Welcome!

Join us on an entertaining journey through our history and learn more about the dynamic development of our products and system solutions from beginning of the Eighties until today.

1983 – Birth of MA Lighting

The company was founded in 1983 by Michael Adenau (MA) and enjoys strong growth from the very beginning until today. More than 15,000 MA control desks are being used all over the world and MA's digital dimming systems have become an industry standard.

1985 – First Product Series

The success accelerated in 1985, when software specialist Ernst Ebrecht joined MA Lighting as a partner. In this period MA introduced the Lightcommander 24 and Lightcommander 48 control desks. Their main feature was real level memory.

1988 – The German Thing

The LCD 120 shocked all internationally established producers and directly after its launch, the LCD desks began their first international tour with Bob Geldof and his LD Coral Cooper. 1988 was also the international debut of MA products at the PLASA in London and the LDI in Nashville.

1992 – A new Star was born

When launched in 1992 the MA Scancommander caused a huge stir in the burgeoning world of moving light control. This product established MA Lighting as a leading innovator of lighting control for the global touring and event sector. Leading producers of intelligent lighting showed great interest in MA's new operating philosophy, which radically differed from the historical "dimmer -oriented" control systems of that time.

1995 – Another standard

Launched in 1995, MA could set another standard with its touring dimmers. Also today they are mainly characterized by a high density construction and an outstanding reliability. Existing know-how is daily extended by the close relation to the market and new standards lead to permannent improvements.

1997 – Birth of grandMA

In the spring of 1997 MA showed the world the eagerly awaited grandMA console. Based on the MA Scancommander and Lighcommander which already marked milestones in their decade, this hybrid lighting control console brought a new level of hardware sophistication to the lighting world. The full color touch screens, motorized faders, built in UPS (uninterruptible power supply) and hard drive were only the beginning.

2000/1 – From product to process

The summer of 2000 saw the launch of a host of new products from MA, the grandMA light, the grandMA replay unit and the grandMA offline editor. In the autumn of 2001, the grandMA range was completed with the introduction of the grandMA ultra-light. The ultra-light has 1,024 channels but retains the main features of a grandMA at a very competitive price. Latest Software-Release: Version 3

2002/3 – Comprehensive Software Tools

In order to address the needs of the different market segments, MA developed further comprehensive software tools that bidrectionally communicate with the console: the real-time 3D visualizer and professional pre-programming tool grandMA 3D and a remote control for PDAs. Software-Version 4 brought Gobo and Fixture Preview to the console.

2005

The whole is much bigger than the sum of its parts
MA Lighting is proud to present its comprehensive system. The system consists of MA components from control, network and dimming.

Individually, each element is fully developed, powerful and extremely competitive. They are DMX compatible and thus can be used independently. However, as a complete MA system the MA components build a synergy that is absolutely unequalled on the market. This is based on two sections – the grandMA lighting controls at the heart and the MA-Net as internal system language.

Whereas the grandMA lighting controls have developed from conventional lighting desks into flexible multimedia controls, the system’s MA-Net with enormous speed and capacity is responsible for the time synchronous and steady output of even widest data flow.

Moreover the MA-Net can also be used for bi-directional dimmer communication and enables the complete integration of MA latest development, the media server grandMA video. grandMA video is exclusively for all grandMA consoles and the one and only media server on the market, that is fully integrated into a lighting control system. This integration allows straightforward set-up and configuration; instant live-access from the grandMA console to any kind of image, 3D-object or video – including content browsing, movie clip preview, multi-preview screen and thumbnail views in your presets. But there are many more features like 4x Video In; Soft-Edge; Keystoning (8 Parameters) with X/Y perspective correction, FOH-Blind-Programming, etc. Find out more.

2004 – Scalability and System thinking

With software version 5 grandMA became the one and only system in the market , that can stably and reliably control up to 64 DMX universes (via 16 NSPs) – this also in multi-user envirtonments with up to 16 stations and, in real-time with a very fast direct access to the show and a delay-free signal output. MA’s Network Signal Processor (NSP) formed the bases for a complete integrated network solution – integrating also MA’s new digital dimming system for fixed installations: the dimMA. In addition, 2004 saw also the presentation of the new offline-interface grandMA onPC as well as the entry to the grandMA world, grandMA micro as well as grandMA onPC linked to one or two NSPs.

2007

The grandMA evolution at a glance
Based on the MA Scancommander which already marked a milestone in its decade, grandMA was launched in 1997 as a full-size hybrid console for controlling both Moving Lights and Dimmers, mainly for the concert touring market. During the following years, the grandMA evolution started immediately and in close contact to the market; we integrated an extensive feature set dedicated to the other fields of the market: theatre, television, architainment, etc. In addressing the needs of the different market segments, it became essential to not only offer an outstanding control tool, but to offer clever and comprehensive software tools to support this: a 3D visualizer, an offline editor and remote controls. In addition we opened up more and more ‘lighting-worlds’, through the elegant programming, control and visualization of LEDs as well as Media Servers. This overall development shows that grandMA has transformed from just a single product into a whole system. But this process required an expansion of the capacity of the system as well. With software version 5 grandMA became the one and only scalable system in the market, that can stably and reliably control up to 64 DMX universes (via 16 NSPs) – this also in multi-user environments with up to 16 stations and, in real-time with a very fast direct access to the show and a delay-free signal output. There is no waiting for commands to be executed or the need for views to change; even snappy blackouts, synchronous strobe effects and smooth flowing LED walls – at maximum channel count – are now possible.

To address the needs of this wide industry and to offer the most flexible and economical solutions for both stand-alone control and multi-user systems, grandMA now comprises six hardware solutions, all working with the same extensively tested and stable software. Any grandMA console can participate within the expanded network, and take advantage of show file compatibility within the range. In this range, grandMA onPC software in combination with a Network Signal Processor (NSP) is the most economic entry to the grandMA world.

1997: grandMA full-size
2000: grandMA light, grandMA replay-unit and grandMA offline
2001: grandMA ultra-light; S/W Version 3
2002: grandMA 3D; S/W Version 3.3
2003: grandMA remote; S/W Version 4
2004: grandMA micro; NSP, grandMA onPC; dimMA & NDP; S/W Version 5
2005: grandMA video; dimMA sine-wave; S/W Version 5.6
2006: MA 2Port Node, MA 2Port Node onPC, MA 2Port Node onPC PRO
2007: grandMA pico

Stories
The grandMA has had a long period of success, in which we have captured the
imagination of the top designers and programmers. During the past several years, we have
heard whispers on the market that the grandMA was getting too old. Sorry, she is not.
She is getting “only” more experienced and smarter than ever. Software is always the well
respected lifeblood of the grandMA control system and makes the difference. Now another
standard will be set into the future, with the advanced hardware platform of the grandMA2
series. She is now both older and more beautiful.

Never change a winning Team
Just renew and refresh it. The market spoke and we listened. We kept the intuitive grandMA
control philosophy including the same command line. However we have further improved the
software and optimized the display for clarity. The new hardware has an enhanced networking
architecture that is even more powerful but allows compatibility with the grandMAs that you
have come to love.

This is grandMA2 series, where evolution meets revolution. Same same – but different.
There are no compromises. Your investment and knowledge are safe in the future.

Keep discovering
One world is not enough. Total control is at your fingertips. Gone are the days when many
specialized consoles were required to run a single show. Now control dimmers, LEDs,
moving lights and media servers, in the way they should be controlled, all from a single
intuitive control surface. grandMA2 redefines “controlling multimedia filled lighting rigs”.
Control concerts, theatre, opera, events, television in the way each style dictates. The newly
designed screens allow easy access to all commands. Feel at home as you link your current
grandMA to the new grandMA2. Moreover system integrations are even more complete with
new ways of architectural interconnection.

Yes, MA Lighting’s first grandMA slogan from 1997 still fits best: like the German Autobahn, there are no limits.

Welcome to the Family

Complete system solution
• Incl. faderwing and dedicated software tools

Same system philosophy
• Different hardware solutions but one software, one showfile, one network environment per series

Compatibility
• grandMA2 can read ‘series 1’- showfiles (upward compatibility)
• Special ‘series 1’-mode to run grandMA2 consoles in ‘series 1’- sessions (downward compatibility)
• ‘Series 1’ will still be available and further developed in the future