Most used console manufacturer

Which Manufacturer's Console do you use most?


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derekleffew

Resident Curmudgeon
Senior Team
Premium Member
Of what manufacturer is the Lighting Control Console you use most? Not your favorite, not the one you wish you had, but the actual console you own or use most of the time. If you run/work at a multi-performance-space venue, i.e. Performing Arts Center, vote for the console on the mainstage, or largest house.

CompuLite
Electronic Theatre Controls
High End Systems
Jands
Leviton/LeeColortran/NSI
MA Lighting
Martin
Strand/Entertainment Technology/Horizon
Vari*Lite
Other (please specify...)
 
Last edited:
Theatrelight NZ
 
I use Martin mostly. Thinking of buying an old Case console, which is my all-time favorite, although risky since it's not made any longer and I'm concerned about repairs. Also thinking about getting Maxxyz or Maxxyz pc.

Most popular in my world (rock, corporate, etc.) is Hogs. However, I'm told that in other parts of the country, MA is the most popular.
 
I was hoping Martin would get some hits. I had such a great experience with the Maxxyz (not having used a HogIII or MA, but having used a HogII), I hope it gets used :(. What's the deal with the Maxxyz Compact and why has it been in two theater mags (most recently I think...LSA in their console comparison?) but never on the martin website?

That being said, ETC Expression w/Emphasis
 
For theatre, it's ETC. Dance is generally ETC. Rock shows, what I feel like.

For corporate, it is also whatever I feel like taking for that show. The biggest show I worked on was University of Penn's celebration last year when they bought up a bunch of new land for an athletic department renovation. That console was a Jands Vista with expansion wing, and a twin sitting next to it.

Now what I have used the most is a Hog III or some form of, PC, IPC, Roadhog, thus my vote for High End.
 
I was hoping Martin would get some hits. I had such a great experience with the Maxxyz (not having used a HogIII or MA, but having used a HogII), I hope it gets used :(. What's the deal with the Maxxyz Compact and why has it been in two theater mags (most recently I think...LSA in their console comparison?) but never on the martin website?
That being said, ETC Expression w/Emphasis

Maxxyz is my most used board, it's a great board, but still has a bit of an "unfinished" feel to it compared to the software in the other big moving light boards. I've only been able to demo the MA and Vista, and to a greater extent, the Hog3. It would be a hard choice between the hog and the Maxxyz, but I think as the Maxxyz matures it will be the better board. So many things have been 'coming soon' for the past three years that have been on the other boards for ages. It took them more then a year before the Preview(blind) button did anything! I think perhaps the reason they have been so slow on promoting the Maxxyz compact is that they are doing a major hardware upgrade to the full sized one at the same time, including all the ones already out there.

The MA and the Vista sure did look nice though, and one of them may well have been my choice if the choice had been mine.
 
I voted Jands because I run into Jands more often than anything, I do however own a 60 channel Celco board that has some quirks but that I quite like for theatre use as the cue stacking is quite easy.
 
They dont let you vote again. It says you have already voted. Is there a way to reset the poll? Or make a new one?
Sorry, forgot about the "No changing your vote," rule. I'll change it for you.
 
I use a Strand 300 nearly every day... For movers though either a MA or Hog.

Theatrelight.... eeekkk, ive only ever seen one theatrelight desk and nearly threw it out the window, their dimmers arnt much better either! Almost as bad as Zero88 (another one you forgot not that many use them) =D
 
Theatrelight is one of the easiest to operate and reliable desk and dimmers ever made.Their failure rate has been very low, although in the last year or so their service has been poor, for the last 20 years they have been the best basic desk in Australia.
 
AM I THE ONLY AVO GUY ON HERE?????

Good learning experience if you have some experienced techs. Get demo boards and let them program your musicals on them. They will then get to make their own pro and con list. I HATE STRAND CONSOLES
 
AM I THE ONLY AVO GUY ON HERE?????

Most likely. This is more of a theatre forum, thus all the Strand and ETC console users. Avolite consoles are more of old school rock and roll consoles. I have only ever seen them on rock and roll tours, and that's it. Everyone that I have ever asked about them hates them, so I have never tried using on for this reason. How about the fact that they know the grand master slider goes bad on them, and they have a setting in the console (not sure which model) for the GM, "On or Broken". You know there is an issue with it and yet refuse to fix the hardware, instead they patch the software for a cheap work around. That is something that really bugs me.

Now I can't speak from experience myself on Avolite consoles, this is just what I have seen/heard. I am by no means bashing it, minus the GM comment, and not saying it is a good or bad console.

derekleffew asked which console you use the most, not like the most. I can tell you I like to use the Jands Vista the most, I just don't very often because it crashes. I also love using ETC's for theatre, even mover heavy theatre, again it's a preference. For corporate, I like a Hog 3, IPC, or Roadhog now that the software is more stable. This is why I take the Hog over the Vista. They work well, and also look nice when sitting around clients. They have a clean, uniform look to them. I like the Ma, but yellow on gray sticks out, and the gray doesn't look as nice as the blue on a Hog 3. Everything has to be pretty when I work corporate stuff, consoles included.
 
The old faders did go bad. They fixed this problem many years ago when the avo pearl 2004 came out by going to P&G faders rather than the cheap ALPS. The Hogs use P&G faders. Avolite works great as a theatrical console. You can run your standard theatrical cue list along with haveing many pages of subs available from the rollacue, along with 4 pages (60 handles a page) of faders. How can you go wrong. Also avolites shape generator or effects engine smokes a hogs. You have over 500 effects built in and then you can create your own. The effects are a lot more linear and smooth over a hog.
 
What no Compulite or NSI/Colortran? I know there's at least two of you. And Strand is gaining on ETC. Could be another Kliegl/Century upset. Stay tuned.
 

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