Comparing RGBAL and RGBIL Color Mixing Approaches

While primarily utilized in entertainment lighting, 5-channel color mixing is beginning to be adopted in high performance architectural fixtures, as well. This includes two approaches: red-green-blue-amber-lime (RGBAL) and red-green-blue-indigo-lime (RGBIL). Here is a comparison between the two 5-channel color mixing approaches.

The differences between RGBAL and RGBIL LEDs primarily involve color rendering, spectral output, and specialized application needs. While both utilize 5-emitter designs to enhance the simpler RGB spectrum, they offer different advantages for color accuracy versus specific color gamut extension.

RGBAL

RGBAL (Red, Green, Blue, Amber, Lime) LEDs are best for theatrical, high-quality broadcast, and architectural lighting requiring high CRI and warm tones.

RGBAL advantages include the Amber diode filling the gap in the yellow/orange spectrum, crucial for creating warm white light (2700K-3200K) and flattering skin tones. RGBAL enables high CRI and Television Lighting Consistency Index (TLCI), essential for film/video. In addition, the combination of Amber and Lime allows for a broader, more accurate, and saturated range of pastel colors.

In terms of disadvantages, RGBAL lacks the deep blue/violet spectrum offered by Indigo.

RGBIL

RGBIL is sometimes preferred in entertainment and specialty applications needing vibrant, “energetic” colors. RGBIL advantages include indigo filling in the lower end of the spectrum, offering deeper blues, purples, and magenta shades than RGBAL or RGBW can produce. The indigo component makes colors look more vibrant, often preferred for creating dramatic, high-energy lighting environments.

RGBIL disadvantages include it lacks the amber component, often making white light look slightly less natural or harder to tune to warm color temperatures. Indigo LEDs can also be less efficient than Amber LEDs, potentially resulting in slightly lower overall lumen output when creating certain colors.

To summarize, RGBAL is the professional choice for accuracy (skin tones, natural whites) and warm, saturated colors. While RGBIL is a specialized choice for vibrancy (deep blues, purples) and an extended, more “energetic” color gamut. Both are significantly superior to standard RGB or RGBW for color mixing and high-quality illumination. It is expected in the future that color-mixing white strategies will replace phosphor converted blue pump LEDs, once the performance and unit costs make it viable for more general lighting applications.

Image above: RGBIL luminaire courtesy of Times Square Lighting.

David Shiller

David Shiller is the Publisher of LightNOW, and Senior Business Development Consultant at Capacity Consulting, a North American consulting firm providing business development services to advanced lighting manufacturers. The ALA awarded David the Pillar of the Industry Award. David has been co-chair of the ALA’s Engineering Committee since 2010. David established MaxLite’s OEM component sales into a multi-million dollar division. He invented GU24 lamps while leading ENERGY STAR lighting programs for the US EPA. David has been published in leading lighting publications, including LD+A, enLIGHTenment Magazine, LEDs Magazine, and more.

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