From mobile DJ setups to world-class theaters and music halls, Martin has decked out countless venues in cutting-edge lighting gear since the early 1980s. They're leaders in both traditional and LED lighting technology, with popular products ranging from simple PAR fixtures to intelligent lighting instruments. Today, you'll find Martin lighting products in major touring rigs, prime-time studios, Broadway theaters, and even the Olympic Games. Ask any Sweetwater Sales Engineer, and we'll tell you why.
From the beginning, Martin has had a strong history of innovation. It began when Martin founder Peter Johansen discovered that he could make a passable fog machine using a coffee maker and dry ice. Soon he was in business making fog machines for commercial venues. Johansen adopted the name Martin for his company from a French manufacturer and soon began making lighting instruments for the thriving discotheque scene.
Martin was one of the early adopters of the DMX control standard, which put their products in high demand in high-end performance venues. They still make some of the most powerful DMX controllers on the market. By the turn of the century, they'd started producing moving-head fixtures, and the company extended its steady stream of innovation into the next millennium. Over the course of the following decade, Martin celebrated many successes and expanded into several new fields of lighting. By the time they joined the Harman roster in 2013, they'd already established themselves on the forefront of LED lighting technology.
Under Harman, Martin's focus on LED technology continued to grow. Their MAC line was among the first moving-head fixtures to feature high-output LEDs, and they're still enormously successful. At the same time, Martin started developing a highly accessible range of LED lighting instruments they call the Thrill series. This series includes everything from a sophisticated intelligent light and a robust fogger to PAR fixtures and effects. Both the lighting techs here at Sweetwater and our customers love the Thrill series.
One of the biggest advantages of going with Martin LED lighting products is their sheer reliability. If you've been into lighting for a while, then you know that not all LED fixtures and controllers get along as well as you'd like. With Martin, you get rock-solid reliability you can always count on. Maybe that has to do with the company's dedication to quality, or maybe it's the result of having been on the leading edge of both DMX and LED technologies from the beginning, but one thing's for sure: when it's show time, nothing's worth more than reliable gear. That's why Sweetwater proudly stands behind quality Martin lighting products.
