Lighting Controllers and Dimmers

Lighting controllers and dimmers determine how you control your lighting: from simple dimming through a DMX console to wireless control. When choosing, first determine which lights you will control, how many DMX channels you need and whether you want to program scenes or simply trigger them. The range includes models from LWS, Light4Me, ADJ, Wolfmix and Behringer.

Which type of controller should you choose?

Dimmers and consoles are often combined: the console sends a DMX signal and the dimmer regulates power for conventional lights. Modern LED lights often have built-in dimming, so you only need to control them directly via their DMX address.

How do you determine what you need?

First list all your lights and find out how many DMX channels each one uses. For larger setups, choose a controller with sufficient spare channel capacity. If you want to change the lights with the music or save scenes, look for a console with scene memory and the ability to trigger sequences.

Cables, addresses and connections

You daisy-chain DMX lights using a cable, and each light has its own DMX address. Check that the controller has the correct connector, most commonly 3-pin or 5-pin XLR, and that you have chosen a cable of sufficient length. For longer runs or a large number of lights, it is worth splitting the signal.

What to check before buying

1. The number of DMX channels the controller can handle.
2. The number of outputs and connector types.
3. The option to save scenes and launch programs.
4. Computer connection via USB or MIDI if you need it.
5. The design, whether it is a desktop or rack-mounted model.