Red Panda Lighting launched in 2022, entering the industry with their version of colour sticks, the aptly named Bamboo Sticks (as reviewed in issue 118). IP-rated and somewhat longer than many existing lighting sticks, they were refreshingly different. And although lighting sticks, in some form or another, have been around for a while, it’s still a developing market.

Conversely, Red Panda’s new Xing Uplight is a product entering a well-established and heavily populated market, so I was curious to see what this brings to the table. Battery uplights are a great product to offer as an add on to existing DJ services – the flexibility of not needing power whilst in use, plus the speed of placement, mean they’re one of the easier ways to turn a room into a colourful and classier environment. However, one common drawback is the price of purchase. An investment in a set of battery uplights can be quite a commitment for some mobile DJs, though thankfully the price-point of this new offering from Red Panda means a gentler hit on the wallet.

The Xing Uplight is instantly recognisable as a battery uplight (if it ain’t broke…) measuring 13 x 13 x 20cm and housing six 3W (RGBWA+UV) LEDs. Available in black or white, they offer a solid design and are nicely smoothed off at every point, not one sharp edge.

On the bottom of the unit is a handy pop out clip, which allows you to angle the light at walls or features at up to 20 degrees. You’ll also find power in and out on the bottom, utilising PowerCon connectors, as well as DMX in and out, and an on-off switch.

On one side of the unit is a recessed aerial, whilst the opposite, taller side provides a DMX indicator light, the IR remote sensor and the light’s main control screen/input buttons. There is also an M10 thread should you want to clamp the light to trussing or a lighting stand. Located within the top of the unit is a handy carry handle which folds down out of view when not being used.

The power and DMX in and out points present an interesting move, because most DJs will want to make use of the battery, coupled with wireless DMX. In fact, this was the Holy Grail of flexible and instantly deployable atmospheric lighting that I wished for long ago!

Unless you’re doing a mega 24-hour event or a long-term install, Red Panda assure me the battery life will last for most gig scenarios; six hours when using one static colour and 10 hours in chase mode. In testing, these times proved to be correct: at one wedding I used them for over six hours and at another event I connected them to my Sound Switch for five hours (at the end, the battery indicator showed them all at 50%).

You can control the output in four ways. The first is the control panel, which I found to be intuitive and a massive upgrade on the four-digit displays of old. Then there is the IR remote control option, the app, or the wireless/wired DMX option.

The IR remote control is basic but surprisingly functional, allowing access to 15 static colours and 32 pre-programmed colours. There are also some chase sequences that can be controlled in terms of speed, or you can opt for sound-to-light and adjust the sensitivity.

I like to use DMX. Once mastered, this gives you the most flexibility and the greatest range of effects. Setting a channel number is a breeze, you just plug in the wireless DMX transmitter (provided with my 8-pack) and away you go with your DMX control of choice. There are two DMX channel modes: 6- and 10-channel. The 6-channel mode is a straight brightness of each colour, whilst the full 10 channels will give you additional control over a master dimmer, strobe and some pre-programmed shows, including sound-to-light.

In operation, it’s fair to say the Xing Uplights do what they say on the tin. I wouldn’t advise looking into them or pointing them directly at your audience (unless you are in a very big space), as they are extremely bright! I’ve found the amber diode to be especially useful in the rustic-themed venues I often work in.
But with the colour-mixing options available, it’s easy to dial in your preferred colour, even if your client wants more unusual tones like orange (which falls in and out of fashion with brides).

Yellow – one of the most difficult-to-achieve colours – looks great, and my tip is to add a hint of amber to red and green. That said, certainly the most popular choices will fall into that pink to purple range, which are easy to set up and look superb.

Red Panda offers the Xing Uplights as a 4-pack or an 8-pack, but you can also purchase them individually if required. Both multipacks come with protective bags that hold four lights each. These bags are nice and compact, so they don’t take up too much storage space, but they’re also well-padded, for protecting your investment, and feature a pocket on the front for leads.

These lights are going to be very popular with both mobile DJs and event companies. They provide fantastic flexibility, look great, will last well, and are priced at a point that should put them well and truly on your shopping list.