AUSTRALIA: Australia’s Elite Event Technology (EET) has significantly expanded its automated lighting inventory with the acquisition of 32 Martin MAC Viper XIP fixtures, alongside a further 16 units currently on order, marking another major investment in Martin Professional technology through regional representative Show Technology Australia & New Zealand.

Positioned as the latest evolution of Martin’s long-established Viper series, the MAC Viper XIP combines high-output LED performance with IP-rated durability, targeting demanding live event, corporate, broadcast and outdoor production environments.

“It seems that with a lot of entertainment lighting these days, there is safety in numbers, and the number of fixtures in rigs is just getting out of control,” commented Darren Russell, EET’s Managing Director. “We also anticipate our MAC Viper XIPs to be our workhorse fixture in their class, so that also drives owning bigger numbers.”

The investment follows EET’s earlier commitment to Martin MAC One fixtures, as well as the company’s broader long-term relationship with Harman brands across audio and lighting. “We’ve become quite embedded with the Harman family since buying possibly the biggest single delivery of PA in Australia’s history from them last year,” added Darren. “We’ve always been there with Soundcraft and other Harman brands. We own more Soundcraft Digital consoles than anyone in the country. So, we’re extending our family relationship with Harman.”

According to Darren, the decision to invest in the MAC Viper XIP was reinforced by increasing rider demand and growing industry visibility for the fixture. “We’ve definitely got a couple of our guys that have fallen a little bit in love with them,” he revealed. “When the first 24 arrived, one of our younger guys walked into the warehouse and said, ‘I think I might need to go somewhere and have a moment alone!’. The feedback on the fixtures has been excellent; they feel well-made. Their flexibility allows them to fit into any design.”

Darren also highlighted the fixture’s colour performance, speed and operational flexibility as standout characteristics, particularly its saturated colour mixing, rapid zoom response and framing shutter performance. The MAC Viper XIP offers a zoom range spanning 5.7° to 51°, while maintaining sharp and bright gobo projection throughout the range.

“The gobos stay sharp and bright throughout the zoom range,” remarked Darren. “With high lumen output and XIP-rated protection against water and dust, the MAC Viper XIP suits year-round outdoor use and remains exceptionally quiet indoors.”

EET reportedly evaluated the MAC Viper XIP against multiple competing fixtures before finalising the purchase, with Darren noting that light quality proved to be a major differentiator, especially for corporate and broadcast applications where colour consistency, flicker-free performance and smooth dimming behaviour are critical.

“The feature set’s good, build quality’s good, and the quality is good for an LED fixture,” he added. “They’re a bit of a Swiss Army knife, you know? Yeah, it can be a profile light, do framing, be a wash light… simply a good workhorse.”

The newly acquired fixtures were recently deployed at the Lifeline ACT Gala event at the National Arboretum, where EET utilised 32 MAC Viper XIPs for key lighting, gobo projection and environmental room effects.