CFX SERIES. If you've shied away from any mixer with built-in effects and a graphic EQ until now, well, we can't blame you. But the new CFX Series mixers are the first effects-equipped units that meet Greg Mackie's super-stringent standards for sound quality, low noise and high headroom. Mackie's Digital Engineering staff contributed sophisticated EMAC 32-bit digital effects that are sonically the equal of many dedicated outboard processors. These folks also spent a ridiculous amount of time perfecting an "audiophile-quality" graphic EQ section that's free from the usual phase distortion. And as if that wasn't enough, they packed the CFX Series mic / line mixers with lots of extra features.

In brief, with the CFX Series, you get 16 digital effects with 32-bit internal processing (plus two adjustable parameters), true studio quality, 9-band stereo graphic program equalizer, multiple summing amplifiers and precision infinite feedback band-pass filters that yield superior linear-phase and combining properties. You also get a level-setting LED for each channel, Trim Control with 50dB of mic gain (for timid vocalists or low-output mics), up to +30dB of line level gain and a full 15dB of attenuation to "pad" hot signals, Inserts on all mic channels and mains, Aux Sends (switchable to pre-fader for monitor use), external and internal EFX Sends.

Also standard are a 12kHz shelving high frequency EQ, sweepable peaking Midrange EQ (mono input channels) with ultra-wide 100Hz to 8kHz bandwidth, 80Hz shelving Low frequency EQ, a Pre-Fader Solo switch that lets you monitor the channel via headphones. There's a also a mondo-nifty Break Switch that mutes all channels (and routes Tape input to the mains) while you're on break so you don't have to worry about feedback or some idiot grabbing the mic for some impromptu vocalizing.

The CFX Series comes with RCA-type unbalanced tape / CD inputs and tape outputs, balanced / unbalanced 1/4" TRS and balanced XLR outputs for mains, headphone jack with level control, subwoofer output from a built-in 18dB/oct. 75Hz crossover! Long-wearing 60mm logarithmic taper faders give you smooth, linear control throughout the fader's entire travel and a solid steel chassis is punched bent and painted by gigantic automated machines supervised by medium-sized, non-automated Mackoids.

So check out the CFX·12 ($699 list), CFX·16 ($899 list), and CFX·20 ($1099 list). They're a perfect match for all the other Mackie Live gear.

PPM SERIES POWERED MIXERS. The whole point of a powered mixer is lots of power, right? That's why there's a real, specially-designed FR Series High-Current, Fast-Recovery power amp inside every PPM Series Powered Mixer. It's designed to run all night into brutally low impedances and sound clean even when driven hard.

Mackie started with a massive toroid transformer and two unusually large storage capacitors with tons (720 joules for those who care) of energy storage capacity. In fact, the PPM power supply is so robust that it can run on as little as 80 volts at the end of a long, skinny extension cord during a brown-out. Then add Mackie's Fast Recovery circuitry that reduces latching distortion so PPM Series mixers sound good even when driven well into clipping. They also included an SCR crowbar circuit for speaker protection. In side-by-side comparison with the competition, you'll be amazed by how much louder and cleaner PPM Powered mixers sound even when driving huge PA cabinets.

You can easily mute Channels 1-6 during set breaks so you can play music (via the tape input and stereo channels 7 or 8) without having to mess up your levels, deal with feedback loops, or risk having somebody pick up a mic and start spouting existentialist poetry. And when you hear the PPM Series' ultra-realistic 32-bit EMAC effects, we think you'll be even more impressed. But those overachievers at Mackie also added extra effects control via dual-parameter controls and with the "EFX Wide" button which psychoacoustically adds width and / or depth to reverbs, chorus, and flange perfect for setups where your speakers have to be placed close together.

There are 75Hz low-cut filters in both built-in 9-band equalizer sections to remove microphone thumps, "P"-pops and stage rumble. Sharp 18dB/octave circuitry works without cutting audible bass. Soft-knee compressor lets you smooth vocals, and run at higher gain levels without over-driving your loudspeakers or your audience. The rugged injection-molded chassis resists impacts that would destroy your typical "fur-covered" wood box powered mixer. The built-in handle can be used even by folks who don't have the foggiest idea of what injection molding is.

There's more: A real Mackie Designs mic/line mixer section based on Mackie's world-famous MicroSeries 1202-VLZ and enhanced with new mic preamps and about a gazillion ingenious extra features. Rugged, sealed rotary controls resist dust, moisture and other contamination. Expensive, studio-grade, 9-band program equalizers are available for mains and monitor that utilize multiple summing amplifiers and precision infinite feedback band-pass filters, which yield superior linear-phase and combining properties. Translation: EQs that are exceptionally low-noise, low-distortion, sound great, and don't suffer from any nasty phase-shift problems.

Finally, the Running Man figure on the mixer improves the coolness-factor by 150% (according to strict scientific studies). There are five PPM Series Mixers: The 406M ($699 list), 408M ($799 list), 808M ($899 list), 408S ($899 list) and 808S ($999 list).

FR-SERIES POWER AMPS. When Mackie first introduced their FR Series High Current Power Amplifiers, some folks went, "Huh? Power amps from Mackie?" After all, they've mostly been known for their precision, studio quality mixers. Three years later, the "Huh?"s" have turned to "WOW!"s. FR Series amps are everywhere! And with good reason. They've racked up a strong record for reliability in demanding sound reinforcement applications. And tens of thousands of satisfied owners have come to appreciate FR Series sound quality and extra system-enhancing features. Now they've proliferated inside the company's powered mixers, active sound reinforcement speakers and our industry-standard HR824 near-field studio monitors.

FR Series power amps don't pull power out of the ozone or switch on and off a gazillion times a second. They're traditional "lead sled" designs with massive toroid transformers, huge storage capacitors, state-of-the-art output devices and cooling systems that outperform all amps in their price ranges. They deliver enormous amounts of current into extremely low impedances and they have dynamic power reserves to spare. The reason FR Series amps are so affordable is because of Mackie's huge investment in automated manufacturing technology, not because they cut any corners.

Fact is, FR power amps sound better than the competition when driven into clipping (overload). Since that's how 99 out of every 100 PA systems are usually operated, this is a major point. When an amp clips, you start hearing harmonic distortion. So conventional amps use something called negative feedback to help control clipping distortion. The output section of the amp sends a signal back to earlier stages to "throttle the system down." The trouble is, this solution causes its own problem: During clipping, when the amp relies on negative feedback, it electronically confuses earlier amp stages, causing them to latch in a clipping mode instead of recovering quickly. Latching causes the amp to sound really awful when pushed too hard, which it inevitably will be.

To effectively deal with clipping, an amp must be able to recouperate almost instantaneously. That's what Mackie means by Fast Recovery. FR Series amps use very sparing amounts of negative feedback. Then they use complementary Baker Clamp circuits on the positive and negative voltage amp stages, which prevent the stages from saturating (and latching) during periods of overdrive. An additional transistor senses when the Baker Clamp is active and then activates the FR's internal limiting circuits. The result is no latching, instant recovery from overdriving the amp and way better sound. A big advantage of owning an FR Series amp is that you get important extra features that many other amp manufacturers make you pay extra for or leave out all together, like variable low cut filters for tighter bass. All PA cabinets only reproduce bass down to a certain point, called the tuned frequency. Below that point, you get audio sludge and potential woofer damage. FR Series variable low cut filters let you feed your system only the frequencies it can handle. You can "dial in" any tuned frequency from 5Hz to 170Hz. All models also include an infrasonic stabilizer circuit that cuts the really low frequencies that cause visible woofer cone flutter.

There's more to say, but we'll leave that to your Sweetwater Sales Engineer. Whether you run your whole sound reinforcement system with a single amplifier, or have rack upon rack of them back stage, there's an FR Series amp tailored for your application. They're affordable (list prices start at just $549 for the 800-watt M800). And, oh yeah, they sound great.

SRM540. Mackie's new SRM450 is so precise, so powerful and so easy to use, they refuse to call it a PA speaker. The company's active technology finally makes it possible for you to exercise listening criteria reserved for high-end studio monitors in a live sound environment. And since Mackie's the one unleashing the world's first active sound reinforcement monitor, you can be sure it's affordable (just $899 list). The SRM450 active sound reinforcement monitor brings truckloads of power to any event, eliminating the need for external amplification and costly electronics (such as processors). In fact, this new Mackie loudspeaker the first in a series of speakers developed with RCF, a company with fifty years of speaker experience uses technology and features found in systems costing thousands of dollars. From beginning musicians to AV rental houses and everywhere in between, anyone who uses a PA will find the SRM450 to be the workhorse sound reinforcement solution. Everything you need for sound reinforcement (aside from the mixer) is in the SRM450. Take a look toward the top of this great looking monitor and you'll notice the UltraWide Dispersion horn. Designed to deliver high frequency sounds across a spacious horizon, the SRM450 can be heard clearly by every person in the audience. Left, right, or behind that big post toward the back of the room, the crowd can hear it all. More good news: You won't break your back hauling it around, thanks to the high-impact composite enclosure. Handles on both sides and on top make it easy to carry. What's more, the SRM450 can be pole-mounted, flown, or even used as a floor wedge.

Mackie packed so many features, so much performance and versatility into the SRM450, you'll have to hear and see it for yourself. And we guarantee: Once you do, you'll never have any question about who to trust your sound to.

C300/300i. The Mackie C300/C300i ($499 list) uses the same basic transducers as their active SRM450 with two differences: TheC300/C300i's 1.75-inch high frequency compression driver uses a composite mylar diaphragm while the12-inch low frequency transducer incorporates a larger 3-inch Inside/Outside temperature-resistant voice coil. Both of these changes compensate for the fact that the speaker system must be able to handle a wide range of external power inputs (like the mega-powered PPM808S or PPM808M).

The C300/C300i uses the same studio-quality horn assembly with multi-cell aperture horn throat and large format exponential/conical high-frequency horn mouth for superb dispersion. This means everyone in your audience hears clearly... not just the people in the middle between the speakers. And like the SRM450, the C300/C300i has the same asymmetrical trapezoidal cabinet for minimum internal resonance and the ability to recline for floor monitor use. It also has the same weight-balanced enclosure with dual side handles and top handle, built-in pole mount and ten built-in hanging points. But instead of internal amplification, the C300/C300i has a Low-Impedance Compensated Crossover (LICC) with full built-in transducer protection and Speakon or TRS inputs that just beg to be energized to shock volumes with a PPM mixer or FR Series power amplifier.

If you want massive, accurate output in a rugged, compact loudspeaker (not to mention the same design and styling as Mackie's powered mixers) check out the C300/C300i today.

SRS1500 ACTIVE SUBWOOFER. If you need serious lows for your on-stage sound system, Mackie now has the perfect solution. The compact, high-output SRS1500 ($899 list) contains a 15" high precision long throw woofer and utilizes a road tested, bullet-proof Mackie FR Series 600 watt High Current Amplifier to provide highly detailed and articulate bass response right down to 40Hz, at a peak output level of 127 dB. The amp is fully integrated into the enclosure and is cooled by a massive polished heat sink and several well-trained gerbils waving lovely oriental fans.

The SRS1500 subwoofer was designed, and is ideally suited, as a companion to their resoundingly successful SRM450 Active Sound Reinforcement Monitor. The small (17.71" wide X 23.62" deep) footprint and light weight of the low-profile SRS1500 makes it a versatile and portable low frequency speaker system for all mobile sound applications. A standmount adapter on the top of the SRS1500 allows the user to pole-mount the Mackie SRM450 directly above the subwoofer unit, thereby creating an extremely powerful, high-output sound system that takes up very little floor space. The minimal size of the SRS1500 subwoofer also makes it ideal for use in fixed installations where smooth integration within the architecture and design is critical.

SRS1800 ACTIVE SUBWOOFER. For those who really take their bass seriously the compact, high-output SRS1800 ($1099 list) contains an 18" high precision, long throw woofer and utilizes the same road tested, bullet-proof Mackie FR Series 600 watt High Current Amplifier as the SRS1500 to provide highly detailed and articulate bass response down to a true 40Hz, at a peak output level of 131dB! The amp is fully integrated into the enclosure and is cooled by a massive polished heat sink and those gerbils we already mentioned. The SRS1800 has all the other features and conveniences as the SRS1500.

S500 PORTABLE LOUDSPEAKER. Designed to complement the PPM Series Powered Mixers, Mackie has introduced the S500 sound reinforcement loudspeaker ($499 list) to the company's growing series of sound reinforcement products. The S500 is the ideal portable speaker system for gigging musicians, sound rental companies and other mobile sound specialists looking for the power and punch of a 15-inch woofer combined with the dispersion of Mackie's studio quality, wide-dispersion horn technology.

The S500 employs several new proprietary technologies which combine to yield an exceptional price/performance ratio. The S500 loudspeaker system is designed for high definition and extreme output levels. The S500 includes a 15-inch woofer with high temperature coil technology, and a 1.75" high-frequency compression driver mounted to Mackie's super-wide dispersion horn. The horn assembly features a multi-cell aperture horn throat and a large format exponential / conical high-frequency horn mouth.

The S500 also employs a special low-impedance crossover design equipped with oversized inductors to reduce current and heat. Dynamic compression driver protection insulates the component against diaphragm damage caused by non-linear signals. What's more, Mackie engineered the S500 trapezoidal cabinet to withstand those classic "Leona Helmsley" levels of roadie and rental company abuse. How? First, Mackie molds the top and bottom of the enclosure using a high-impact resistant composite resin. The front, back and sides are constructed of heavy duty, multi-ply laminated wood used by fine cabinetmakers and in expensive hi-fi speaker systems. S500's are correctly weight-balanced for stable stand-mounting on its built-in pole mount, and two large grip side handles, plus top and bottom handles, allow for optimal portability, setup and repositioning. The S500 is the perfect companion to Mackie's new SRS1500 Active Subwoofer and a PPM Professional Powered Mixer. With its low list price, the S500 once again demonstrates Mackie's prowess in pushing radically new levels of affordable quality into the professional audio market.

Want to know more? Want some help figuring out the perfect solution for your on-stage needs? All you have to do is pick up the phone and call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer. Get all the facts, figures, specs and (of course) your special low Sweetwater pricing on all the great Mackie LIVE gear!