Martin Professional understands at least one thing about this industry — it thrives on new products. To that end, the company released a plethora of new products late last year, one of which is a new fixture designed for permanent installations as well as small clubs and theatres. This sleek, small product takes the original Mini MAC to a much higher level.
Easy Gobo Swapping
The SmartMAC is a hard edge fixture with some cool features. It has an indexable gobo wheel with six patterns and an open slot, and it has various speeds of rotation. The gobos can easily be swapped without opening the housing of the fixture. There is a hinged compartment on the top of the fixture that allows access to the gobo and color wheels. When it’s opened, the gobo and color wheels are exposed at the top of the fixture, making the swap effortless. This fixture can accommodate metal or glass gobos. The eight dichroic colored filters are easily swapped as well, and the fixture can use full or split colors.
The focus in this fixture allows you to sharpen or diffuse the light as it passes through the gobo patterns. It does not, however, change the size of the beam, which remains a constant 25°. But Martin also offers an optional Fresnel lens should you desire to use this fixture as a wash light. You can easily change the lenses by loosening the four quarter-turn fasteners.
Fast-Moving Pan and Tilt
The pan and tilt is smooth and accurate using the 16-bit setting in the full 15-channel mode. The head can move extremely fast and has a great reaction to the preset effects in a moving light console. It moves with incredible silence. The dimming is controlled by is a single-blade shutter that swings in front of the light path from one side, allowing you to dim the beam gradually. The same mechanism is used to strobe the light beam at various rates including random speeds. Since the shutter is used for both strobing and dimming, you can’t strobe and dim at the same time.
The fixture accepts two different 150-watt bulb types. The MSD 150/2 has a color temperature of 8500K and an impressive average life of 3000 hours. But if you so choose, you can use a CDM-SA/T 150 lamp as well. It has a color temperature of 4200K, but the average lamp life is 9000 hours. The manufacturer boasts the total light output of this fixture is 4600 lumens with a Philips MSD 150/2 lamp and a 230V supply. This is brighter than most fixtures that come with 250 watt lamps. I did notice a hot spot in the center of the beam as opposed to a flat field of light across the lens. This was probably done intentionally to appeal to the club/lounge user. Martin does supply a diffusion filter with the light to eliminate this spot if you so desire.
A Tad Heavy
The magnetic ballast power supply can be manually switched between 100, 120, 230, or 240 volts. It is not a self-sensing power supply. The weight of the instrument is tad heavy in relationship to its size, weighing in at 46 pounds. The fixture can run in self-test mode or capture DMX512 settings for 20 individual scenes. These settings can be easily stored in a timed sequence. This means you can program a simple show or showcase and then disconnect the console forever, leaving the fixtures to execute the cues you’ve designed for your event.
You can hang these fixtures with the usual C-clamps or by using the permanent installation bracket that ships with it. The round bracket mounts to a ceiling like any other fixture would, then the fixture is rigged to the bracket by simply turning it 90 degrees to lock it in place. The panel-mount IEC connector for AC and 3- and 5-pin XLR connectors for DMX512 are recessed slightly in the fixture. Then some additional pieces cover up the connectors so the cables are unseen. It’s perfect for store fronts and architectural installations.
Compact and Cool
The fixture is very small and stealth looking. It is a mere 17” long from the bottom of the base to tip of the snout, and the base is 13”x15”x4.4”. They are available as standard in a black or white finish. It does not get very hot to the touch, even after being on for hours, which implies that it doesn’t use a lot of power. It is convection cooled through a series of strategically located heat sink fins in its aluminum housing; there are no fans anywhere in the fixture. Besides helping the fixture to be more silent, there are no openings in the fixture into which dust and fog oils can enter. This is huge because it cuts down on the amount of maintenance needed for the fixture. Club owners should seriously think about acquiring these babies.
