HIGH CRI
LED STRIP LIGHTS
12V & 24V DC FLEXIBLE TAPE FEATURING 95 CRI & 90 R9
High CRI brings out true colors
A red apple appears red because it reflects red wavelengths, but absorbs others.
But not all LED strips have the same amount of red wavelength light.
As a result, under different LED strips, a red apple can reflect different amounts of red light, changing its appearance.
The Color Rendering Index (CRI) measures the ability of a light source to bring out the true colors of an object. Without a high CRI LED strip, objects can appear faded, dull or inaccurate.
More on CRI →
High CRI brings out true colors
A red apple appears red because it reflects red wavelengths, but absorbs others.
But not all LED strips have the same amount of red wavelength light.
As a result, under different LED strips, a red apple can reflect different amounts of red light, changing its appearance.
The Color Rendering Index (CRI) measures the ability of a light source to bring out the true colors of an object. Without a high CRI LED strip, objects can appear faded, dull or inaccurate.
More on CRI →"I bought these to install above my kitchen island where T8 fluorescent bulbs had been. The color accuracy is fantastic with great red saturation. It is an obvious change with vibrant colors and rich reds. Strawberries look really good ha! I am very happy with the results.
-
R1
-
R2
-
R3
-
R4
-
R5
-
R6
-
R7
-
R8
-
R9
-
R10
-
R11
-
R12
-
R13
-
R14
-
R15
What is considered high CRI?
CRI is calculated as a value with a maximum possible score of 100. A CRI score of 95 or above is considered very high, and indicates that a light source will make objects appear very similar to how they would look under natural lighting conditions.
CRI can be further broken down into sub-scores known as "R" values, which also have a maximum of 100. Each R value represents the light source's color rendering ability for a particular color or shade.
The most common definition of CRI Ra is simply an average of the first 8 R values (R1 through R8). Other R values such as R9 and R12 are critical color samples that represent deep red and saturated blue, but are unfortunately not included in the regular CRI Ra calculation.
More on CRI R9 →Perfect Color Rendering - 95 CRI
Waveform Lighting's LED strips are designed with 95 CRI minimum.
This means that our lights are virtually indistinguishable from the classic incandescent, halogen, or daylight look, depending on color temperature.
Compare our CRI R values to other light sources by clicking the corresponding buttons below.
- Score:
- 25
- 50
- 75
- 100
"This LED tape compares very well to the tape that I own from what many think is the leader in this product category. You can definitely give this tape a try without hesitation."
Beautiful, Soft Light
Our high CRI LED strip lights are available in a range of color temperatures ranging from 2700K to 6500K, all with 95 CRI or greater.
In addition to ensuring the highest in color quality, it also matters where the light goes. By placing individual diodes in a very tight pattern, we are able to eliminate "dots" and dark spots between emitters that can cause glare and uneven light distribution.
Build your own fixtures using aluminum channels, diffusers and other connector accessories for the ultimate, customized lighting solution.
Accessories →
Beautiful, Soft Light
Our high CRI LED strip lights are available in a range of color temperatures ranging from 2700K to 6500K, all with 95 CRI or greater.
In addition to ensuring the highest in color quality, it also matters where the light goes. By placing individual diodes in a very tight pattern, we are able to eliminate "dots" and dark spots between emitters that can cause glare and uneven light distribution.
Build your own fixtures using aluminum channels, diffusers and other connector accessories for the ultimate, customized lighting solution.
Accessories →
Our high CRI LED recipe
Some of the richest, most vivid colors we see require sufficient red wavelength energy to be revealed.
Red wavelength light is plentiful in natural light, but unfortunately not the most efficient for illumination - and as a result, most LED manufacturers will reduce the amount of red light in favor of green owing to its higher efficacy.
When it comes to color rendering, however, the over-representation of green wavelengths causes a significant distortion in the way objects appear, and this is reflected in low CRI values for standard LED products.
By incorporating additional high-efficiency red phosphor in our LED manufacturing process, we are able to improve our spectral composition and create white light that more closely resembles natural light. As a result, our CRI numbers approach 100, indicating that it is almost indistinguishable from natural lighting.
How does high CRI relate to color temperature?
Color temperature, commonly abbreviated CCT, can make understanding the concept of high color rendering a bit confusing. After all, color temperature describes the color of white that is emitted from a light source, and has a direct and more immediate influence on the appearance of an object.
The critical difference is that CRI describes the similarity between a light source and a reference source (such as daylight) at the same color temperature. For example, a 5000K LED's color rendering performance would be compared to 5000K daylight, not a 3000K halogen lamp.
Adjust the sliders below for a visual demonstration of CRI vs CCT in action.
Warmer ← CCT → Cooler
Lower ← CRI → Higher
Unparalleled color consistency
When we talk about light quality, color rendering is just half the story. Even high CRI lights are subject to color variability at the time of manufacture, and different manufacturers will maintain different tolerances on their color temperature claims, typically in some form of CCT range. Unfortunately, this is not a useful measure of color difference perceptibility.
We take it a step further and use standard deviation color matching (SDCM) to control our color variation. Most manufacturers and even ANSI/EnergyStar utilize quadrangle bins that correspond to 5-step and 7-step SDCM ellipses or larger, and this can create significant color variation between lamps.
At Waveform Lighting, we have developed and defined premium chromaticity bins that exactly correspond to 1-step and 3-step SDCM ellipses - a level where even the most perceptive among us cannot tell the difference in color.
High quality all around
High quality all around
Reliable and secure adhesion
Heavy-duty authentic 3M VHB™ brand double-sided adhesive comes pre-attached on the back-side of the LED strip. Simply peel back the plastic and adhere the LED strip to any surface. No heatsinking necessary.
Available Flexible High CRI LED Strip Variants
| Type | CCT | CRI | R9 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home & Residential→ | 2700K/3000K | 95+ | 90+ | |
| Commercial & Retail→ | 4000K/5000K | 95+ | 90+ | |
| FilmGrade™ White→ | 3200K/6500K | 95+ | 90+ | |
| ABSOLUTE™ Strip→ | D50 5000K/D65 6500K | 99 | 90+ | |
| FiveSpect™→ | 2700K+6500K+R+G+B | 95+ | 80+ |
Browse All →
Also available in MCPCB format
ABSOLUTE SERIES™ 99 CRI
Waveform Lighting's ABSOLUTE SERIES™ technology is the LED industry's first LED product to achieve 99 CRI at D50 5000K and D65 6500K. The 99 CRI rating indicates that the emitted light is quantitatively near-identical to natural daylight.
Learn More
ABSOLUTE SERIES™ 99 CRI
Waveform Lighting's ABSOLUTE SERIES™ technology is the LED industry's first LED product to achieve 99 CRI at D50 5000K and D65 6500K. The 99 CRI rating indicates that the emitted light is quantitatively near-identical to natural daylight.
Learn MoreWant to learn more?
Visit our product support center to learn more about our products. Download spec sheets, test reports and reach out to us with any questions.