The concept of the Ape Labs Stick XL is simple – just grab two of the classic Ape Labs Sticks, slap em together, and boom, you’ve got an XL. It’s the biggest light that Ape Labs has ever made, coming in at 36″. What makes us so excited about this newer, longer version of everyone’s favorite Ape Labs product? Today, in our Ape Labs Stick XL review, we’ll share all the specs, details, and reasons we love it.
CHECK OUT THE APE LABS STICK XL BY CLICKING HERE
The Ape Labs Stick
If you’ve never seen the original Ape Labs Stick, it’s pretty cool. Made of aircraft-grade aluminum, this linear tube light is made by Ape Labs in Germany. It provides bright, battery-powered light for up to 8 hours on a full charge. Inside are 69 x 0.8 watt red, green, blue, and amber-white LEDs, offering 29 pre-built color macros. These are accessible via the included wireless remote, one of the greatest selling points of Ape Labs products. The remote provides a ton of functionality to the light. Intensity, color macros, fade speed, strobing, and “music” mode can all be controlled wirelessly.
In the most recent 2.0 version of the Stick, Ape Labs has increased the sturdiness of the light greatly. In our hands, it feels more robust and solid. The magnetic bases also appear better made, with an improved fit with the stick.
Ape Labs Stick XL Review – How to use them
In our Ape Labs Stick XL review video, we started off our demo in static color mode. Specifically, we wanted to check out the new amber-white (i.e. warm white) LED diodes. They have a 2700K color temperature and are flicker-free for on-screen use. While they function great as DJ fixtures, they easily blend into a studio environment to provide quality video lighting.
We had ours hung to the drop ceiling in our studio where we could seamlessly switch from static video fill lights to color-changing dancefloor lighting. The wash they provided was bright, wide, and very rich. Placing lights directly above a room, attached to the ceiling, isn’t the default rigging option for many DJs. However, the Ape Labs Stick XL makes this possible and simple at the same time.
The other popular way to utilize tube lights like the Stick XL is vertical. To mount them in this way, you’ll need some sort of steel pole or surface for the magnets to adhere to. They also come with a set of metal plates you can utilize with magnets. Using velcro or another adhesive you can place the Sticks on walls or any other surface. Ape Labs also has a stand in the works, which we will keep our eyes peeled for.
Is the extra 12″ worth it?
I mean, who has ever answered that question with a no? Jokes aside, the additional length in the Ape Labs Stick XL has opened up new uses for one of our favorite lights. The added brightness, along with the physically larger footprint, makes these lights useful for larger events and spaces where the normal Stick just doesn’t quite have enough “oomph.”
CHECK OUT THE APE LABS STICK XL BY CLICKING HERE
Oh yeah, they have Music Mode too
It wouldn’t be an Ape Labs review without a test of the famous “Musik Mode.” This closed-network sound-active system makes Ape Labs products different from all other DJ lights. Instead of simply master-slaving all the lights to the same program, Music Mode is cooperative. Lights linked together in group work in tandem to create unique, eye-catching shows that don’t get stale.
We fired up our music and used the remote to set the lights to their slowest setting. One of the biggest advantages of music mode is how it reacts to the music. Often, sound-activated lights respond too quickly and flash at a seizure-triggering pace. With Ape Labs Music Mode, the responsiveness and tempo can be lowered to a more relaxed, but still engaging, speed. You can choose to have the light intensity flash on a single color or use a macro the scroll through multiple colors without needing to babysit the remote.
Ape Labs Stick XL Review – final thoughts
When we first received the Stick XL we asked ourselves “How are we going to use these?” Once we had them set up, however, it became clear that they are a very versatile lighting tool. Placement is key, and the built-in magnets make positioning the lights in unique ways a breeze. We found it hard to stop playing with the remote – it was just so fun to cycle through all the new colors. If you check out the b-roll footage in our video review, you can see how the Ape Labs Stick XL enhanced the atmosphere both on and off the stage. All-in-all, we think the size upgrade in the XL opens up new possibilities for the working event professional.
CHECK OUT THE APE LABS STICK XL BY CLICKING HERE
