ADE weeks are tight—overnights, rotating guest DJs, short soundchecks. The winning play isn’t more gear; it’s smarter moving head lights choices and a preset library that travels from club floor to pop-up without rebuilding your showfile. This ADE-ready guide for 2025 gives you a lean configuration (one high-power laser light show unit + four movers), three scene templates, and the rental math that improves ROI. Every pick is available from Starshine with Free shipping, 2-year warranty, and Small-batch orders available—so you scale fast without bloating the truck pack.
- Lean rig: 1 laser + 4 × 470–700 W moving head lights.
- 10-cue preset library cuts programming time 40%+.
- Three templates (Club / Festival Room / Pop-Up) to copy and speed-tune.
- ROI: fewer SKUs, shared spares, faster changeovers, better phone footage.
| Section | Anchor |
|---|---|
| What It Is & Who It’s For | #what-it-is |
| 30-Minute Quickstart | #quickstart-30 |
| Side-by-Side Comparison | #compare |
| Common Mistakes & Fast Fixes | #mistakes |
| Mini Case Gallery | #gallery |
| Downloads | #downloads |
| FAQ (Buyer’s Guide) | #faq |
| CTA | #cta |
What It Is & Who It’s For
Problem it solves
- Too many fixtures, not enough time → preset-first shows with consistent looks.
- Flat phone footage → crisp beams plus consistent color for cameras.
- Crew churn → simple faders for Open / Peak / Reset / Safe.
When to use it / when not to
Use when
- Rooms flip fast; one showfile must travel across spaces.
- You can run thin haze and mount above eye level.
Avoid when
- Trim height is too low for safe angles.
- No fog/haze allowed and walls are fully matte (texture won’t read).
30-Minute Quickstart
What you’ll need
- 1 × high-power DJ laser for tunnels/lines
- 4 × 470–700 W moving head lights (fast zoom + CMY)
- 2–4 × LED wash for ceiling/color
- Thin haze source + small fan
- DMX controller with one-tap Safe scene
Starshine pick: O-Series Outdoor Laser (IP65) · X-Series Party Lasers (Tunnel & Grid) · Moving Head Lights (Sound/Auto Scenes) · Fog & Haze Essentials · DMX & Controllers (One-Tap Presets)
Steps
- Rig placement (8–10 min): two movers backline, two mid-truss; laser tilted 15–25°.
- Preset library (12–15 min): Open, Peak A/B, Break, Reset, Safe—save on page one.
- Speed tune (5–8 min): match BPM via macro speed/size; peaks narrow, groove medium.
Pro tips
- Camera-clean beams: thin haze beats heavy fog for phones.
- Skintone first: 3000–4200 K whites on faces; color to ceiling/walls.
- Safety ready: label a Safe fader for instant calm.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Choose for the room you have, then scale by copying the template across spaces.
| Name | Best for | Power/Output | Setup Time | Learning Curve | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-power DJ laser | Lines/tunnels, landmarks | Long-throw beams | 10–15 min | Low | Big camera impact | Needs haze to read |
| 470–700 W moving head lights | Faces/rim/aerials | Mid-to-high | 15–25 min | Med | Flexible, fast zoom | Best with presets |
| LED wash | Color story & ceilings | Broad wash | 10–15 min | Low | Skintone control | Can look flat alone |
| Thin haze source | Beam visibility | Particle volume | 5–10 min | Low | Clean lines on phones | Bad airflow can trigger alarms |
| DMX with Safe scene | Consistency & overrides | — | 10–20 min | Med | One-tap calm | Adds setup time |
Who picks what: Small rooms (≤120 m²) start with four movers + laser. Medium rooms (120–300 m²) add two movers. Low trims: prioritize texture gobos over aggressive scans.
Common Mistakes & Fast Fixes
- Over-fogging → switch to thin haze or pulse cycles + a small fan.
- Rainbow soup → lock two colors + white for faces.
- No safety plan → map a labeled Safe scene on page one.
- Low trims + scans → stay above eye level; keep peaks narrow.
Mini Case Gallery
- Club turnover — Used: 1 laser + 4 movers — Outcome: changeover 35 → 28 min; 2× social saves.
- Festival room — Used: wide zoom + warm faces — Outcome: fewer squints; bar upsells +12%.
- Pop-up — Used: narrow beams + gobo walls — Outcome: crisp phone shots; fewer hotspot complaints.
Downloads
- Checklist (PDF) — starshine-ade-lean-rig-checklist.pdf — print for the booth.
- Patch/Address template (CSV) — starshine-ade-address-map.csv — universes, channels, Safe scene on row 1.
- Preset/Showfile (ZIP) — starshine-ade-10-cue-presets.zip — Open/Peak/Reset/Safe.
Frequently Asked Questions (Buyer’s Guide)
What power/output is right for a 300–500 pax room?
Start with four 470–700 W moving head lights plus one DJ laser. Add two movers if trim height is 4.5 m or higher.
Will fog/haze/laser affect alarms or eyes?
Use thin haze and pulse cycles; test before doors open. Keep beams above eye level and avoid direct crowd scanning.
Do I need DMX or will sound-active work?
Sound-active works for quick nights; DMX gives repeatable looks and a one-tap Safe scene for fast overrides.
How fast can I get it before ADE?
Starshine offers Free shipping, 2-year warranty, and Small-batch orders available on many items across EU/UK/NL/US.
Warranty and after-sales support?
Every fixture includes a standard 2-year warranty and responsive technical support.
Can I order small quantities for pop-ups?
Yes—use small-batch orders to pilot a rig, then scale after ADE.
Ready to do more with less?
Build your ADE rig with Starshine—Free shipping, 2-year warranty, and Small-batch orders available so you only buy what you’ll use.
Internal links to map: O-Series Outdoor Laser (IP65) · X-Series Party Lasers (Tunnel & Grid) · Moving Head Lights (Sound/Auto Scenes) · LED Wash Collection for Theming · Fog & Haze Essentials · DMX & Controllers (One-Tap Presets) · Free Shipping & Warranty Policy · Contact a Lighting Human