Buyer's guide: Lighting control desks

MA Lighting's grandMA2 console has been employed on a range of high-profile projects, including the Beijing Olympics opening and closing ceremonies.

PHAT CONTROLLERS!
The trend towards packing ever more power into increasingly compact lighting control consoles continues unabated. Here, we provide a rundown of the best products on the market and the key features you should look out for if lighting control is your thing.

Light up yer life!
MA Lighting – grandMA2
A Sound & Stage Award winner in 2008, we reckon the grandMA2 full-size still rocks and so do the thousands of punters who have handed over their hard-earned to MA Lighting for the privilege since the desk’s launch.

The main areas of improvement over the superseded grandMA desk came with the displays, which were upgraded to improve clarity and colour optimisation.

Story continues below

Advertisement

FEATURED COMMENT Please click here to comment on this article

The full-size model features three internal 15-inch TFT wide-mode touchscreens, two external TFT screens and a nine-inch internal multi-touch command screen.

The grandMA2’s ultimate party piece however comes in the knowledge the desk can support a maximum of 65,536 lighting fixtures in as many as 256 DMX universes.

Independent from user interfaces, for theatre programming applications or concert touring multi-user programming sessions, grandMA2 also includes fader wings, capable of supporting up to 90 faders per console.

Middle East distributor: MA Lighting Middle East/India.

Avolites Pearl
The Pearl Tiger continues to lead the way for UK manufacturer Avolites. The console is a streamlined, 10-roller playback version of its larger sibling, the Pearl.

Avolites claims the console offers everything LDs require for quick and easy programming of small- to medium-sized applications in theatres, conferences, schools and colleges, small- to medium-scale productions or production companies, tours, permanent venues and nightclubs.

Also now available is the Pearl 2010 – a cosmetically updated Pearl 2008 with the addition of USB memory, providing storage for a complete set of personality files as well as multiple show files.

The Pearl 2010 combines compact dimensions with plenty of power and offers complete control of up to 240 intelligent light fixtures.

As with all Avolites consoles, the Pearl is designed for quick and easy programming and playback. The patching of moving lights and colour changers is also as simple as patching a dimmer.

Preset focus palettes provide fast building blocks for functions such as pan, tilt, colour and gobo. All memories and chases built from preset focuses are automatically updated once the preset focus is edited.

Middle East Distributor: Venuetech.

To the Max
Martin Professional claims its popular Maxxyz lighting console offers the functionality of a full-size lighting console in a modular mid-sized design.

Built of a heavy-duty, long lasting aluminium chassis, Maxxyz Compact has been designed to withstand the rigours of the touring and rental market.

The console features four modules that are easily assembled requiring only USB and power connections. Middle East distributor: Martin Professional Middle East.

Barco High End Systems (HES) Wholehog
HES’ Wholehog series consists of a range of control consoles designed for touring and permanent applications.

The Wholehog 3 provides two monitor outputs, keyboard and mouse ports, MIDI input and output ports, two USB ports, Fast Ethernet on a rugged Neutrik Ethercon connector, and speakers with stereo audio output. For touring applications, HES’ Roadhog Full Boar fits the bill.

While the Full Boar is compatible with the Microsoft Windows operating platform, it is also equipped with the company’s proprietary Flying Pig Systems software. The Wholehog operating system provides an unlimited number of simultaneous crossfades and DMX channels via Ethernet DPs and 2048 available via 5-pin XLR.

HES also offers several memory options as standard, including an internal hard drive, internal DVD-RW and a removable USB flash drive. The console includes two 12-inch high brightness internal colour touchscreens, with two further external touchscreens available as add-ons. Middle East distributor: Barco Europe, Middle East & Africa.

Light my fire

Jands Vista
Big news for Aussie manufacturer Jands in 2010 is the launch of a major upgrade to its venerable Vista lighting control desk. The Byron upgrade consists of a completely re-written software application that Jands claims makes the desk faster and easier to use.

The full-size Vista features up to 8192 DMX channels. However, in order to offer customers a scalable price option, the I3 offers DMX in 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048 or an unlimited number of channels dependent on the ‘dongle’ clients purchase with the console.

Seven USB ports and four DMX outputs offer users the chance to connect lights and dimmers to other products from the Vista range, such as the S1 and M1 compact control surfaces. The Vista’s innovative timeline editing application also simplifies complex last-minute alterations to lighting programmes.Middle East distributor: AC Lighting (UK).