Electrosonic took to the road with the Martin Roadshow in March, to bring three innovative new LED fixtures to Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. ETECH spoke with Peter Dahlin, area sales manager for Martin by HARMAN, about the new range.
“We understand that not everybody is able to go to the big international trade shows where the majority of new products are launched,” explains Bruce Schwartz, director at Electrosonic. “We also understand that it is inconvenient for clients to travel across the country to see new products. As a result, we decided to take our products on the road to offer our clients the opportunity to see the fixtures in action, in their home cities for a more personal interaction” Schwartz concludes.
The Martin Roadshow featured three new products recently launched at Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt, which represents the very latest technology that Martin has to offer.
A NEW ERA
The first fixture to be highlighted during Dahlin’s product demonstration was the Martin ERA 300, a punchy unit that is designed to replace the ever-popular MAC 250 Krypton and Encore. “The MAC 250 range was an industry standard in the South African market for a number of years, and while many of these units are still working hard across the country, the time is defiantly ripe for an upgrade,” Schwartz points out.
The Martin ERA 300 Profile is a compact profile fixture with an extremely efficient 260W white LED engine that produces a sharp gobo projection with a flat field and more output than typically associated with similar-sized and featured fixtures. This modern, everyday workhorse is designed to fit anywhere, is easy to handle and rig, and boasts professional features, including CMY colour mixing and 1:2 zoom and 9,500 lumens of output which is almost double the output of the 250 Series in a fixture of the same size.
“Based on the feedback that we have received from the demos – people really love the unit, and it is a good fit for the South African market,” says Dahlin.
AN ALLURING FUTURE
The Martin MAC Allure Profile features a novel RGBW light engine with unique seven-segmented LED Module. With instant colour control and pixelated beam, the MAC Allure Profile enables dynamic projection and mid-air effects that were not previously possible. The proprietary light engine sets new standards in compactness and efficiency and, to ease programming and content creation, the lighting fixture is the first to incorporate Martin’s P3 control.
“We have had a huge success with our P3 controller, and Sceptron LED bars in South Africa, and the MAC Allure is a natural add on to these technologies,” Dahlin explains. Schwartz concurs, stating that: “Martin is now putting the video into a lighting fixture, and while we have seen other lights that incorporate video projectors, this is the first time that we are mapping different elements of video using the light fitting itself – which I believe is a first.” According to Dahlin, the MAC Allure is well-suited for the rental market, and he predicts that it will be well received on television sets and for filming.
AN ELLIPSOIDAL EVOLUTION
The Martin ELP represents Martin’s entry into the ellipsoidal LED market and offers innovative, industry-first features for precise, nuanced control and ease-of-use.
Available in two versions, the ELP WW (Warm White) offers industry-leading colour rendering and brightness, while the ELP CL (Colour) delivers rich, saturated colours and class-leading output. Both versions can be configured with one of four Martin lens tubes in 19, 26, 36 and 50-degree beam angles. Plus, ELP can seamlessly integrate into existing inventory via convenient third-party compatibility with industry standard lens tubes and accessories.
“The major advantage of the ELP is that it is fully compatible with all of the accessories and lenses for the ETC Source4. As a result, people are able to replace existing halogen fixtures with the Martin ELP and reuse their existing accessories,” Dahlin points out. This is a particularly attractive option for the South African market because it means that clients can upgrade their lighting fixtures in phases with minimal wastages, Schwartz concludes.
