Ace Visual and Sound Systems

What Ace Visual and Sound Systems does

Ace Visual and Sound Systems Limited (AVSS Ltd.) is a privately held UK software company, incorporated in England in 2008 (company number 3608475) and headquartered at Field House, Thorne, South Yorkshire. The company develops and sells ShowMagic, an integrated Windows-based control platform that combines lighting, audio, video, digital signage, and external device control through protocols including DMX512, MIDI, RS-232, and IP. The product portfolio is tiered across three series: the SL Series (Free Edition, SL, SL Plus) covering entry-level to high-channel lighting and audio control (24 to 2048 DMX channels), the SLX Series adding scheduling, triggering, and external device control for fixed installations, and the AV Series adding integrated video, multi-channel audio, digital signage, and pixel mapping capabilities.

The company monetizes through one-time perpetual software licenses for the ShowMagic product range, augmented by AceCover, an annual support and updates subscription priced at GBP 85+VAT/year for SL versions and GBP 160+VAT/year for SLX and AV versions. Distribution combines a product-led free download of the SL Free Edition, authorized resellers listed in a 'Where to Buy' section, and direct enterprise sales via phone, fax, and email. Marketing is minimal: a website, a Facebook page, an email newsletter, and downloadable documentation and tutorials, with no evidence of paid acquisition, content marketing investment beyond the website, or social presence beyond Facebook.

ShowMagic is used worldwide across live events, corporate presentations, museums, clubs, and fixed installations, with the company claiming 15+ years of faultless operational track record. The business operates without disclosed external investors, executive team information, headcount, revenue figures, or recent press activity, consistent with a small founder-operated UK micro-SME serving a niche professional AV control market.

Name

Ace Visual and Sound Systems

Legal name

Ace Visual & Sound Systems Limited

Website

https://showmagic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Ace Visual and Sound Systems Limited (AVSS Ltd.) is a UK private software firm that develops ShowMagic, an integrated Windows-based control platform for lighting, audio, video, digital signage, and device control sold to live events, corporate AV, museums, and fixed-installation operators worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Show Control Software

NAICS

Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (334310)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Performance & DJ Software (Playback, Mixing, Lighting Control) (MPAIAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Live Production Switching & Routing (Vision Mixers, Routers) (MPAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Show control software
• Lighting control software
• AV integration software
• DMX lighting control
• Digital signage software

Headquarters

HQ city

Doncaster

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses: One-time perpetual license sales for ShowMagic software products across SL, SLX, and AV series with different channel capacities.
2. AceCover Subscription: Annual maintenance and support subscription including expert customer service, software updates, and one hour training. £85+VAT/year for SL versions, £160+VAT/year for SLX and AV versions.
3. Training Services: One hour training at Dial Sound & Lighting, Unit 4G, Euroway Trading Estate, Bradford, England included with AceCover subscription.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ace Visual and Sound Systems develops and sells ShowMagic, an integrated Windows-based show control software platform that unifies lighting, audio, video, digital signage, and external device control within a single application. The product line spans three series (SL, SLX, AV) scaled by DMX channel capacity (24 to 2048) and video outputs (up to 5), with built-in real-time scheduling and triggering for both live shows and 24/7 fixed installations. An annual AceCover subscription provides updates, expert support, and training.

Product overview

Ace Visual and Sound Systems offers ShowMagic, an integrated show control software platform for lighting, audio, video, digital signage, and device control. The product portfolio consists of three series: the SL Series (SL Free Edition, SL, SL Plus) for lighting and audio control; the SLX Series (SLX, SLX Plus) adding scheduling, triggering, and control capabilities for fixed installations; and the AV Series (AV, AV Plus) providing complete audio-visual integration with video, digital signage, and pixel mapping features. The SL Series supports up to 24-2048 DMX channels, the SLX Series adds automation features while maintaining the same DMX channel range, and the AV Series extends capabilities with multi-channel video outputs (3-5 displays) and multi-track audio routing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ShowMagic SL Free Edition Free entry-level ShowMagic software providing lighting and audio control with up to 24 DMX channels. Targeted at individual users, hobbyists, and small venues wanting to evaluate ShowMagic before upgrading.
• ShowMagic SL ShowMagic software for integrated lighting and audio control supporting up to 512 DMX channels, suitable for most manually controlled applications.
• ShowMagic SL Plus ShowMagic software for large manually controlled lighting and audio applications supporting up to 2048 DMX channels.
• ShowMagic SLX ShowMagic software combining SL-series features with scheduling, triggering, and control of external devices for lighting, audio, and fixed installations (museums, clubs). Supports up to 512 DMX channels.
• ShowMagic SLX Plus ShowMagic software extending SLX functionality with up to 2048 DMX channels for larger fixed installations.
• ShowMagic AV ShowMagic AV series software integrating audio, digital signage, video, lighting, and device control with up to 3 video outputs and 512 DMX channels.
• ShowMagic AV Plus Flagship ShowMagic AV software with up to 5 video outputs, synchronized video playback, 2048 DMX channels, and full AV integration including pixel mapping, multi-channel audio routing, and digital signage.
• AceCover Subscription Annual maintenance and support subscription for ShowMagic software. Priced at £85+VAT/year for SL versions and £160+VAT/year for SLX and AV versions. Includes expert customer service, software updates, and one hour of training by appointment at Dial Sound & Lighting in Bradford, England.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PayPalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayPal is used as the payment processor for online store transactions on showmagic.com. When customers make payments, they are redirected to PayPal for secure payment processing.
• SoundlightcoreTechnology or IntegrationSoundlight manufactures DMX hardware interfaces (1512B, 1512C ISA cards, 1514 PCI cards, PCMCIA and USB interfaces) that are supported by ShowMagic software as DMX output devices.
• SunlitecoreTechnology or IntegrationSunlite USB DMX interface devices are supported by ShowMagic for DMX output control.
• Artistic LicencecoreTechnology or IntegrationArtistic Licence DMX Dongle is supported by ShowMagic as a DMX output device option.
• Dial Sound & LightingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTraining venue for AceCover subscribers. Includes one hour training by appointment at their facility in Bradford, England.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pharos Architectural Controls: Pharos makes architectural lighting and show control software/hardware used for permanent installations such as museums, themed venues, and building facades. Like ShowMagic's SLX/AV series, it emphasizes reliable scheduling, triggering, and multi-protocol integration for unattended fixed-installation operation.
• MADRIX: MADRIX is a lighting control software for LED pixel mapping and DMX-driven installations, used across clubs, events, and architectural projects. Its pixel-mapping and multi-output capabilities overlap directly with ShowMagic AV series features.
• QLC+: QLC+ is an open-source cross-platform lighting control application supporting DMX, MIDI, and OSC for live shows and installations. It competes in the same entry-level to mid-market lighting control software segment as ShowMagic SL and SLX series, particularly with price-sensitive users and hobbyists.
• Obsidian Control Systems: Obsidian (part of the Elation family) sells ONYX, a lighting control software platform used for concerts, theatre, and events with DMX and networked lighting protocols. It is a direct competitor in the show-control software market, especially for live production use cases ShowMagic targets.

Broad incumbents

• ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls): ETC is an established lighting manufacturer and software provider with consoles (Eos, ColorSource, Cobalt) and architectural control systems for venues, broadcast, and live events. It competes across ShowMagic's entire range and offers bundled hardware-software solutions that smaller pure-software vendors struggle to match.
• Crestron Electronics: Crestron is a broad AV control and automation incumbent for corporate, hospitality, and high-end residential AV integration. While its portfolio extends well beyond lighting, it competes for the integrated AV control budgets (e.g., corporate presentations, venues) that ShowMagic's AV series targets.
• AMX (Harman): AMX, owned by Harman, provides commercial AV control systems, touch panels, and programming software used in corporate, education, and venue installations. It overlaps with ShowMagic's integrated AV control proposition in the mid-market and enterprise AV segments.
• Martin Professional (Harman): Martin Professional is a major entertainment lighting manufacturer that also ships M-PC and M-Series lighting control software. It competes in the live events and entertainment lighting segment that anchors ShowMagic's customer base, often through integrated fixture-plus-control bundles.
• Extron Electronics: Extron is an established AV signal processing, routing, and control manufacturer with deep penetration in corporate, education, and government installations. It competes for integrated AV control opportunities, especially where ShowMagic's AV series is positioned for corporate AV.

Emerging players

• Bitfocus Companion: Companion is an open-source event control application widely used with Stream Deck hardware to trigger lighting, audio, and video cues in live productions. It targets the same live-event operators ShowMagic serves but with a modern, free, hardware-agnostic model that creates bottom-up competitive pressure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/showmagic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ace Visual and Sound Systems