diff --git a/modules/Backlight.qml b/modules/Backlight.qml
index 0973603..396ee85 100644
--- a/modules/Backlight.qml
+++ b/modules/Backlight.qml
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ M.BarSection {
         id: hoverPanel
         showPanel: root._showPanel
         screen: QsWindow.window?.screen ?? null
-        anchorItem: root
+        anchorX: root.mapToGlobal(root.width / 2, 0).x - (QsWindow.window?.screen?.x ?? 0)
         accentColor: root.accentColor
         panelNamespace: "nova-backlight"
         contentWidth: 200
diff --git a/modules/BarGroup.qml b/modules/BarGroup.qml
index 9a344e5..5743ae8 100644
--- a/modules/BarGroup.qml
+++ b/modules/BarGroup.qml
@@ -56,17 +56,17 @@ Item {
         shadowHorizontalOffset: 0
     }
 
-    // Frosted base — semi-transparent so the bar background bleeds through
+    // Solid background
     Rectangle {
         anchors.fill: parent
         topLeftRadius: root._tlr
         topRightRadius: root._trr
         bottomLeftRadius: root._blr
         bottomRightRadius: root._brr
-        color: Qt.rgba(M.Theme.base01.r, M.Theme.base01.g, M.Theme.base01.b, 0.55)
+        color: M.Theme.base01
     }
 
-    // Frost sheen — subtle white highlight, top-heavy
+    // Accent gradient overlay
     Rectangle {
         anchors.fill: parent
         topLeftRadius: root._tlr
@@ -76,26 +76,7 @@ Item {
         gradient: Gradient {
             GradientStop {
                 position: 0
-                color: Qt.rgba(1, 1, 1, 0.07)
-            }
-            GradientStop {
-                position: 0.5
-                color: "transparent"
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    // Accent tint
-    Rectangle {
-        anchors.fill: parent
-        topLeftRadius: root._tlr
-        topRightRadius: root._trr
-        bottomLeftRadius: root._blr
-        bottomRightRadius: root._brr
-        gradient: Gradient {
-            GradientStop {
-                position: 0
-                color: Qt.rgba(root.borderColor.r, root.borderColor.g, root.borderColor.b, 0.12)
+                color: Qt.rgba(root.borderColor.r, root.borderColor.g, root.borderColor.b, 0.15)
             }
             GradientStop {
                 position: 1
diff --git a/modules/HoverPanel.qml b/modules/HoverPanel.qml
index 01a68d5..3ac7640 100644
--- a/modules/HoverPanel.qml
+++ b/modules/HoverPanel.qml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ PanelWindow {
     id: root
 
     required property bool showPanel
-    required property Item anchorItem
+    required property real anchorX
     required property color accentColor
     property string panelNamespace: "nova-panel"
     property real contentWidth: 220
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ PanelWindow {
     anchors.left: true
 
     margins.top: 0
+    margins.left: Math.max(0, Math.min(Math.round(anchorX - contentWidth / 2), (screen?.width ?? 1920) - contentWidth))
 
     implicitWidth: panelContent.width
     implicitHeight: panelContent.height
@@ -43,16 +44,8 @@ PanelWindow {
         }
     }
 
-    function _updatePosition() {
-        const pt = anchorItem.mapToGlobal(anchorItem.width / 2, 0);
-        const scr = screen;
-        const sw = scr?.width ?? 1920;
-        margins.left = Math.max(0, Math.min(Math.round(pt.x - (scr?.x ?? 0) - contentWidth / 2), sw - contentWidth));
-    }
-
     onShowPanelChanged: {
         if (showPanel) {
-            _updatePosition();
             _winVisible = true;
             hideAnim.stop();
             showAnim.start();
diff --git a/modules/Mpris.qml b/modules/Mpris.qml
index e3295d0..4cf8907 100644
--- a/modules/Mpris.qml
+++ b/modules/Mpris.qml
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ M.BarSection {
         id: hoverPanel
         showPanel: root._showPanel
         screen: QsWindow.window?.screen ?? null
-        anchorItem: root
+        anchorX: root.mapToGlobal(root.width / 2, 0).x - (QsWindow.window?.screen?.x ?? 0)
         accentColor: root.accentColor
         panelNamespace: "nova-mpris"
         contentWidth: 280
diff --git a/modules/Volume.qml b/modules/Volume.qml
index c75abe5..982a8a6 100644
--- a/modules/Volume.qml
+++ b/modules/Volume.qml
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ M.BarSection {
         id: hoverPanel
         showPanel: root._showPanel
         screen: QsWindow.window?.screen ?? null
-        anchorItem: root
+        anchorX: root.mapToGlobal(root.width / 2, 0).x - (QsWindow.window?.screen?.x ?? 0)
         accentColor: root.accentColor
         panelNamespace: "nova-volume"
         contentWidth: 220
diff --git a/modules/hex_wave.frag b/modules/hex_wave.frag
index 6c0e4c2..55f7d96 100644
--- a/modules/hex_wave.frag
+++ b/modules/hex_wave.frag
@@ -22,11 +22,9 @@ float sdHexagon(vec2 p, float r) {
     return length(p) * sign(p.y);
 }
 
-// Interpolate between three theme stops (t in [0,1])
-vec3 themeGradient(float t) {
-    return t < 0.5
-        ? mix(uC0.rgb, uC1.rgb, t * 2.0)
-        : mix(uC1.rgb, uC2.rgb, (t - 0.5) * 2.0);
+// Rainbow from angle — color picker style
+vec3 hsv2rgb(float h) {
+    return clamp(abs(mod(h * 6.0 + vec3(0.0, 4.0, 2.0), 6.0) - 3.0) - 1.0, 0.0, 1.0);
 }
 
 void main() {
@@ -75,13 +73,15 @@ void main() {
     float edgeWidth = 5.0;
     float edgeFactor = smoothstep(-edgeWidth, 0.0, d);  // 0 at interior, 1 at edge
     if (wf > 0.01 && edgeFactor > 0.0) {
-        // Vary shimmer color across theme gradient using angle + position
+        // Angle around hex center → hue
         float angle = atan(p.y, p.x);
-        float t = fract((angle + 3.14159) / 6.28318 + center.x * 0.003 + center.y * 0.005);
-        vec3 shimmerColor = themeGradient(t);
+        float hue = (angle + 3.14159) / 6.28318;
+        // Shift hue by position so neighboring hexes have different phase
+        hue = fract(hue + center.x * 0.003 + center.y * 0.005);
+        vec3 rainbow = hsv2rgb(hue);
 
         float shimmer = edgeFactor * wf;
-        rgb = mix(rgb, shimmerColor, shimmer * 0.8);
+        rgb = mix(rgb, rainbow, shimmer * 0.8);
         a = mix(a, 0.5, shimmer * 0.6);
     }