobo wheels
so you can do both projection and aerial effects.
There's an animation wheel for those water or flame looks and
A4 shutter framing module so youcan literally shape the beam,
(02:54):
even do a full blackout with a single shutter.
Plus you get a four facet linearprism, 2 independent frost
filters. It's a lot.
Wait, so 2 prisms and you can combine them?
Yeah, you can stack the four facet circular and linear prisms
for some wild effects and the zoom 12 to one ratio from 4° all
the way out to 48, that's a massive range.
(03:16):
The lens up front is 225mm so you get a really healthy beam,
but you can also wash a huge area if you zoom out.
It's versatile beam spot wash all in one.
I got to ask though, are all these features really necessary?
Like I remember when a moving head just moved and changed
color. Now it's like, here's your
(03:37):
animation wheel, here's your frost, here's your framing
shutters. Is it overkill or do you
actually use all this stuff? That's a fair question.
I mean, back in the day you'd have a fixture for each job, one
for gobos, one for wash, one forbeam.
Now with something like the supernova, you can do it all
with one unit. For big shows, especially
(03:58):
outdoors, you need that flexibility.
You might want tight beams for aconcert, then a soft wash for
1/2 time show, then project gobos for an art piece.
Having it all in one box saves time, space and honestly money
in the long run. So it's not just about showing
off, it's about being ready for anything.
Exactly. And compared to legacy fixtures,
(04:19):
you're getting way more control and way less maintenance.
No lamp changes, no worrying about weather, and you can do
more with fewer units. It's a bit like what we talked
about with the Elation Rebel profile a few episodes back.
Rugged, versatile and built for the real world, not just the
spec sheet. All right, I'm convinced.
But all those features must makeit a nightmare to program,
(04:40):
right? You'd think so, but actually the
supernova is pretty friendly. On the control side, you've got
all the usual suspects. DMXRDM, Arnet SACN and it comes
with four DMX modes, 233234 and 43 channels, so if you want to
keep it simple you can, or if you want to go full mad
(05:01):
scientist, you've got all the parameters at your fingertips.
The onboard control panel's got 4 buttons and an LCD just like
the rest of the Acme range, so it's familiar if you've used
their stuff before. That's good because I've seen
programmers get that deer in headlights look when they see a
new fixture with a million channels.
But OK, let's talk about the build.
You said it's over 50 kilos. That's like a small person.
(05:25):
Yeah, 52.5 kilos to be exact, but it's built like a tank.
IP66 pan and tilt locks, CEUKCA&CETLUS certifications.
You can hang it, ground stack it, whatever.
And it's already been out in thewild.
Get show, LDI, all the big events.
People are putting it through its paces in stadiums,
(05:46):
festivals, you name it. I saw a headline act lose half
their rig to a summer storm once.
Just poof gone. That's when you realize how
important it is to have gear that can take a beating.
It's not just about the show, it's about not losing your shirt
when the weather turns. Exactly, and with the supernova
you're not just getting power and features, you're getting
Peace of Mind. It's like what we talked about
(06:07):
in the Rig POV and Prodigy balance episodes.
Safety, reliability and making life easier for everyone on
site. The tech's moving fast, but it's
all about making shows better and less stressful.
All right, that's a wrap for today's deep dive.
If you're out there battling theelements or just want a fixture
that can do it, all, the Acme Supernova's worth a look.
(06:29):
Chris, thanks for nerding out with me as always.
Always a pleasure, Lacey, and thanks to everyone for tuning in
to Geezers of Gear Future Tech to discuss the Acme Supernova.
We'll be back next week with more gear, more stories, and
probably more weather disasters.See you then.
Bye everyone. Future tech is here.
(06:55):
Come on man, you make the specs so clear.
Oh La La with music to your ears.
Hey, hey, hey. Let's go.
New gear vibes, new tech jive.
All right, welcome back to Geezers of Gear Future Tech.
I'm Chris, and as always joined by the one and only Lacey.
Today we're diving into a bit ofa beast, the Acme Supernova.
This thing's been making some serious noise in the live events
world, and for good reason. Hey Chris, I got to say, when
you first told me about this fixture, I thought, OK, another
(00:41):
big light. But then I saw the numbers. 1800
watts, 65,000 lumens. That's not just big, that's like
stadium big. Yeah, it's a proper powerhouse.
I mean, 1800 watts from an LED engine is wild, and that's
65,000 lumen output. That's the kind of punch you
need if you're lighting up a football pitch or, say, an
(01:03):
outdoor art installation at Vivid.
It's not just about raw power, though.
The Supernova's got a high CRI up to 90 with the filter in,
which is a bit rare for something this brawny.
That means your Reds and skin tones actually look right even
under all that intensity. So for folks who don't live and
breathe lighting, CRI is what color rendering index.
(01:27):
Basically how true the colors look under the light.
Exactly, and with the variable CTO, you can shift from a warm
2700 K all the way up to a crisp6700 K.
That's huge for stadiums or evenTV gigs where you need to match
camera requirements or just makesure the team jerseys don't look
weird on screen. I remember this one festival,
(01:50):
outdoors, of course, where we lost a whole row of fixtures to
a sudden downpour. If we'd had something with an
IP66 rating, like the Supernova,we'd have been laughing.
Instead, we were scrambling for tarps and praying for a break in
the weather. Yeah, I've seen that happen.
You think you're ready? And then the weather just winds.
(02:10):
So this thing's really built forthe elements.
Absolutely. It's a true outdoor fixture.
The IP66 rating means it'll shrug off rain, dust, whatever
you throw at it and at over 52 kilos it's not exactly dainty.
But that's the trade off for something that can survive a
monsoon and still light up a stadium.
All right, so it's bright, it's tough, and it makes colors look
good. But what about all the bells and
(02:32):
whistles? I know these things are never
just on and off anymore. Oh, you want bells and whistles?
The Supernova's got a whole Orchestra 2 rotating gobo wheels
so you can do both projection and aerial effects.
There's an animation wheel for those water or flame looks and
A4 shutter framing module so youcan literally shape the beam,
(02:54):
even do a full blackout with a single shutter.
Plus you get a four facet linearprism, 2 independent frost
filters. It's a lot.
Wait, so 2 prisms and you can combine them?
Yeah, you can stack the four facet circular and linear prisms
for some wild effects and the zoom 12 to one ratio from 4° all
the way out to 48, that's a massive range.
(03:16):
The lens up front is 225mm so you get a really healthy beam,
but you can also wash a huge area if you zoom out.
It's versatile beam spot wash all in one.
I got to ask though, are all these features really necessary?
Like I remember when a moving head just moved and changed
color. Now it's like, here's your
(03:37):
animation wheel, here's your frost, here's your framing
shutters. Is it overkill or do you
actually use all this stuff? That's a fair question.
I mean, back in the day you'd have a fixture for each job, one
for gobos, one for wash, one forbeam.
Now with something like the supernova, you can do it all
with one unit. For big shows, especially
(03:58):
outdoors, you need that flexibility.
You might want tight beams for aconcert, then a soft wash for
1/2 time show, then project gobos for an art piece.
Having it all in one box saves time, space and honestly money
in the long run. So it's not just about showing
off, it's about being ready for anything.
Exactly. And compared to legacy fixtures,
(04:19):
you're getting way more control and way less maintenance.
No lamp changes, no worrying about weather, and you can do
more with fewer units. It's a bit like what we talked
about with the Elation Rebel profile a few episodes back.
Rugged, versatile and built for the real world, not just the
spec sheet. All right, I'm convinced.
But all those features must makeit a nightmare to program,
(04:40):
right? You'd think so, but actually the
supernova is pretty friendly. On the control side, you've got
all the usual suspects. DMXRDM, Arnet SACN and it comes
with four DMX modes, 233234 and 43 channels, so if you want to
keep it simple you can, or if you want to go full mad
(05:01):
scientist, you've got all the parameters at your fingertips.
The onboard control panel's got 4 buttons and an LCD just like
the rest of the Acme range, so it's familiar if you've used
their stuff before. That's good because I've seen
programmers get that deer in headlights look when they see a
new fixture with a million channels.
But OK, let's talk about the build.
You said it's over 50 kilos. That's like a small person.
(05:25):
Yeah, 52.5 kilos to be exact, but it's built like a tank.
IP66 pan and tilt locks, CEUKCA&CETLUS certifications.
You can hang it, ground stack it, whatever.
And it's already been out in thewild.
Get show, LDI, all the big events.
People are putting it through its paces in stadiums,
(05:46):
festivals, you name it. I saw a headline act lose half
their rig to a summer storm once.
Just poof gone. That's when you realize how
important it is to have gear that can take a beating.
It's not just about the show, it's about not losing your shirt
when the weather turns. Exactly, and with the supernova
you're not just getting power and features, you're getting
Peace of Mind. It's like what we talked about
(06:07):
in the Rig POV and Prodigy balance episodes.
Safety, reliability and making life easier for everyone on
site. The tech's moving fast, but it's
all about making shows better and less stressful.
All right, that's a wrap for today's deep dive.
If you're out there battling theelements or just want a fixture
that can do it, all, the Acme Supernova's worth a look.
(06:29):
Chris, thanks for nerding out with me as always.
Always a pleasure, Lacey, and thanks to everyone for tuning in
to Geezers of Gear Future Tech to discuss the Acme Supernova.
We'll be back next week with more gear, more stories, and
probably more weather disasters.See you then.
Bye everyone. Future tech is here.
(06:55):
Come on man, you make the specs so clear.
Oh La La with music to your ears.
Hey, hey, hey. Let's go.
New gear vibes, new tech jive.
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