This month on ChurchTechToday.com, our team took a close look at the Ape Labs Marvel LED light. We immediately spotted potential in its portability for quick load-ins, remote and app control that skips cables, affordable pricing around $600 per unit, and IP65 rating for seamless indoor-to-outdoor shifts.
Why upgrade your lighting rig
Dim or noisy fixtures drag down services and streams.
Lights like the Marvel add depth to stages, highlight leaders without glare, and render skin tones naturally for IMAG and Facebook Live. Volunteers will complete full productions faster without power snakes or DMX runs, leaving time for cues that connect with congregations.
Marvel Pix and Spotlight models
Ape Labs launched the Marvel line in 2025, including the Pix Wash Flood (your 162W unit) alongside the RGBWWCW Battery-Powered Pixel LED Spotlight.
Both pack nine individually controllable 18W pixel LEDs for 162W total output, blending RGB, warm white (2700K), cool white (6000K), and lime for CRI 90 color accuracy.
The Pix Wash delivers wide 150-degree floods for stage coverage and backdrops; the Spotlight throws precise 15-degree beams for uplighting and accents. Each measures 11 inches tall by 10 inches wide by 3 inches deep, weighs 8 pounds, and fits gig bags easily. Built-in batteries run 14 hours on low settings or connect via powerCON; fanless IP65 housings stay silent and weatherproof for indoor or outdoor use.
Control options
RF remote covers 165 feet, the CONNECT app reaches over 3900 feet from phones or tablets, with wireless DMX and CRMX for console integration. Store presets like sermon blues or worship ambers; music sync follows tracks. Pixel-level control on all nine LEDs enables homogeneous mixing, chases, and gradients via app or DMX.
Pixel mapping capabilities
The nine individually addressable pixels open up detailed mapping options through the CONNECT app or DMX consoles. Run 6 to 54 channels per fixture to create flowing gradients across the LED array, chase patterns that ripple with worship rhythms, or static splits for divided color zones on backdrops. Churches map pixels to mimic flowing water for baptism visuals or pulsing waves during high-energy sets, all without extra video gear. Wireless CRMX handles multiple units in sync across large stages, while app-based effects library provides pre-built patterns that volunteers trigger instantly.
Sunday worship setups
Pix Wash floods behind bands wash stages in theme colors without hot spots. Spotlights accent pulpits, choirs, or crosses; pixel effects sync to drums subtly for worship energy. App recalls switch looks between songs in one tap, no laptop required.
Churches can blend old stone walls with modern platforms using Pix Washes for soft baptism warms, Spotlights for Easter sunrise fades, or both for prayer nights.
Streaming and online content
Flicker-free output and CRI 90 eliminate banding on iPhones, DSLRs, or projectors for Zoom and YouTube. Battery units backlight teaching corners cleanly; wireless avoids office outlet hunts. Warm-cool mixes ensure week-to-week skin tone consistency.
Fellowship hall ministry
If you had two Pix Washes you could easily carve spaces in fellowship halls for classes or prayer groups.
The free control app can shift daylight whites to evening glows instantly, battery tweaks extend runtime all day without cords.
Outdoor and mobile use
Because it is IP65 rated, that means these lights can handle outdoor events in case it starts to rain or off-location events like park services; because of the long battery life you can skip planning out lawn extension cords, generators, etc.
Portable church plants could use just four units and a remote in one bag for portable church locations for easy set-up and tear down. Pair Pix Washes or Spotlights with Neon tubes for engaging youth events too.
Full tech specs rundown: Marvel Pix Wash Features
- Outdoor-ready LED wash light with IP65 rating
- 9 x 18W RGB + Warm White (2700K) + Cool White (6000K) + Lime pixel LEDs
- 7 mm 6-in-1 RGBLwWcW LED chips
- CRI rating: 90
- 150 degrees wash optics
- Even, smooth light output and color blending
- 8-hour runtime from 96Wh Li-Ion battery
- TRUE1 input for continuous operation with power-fail backup
- DUAL-DRIVE flicker-free LED control
- 360 degrees bracket with locking legs and safety eyelets
- Signal repeater extends control range up to approx 0.75 mile (1200 m)
- Manage up to 4 groups via app, remote, or DMX universes
- Cloud storage for lamp settings
- Silent, fanless design
- Ongoing free software upgrades
- Built-in theft protection system
Marvel Pix Wash Specifications
- LEDs: 9 x 18W (162W total)
- Color temps: Warm White 2700K, Cool White 6000K
- CRI: 90
- Beam angle: 150 degrees
- Dimmable: Yes
- Battery: 96Wh Li-Ion, 8-hour runtime on standard output (up to 48 hours with power-save)
- Cooling: Fanless
- Flicker-free: Yes, DUAL-DRIVE system
- Housing: Aluminum, scratch-resistant acrylic (Optial HC)
- Protection: IP65 (waterproof, UV-resistant)
- Mounting: 360 degrees bracket, fold-out feet, dual M6 eyelets
- Control: App (via CONNECT), RF remote, CRMX, Wireless DMX, on-unit button backup
- Control range: Up to 1 mile (app and DMX), approx 200 ft (remote)
- Signal repeater: Yes, up to approx 0.75 mile (1200 m)
- Frequency: 2.400 – 2.485 GHz
- Output power: 20 dBm (approx 100 mW EIRP)
- DMX channel modes:
- 6ch – 8-bit: R,G,B,wW,cW,L
- 7ch – simplified mode
- 12ch – 16-bit fine control
- 36ch – 9-pixel RGBwW
- 54ch – 9-pixel RGBwWcWL
- Power input: TRUE1 Loop (100 – 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz)
- Operating voltage: 12V
- Charging voltage: 16 – 19V
- Charging current: approx 1A
- Finish: Black
- Origin: Made in Germany
NOTE: Brightness settings for battery operation during event use is 80% or less. Max brightness on battery is only recommended for film use, due to battery consumption.
- 100% Max Brightness = 2hr Battery Life
- 80% Brightness = 6hr Battery Life
- 75% Brightness = 8hr Battery Life
- 60% Brightness = 12.5hr Battery Life
- 40% Brightness = 20hr Battery Life
- 20% Brightness = 26hr Battery Life
- Up to 48 Hour Battery Life on Power Save Mode
- 100% Brightness While Plugged in is Fully Operational All Day
Weight: 8.2 lb (3.7 kg)
Dimensions: 11.2 x 10.4 x 3.1 in (28.5 x 26.5 x 8.0 cm)
Feedback from church tech directors
Tech directors in lighting forums praise output reliability and app performance. Video breakdowns show battery swaps sustaining flow and pixel effects boosting sanctuary uplights. Wide floods handle everyday washes more than detailed pixels.
Two thumbs up from our team: The Marvel Pix Wash Light’s battery-powered versatility that scales from stages to streams without cables, plus camera-ready CRI 90 output at an accessible price point.
Tech directors can gain one versatile fixture covering services, streams, classes, and outreaches without rig changes. And that’s a good thing.
