Mackie CR8 BT

The sturdy MDF cabinets of the Mackie CR5 BT speakers feature rear‑firing bass reflex ports, effectively extending the low‑end. Each speaker combines a 8" woven‑fibre woofer with a silk‑dome tweeter that sits safely behind a protective grille. When the speakers are used as nearfield monitors, they can be switched into Desktop mode, a preset which takes the user's listening position into account and delivers a more focused sound that helps keep reflecting soundwaves in check. Bookshelf mode, on the other hand, suits setups where the units are further away from the listener. A switch also allows the left and right channels to be swapped if needed, helping keep the power and audio runs under control: Of course, the passive second speaker hooks up with no fuss at all – just a standard speaker cable connected via spring-clip terminals.

In 1988 Greg Mackie, already a successful co-founder of a pro audio company, founded Mackie Designs Inc. with the goal of producing affordable, high-quality mixers. The company's first official product, the LM-1602 line mixer, was initially produced within the four walls of his home. As sales figures were encouraging, its successor model CR-1604 soon followed - and in 1991 the company finally moved into its first proper production facility. The combination of reliable quality and low prices quickly brought the company enormous success, so that by 1995 Mackie had already sold 100,000 products. In 2003, the company was renamed LOUD Audio, LLC so that there is no longer any confusion between the Mackie brand and its former parent company of the same name.