LX1 Expands Inventory with Martin Professional and Obsidian

	A 2026 touring production of Barnum was an important driver behind the LX1 strategy, Curtis says.

LX1 is an independent, British-owned production company specializing in technical and project management, creative lighting design, equipment rental and technical staffing for theatre, immersive experiences, and live events. Founded and operated by industry professionals, LX1 brings together decades of experience in delivering projects across the UK and internationally and has supported productions and events in more than thirty countries, providing technical expertise and support for a diverse range of clients. LX1 has built a strong reputation for combining creative excellence with practical, reliable delivery.

The company recently made a significant investment in new lighting and control technology supplied by Live Technology. "Our objective was to increase capacity while expanding our inventory with versatile, high-performance fixtures which could serve a broad range of productions," says Darren Curtis, director. "Martin Professional was a natural choice. The brand is consistently requested by many of the lighting designers we work alongside, and its reputation for performance, reliability, and durability made it particularly attractive for a growing company like ours. Reliability is critical, especially when supporting long-running theatre productions and immersive experiences where consistency is paramount."

LX1's investment in more than 100 new Martin fixtures included doubling its inventory of MAC Viper XIP to 80 units, while substantially growing its holding of Aura XIP and MAC ONE fixtures.

"Alongside the lighting fixtures," Curtis says, "we expanded our stock of Obsidian EN-4 Ethernet-to-DMX nodes, strengthening our network and control infrastructure capabilities, and also added some further Obsidian products, including the NETRON EN12 Ethernet-to-DMX gateway. We've always found Obsidian products to be robust, reliable, and highly cost-effective, providing excellent performance and flexibility across a wide range of applications."

This substantial investment positions LX1 to support larger productions, operate multiple projects simultaneously, and continue delivering the high standards its clients expect. A 2026 touring production of Barnum was an important driver behind the LX1 strategy, Curtis says. "As discussions around the project developed, we were keen to ensure that we had the capacity and resources to support the show's ambitious lighting requirements, while also strengthening our inventory for future productions. Barnum stands as an excellent example of the collaborative approach we enjoy at LX1, combining creative problem-solving, technical expertise, and investment in the latest technology to help bring ambitious productions to life.

"It was directly in relation to this project that we increased our stock of both MAC Viper XIP and Aura XIP fixtures, which in combination with the MAC One created a flexible and dynamic rig capable of supporting the scale, energy, and visual spectacle associated with Barnum. The show also required a significant amount of control data and networked infrastructure, and to support this we deployed Obsidian EN-4 nodes throughout the system, providing robust and efficient distribution of the DMX and network control. The combination of modern network architecture and high-performance fixtures allowed the creative team to fully realize the visual ambitions of the show, while maintaining the reliability expected in a demanding theatrical environment."

Barnum lighting designer Jai Morjaria says, "Collaborating with Darran, Andrew, and the LX 1 team was an absolute joy. Their technical expertise was invaluable, from flawlessly managing the production to recommending a stellar Martin Lighting package. Utilizing a full rig of Martin VIPER XIPs and MAC Aura XIPs -- backed by the incredibly versatile MAC Ones -- we brought the vibrant, visually spectacular world of the circus to life for the Barnum UK Tour, showcasing rich colors and beautiful gobos thanks to the VIPER XIP's incredible mixing abilities."