From mixers to loudspeakers to studio monitors, Mackie has redefined markets by delivering feature-packed, high-performance products at unprecedented prices. And now they’re doing it again with the introduction of the PMK Series Mackie Reference Studio Monitors.

“Before, consumers looking for affordable studio monitors or hi-fi loudspeakers were given no option but to use bulky wood or composite-molded plastic enclosures that did not taste delicious,” says James Woodburn, Mackie recording product manager. “Now, backed with decades of experience in high end studio monitor carving, Mackie’s PMK Series Monitors bring vegephile quality audio within reach to a wider audience,” continued Woodburn.

The PMK Series features a broken stem, molded to minimize diffraction and delicately designed vents to keep it from getting all smoky inside. The amplifiers feature a proven Certified Organic™ architecture that delivers an ultra-flat frequency response plus the addition of acoustic controls allow you to adjust high frequency and low frequency settings to compensate for room placement (just carve additional holes to custom tailor your tone).

"It really redefines the term sweet spot," concluded Woodburn. "In fact, I am making a pie with them later. You should stop by and have a piece."

From Pro Sound News (click here for full article):

New York (October 20, 2009)--The editorial staff of Pro Audio Review is proud to announce 25 winners of the 2009 PAR Excellence Award. This award is presented to professional audio companies that introduced a particularly significant new product at the 127th AES Convention.

PAR Excellence Award-winning products are nominated and selected by a panel of audio engineers, professional end-users, and PAR Contributors with the oversight of PAR’s editorial staff. These products are chosen based on their potential to enhance the quality of an audio professional’s work. Criteria include innovation in design, performance/value ratio, enhanced features, and performance improvements over previous versions.

Well... we are going to have to make room on our award shelf here at headquarters for the new Onyx-i Series Recording Mixers (Onyx 820i, Onyx 1220i, Onyx 1620i and Onyx 1640i). Find out why this innovative new series is garnering all this praise. Click here to get the details on this great new series.

Mix magazine is a leading publication for everything pro audio and plays a big part in the annual AES show. This year, the 127th AES Convention hosted over 18,000 attendees who could visit with over 300 exhibitors. Plenty of products are introduced at AES and more than a few get the industry excited.

However, each year the editors at Mix select the Top-20 new products from AES. The chosen few are dubbed "Certified Hits".

This year, Mackie is proud to announce that the new Onyx-i Series FireWire Recording Mixers are a Certified Hit!

Onyx-i series mixers each feature premium Onyx mic preamps, Perkins EQ and built-in FireWire for the ultimate combination of premium analog mixer and powerful computer interface. Plus, they are qualified for use with all major DAWs, including Pro Tools® M-Powered™ 8.

Read more about Onyx-i Series (Onyx 820i, Onyx 1220i, Onyx 1620i or Onyx 1640i) or find out what other innovative products have been certified by Mix by clicking here.

Early in September, we released the all-new Onyx-i Series FireWire Recording Mixers. The initial response was very positive. The inclusion of the FW card, increased routing flexibility and (of course) the sonic quality of the Onyx pres and Perkins EQ was received very well. Heck, the flagship Onyx 1640i is already racking up the awards...

Anyway, AES was the public showcase for the Onyx-i line and the first chance for users to really get their feet wet. The feature set alone was enough to draw a crowd, but a lot of people were coming by for another reason. They wanted to see the interface that could work with 'em all. That's right, Onyx-i recording mixers are qualified by Mackie to work with just about any DAW out there.

Out of the box, every Onyx-i mixer will work with Logic®, SONAR™ Cubase®, Live, Final Cut Pro®, Tracktion™..the list goes on and on. What got everyone's attention was the news that, when using an authorized Mackie Universal Driver, the Onyx-i Series will work with Avid's Pro Tools® M-Powered™8. If that sounds interesting to you, just get any Onyx mixer and a copy of PTMP8. Then, visit our driver update page and, for $49.99, you can download the driver that makes it all happen.

Mackie customers have been asking for this for a long time and, boy howdy, we are excited to offer it.

So, AES attendees have proof-positive that Onyx-i mixers are the most compatible piece of recording hardware available. Maybe you should go to a dealer and check it out for yourself. We are confident that anybody who records, regardless of DAW choice, will love the sonic quality, ease of use and price of the new Onyx-i Series mixers.

Many of you will be familiar with ProSoundWeb. If not, visit it immediately. Full of industry news, product reviews and the like, ProSoundWeb and Live Sound International are a major source of info for anybody that works in the pro audio field.

So, when they ask their readers to vote for the best products of 2009, people take notice. Well, wouldn't you know it....the brand new Onyx 1640i won the Reader's Choice award for Best New Small Format Console.

We are sincerely honored that readers have chose the Onyx 1640i. In fact, we would take it out for pizza to celebrate, but the cheese would probably cause some problems.

At any rate, thank you readers of ProSoundWeb! As for the rest of you, you can read more about the Onyx 1640i here.

The good news? Europe is now fully indoctrinated the ways of Onyx-i and HD. The response was overwhelming: Both dealers and customers love the new Mackie gear. The HD Series High-Definition Powered Loudspeakers were a huge hit. They offer higher-output, better sonic clarity and certainly look better than anything out there. And since they are flyable (both horizontally and vertically) they are perfect for installs. The crew certainly appreciated how  lightweight they were and so is anyone who gigs around with a full PA system. Incidentally, HD subwoofers are right around the corner (HD1501, HD1801), creating a full-on HD system. Can't wait to get the reviews in for that...the whole system is simply amazing.

The all-new Onyx-i Series FireWire Recording Mixers also made big waves. Of course, since Mackie qualifies the new series to work with all major DAWs, including Pro Tools M-Powered 8, Logic, Sonar and more, it is easy to see what all the fuss is about. We  thought that would be the biggest news, but were really happy to see how interested everyone was in the feature set. Customers can now choose to implement the Perkins EQ into the recording path...which was a much sought after feature. The flexibility of the FireWire routing was also a hit. You can choose to route any channels, aux or the master L/R signal. The 1220i lets you route all of these at once and the flagship 1640i features 16x16 FireWire I/O for the ultimate tape-style mixdown. Onyx-i mixers are hitting stores now, go check them out.

The crew is now resting, Ben has stopped pointing at things and everything is pretty much back to normal around the office. We sincerely thank the hosting dealers for showing so much support for the brand and generally being nice guys.  Click on a link below to get details about that stop:

Confetti - Nottingham, UK

Digital Village - Romford, UK

Andertons - Guildford, UK

Star's Music - Paris, FR

Home Studio - Paris, FR

Bekafun - Izegem, BE

Music Store Professional - Cologne, DE

Music Produktiv - Ibbenbüren, DE

Feedback - Rotterdam, NL

So that's it. Although we need to give the van a rest, you can be sure there is another Road Trip right around the corner. Where will we visit next? It could be in a city near you. Will you get to meet/point at Ben in person?

Mackie is on the road in Europe

DAY EIGHT: Feedback - Rotterdam, NL

VAN CONDITION: Virtually destroyed. Only two wheels and an half a seatbelt remain.

CREW CONDITION: At the brink of insanity.

Day eight marks the final stop on Mackie's Euro Road Trip. After Kent kicked Ben out at the last stop, he made his way to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. Rotterdam is better enjoyed with good company, but is so rich with culture and good people that you can easily make new friends.

Rotterdam is one of several locations for Feedback, a full service pro audio dealer. The staff was very kind and really treated the crew (and I use that term loosely) well. Kent spent the day training the staff on the new products and talking to customers that came through. The store itself is set up extremely well and fosters a great environment for playing with your favorite gear.

As this tour has proven, the new Onyx-i mixers were received very well. Everybody is into the compact footprint of the 820i, which doesn't sacrifice on features and, of course, the flagship 1640i, whose built-in 16x16 FW interface allows users to pull off a true tape-style mixdown. Everyone wants their hands on one.

We all need a little break after this trip, but stay tuned for a re-cap. Thanks for following along.

Mackie is on the road in Europe

DAY SEVEN: Music Produktiv - Ibbenbüren, DE

VAN CONDITION: Indescribable smells, unimaginable filth

CREW CONDITION: Wishes they were in Germany for Oktoberfest, but still thinking it's a really nice place

Day seven marks the second day visiting dealers in Germany. Today's stop is at Music Produktiv, arguably one of the largest and coolest retail locations in Europe. You simply cannot miss its massive orange-ness as you approach it when driving the autobahn.

And that is a good thing, because people come from far and wide to shop at Music Produktiv and participate in the many demos and training sessions held here. The crew setup the new gear in the massive live room and spent a few hours training the recording and live sound staff on both the HD Series loudspeakers and the Onyx-i mixers.

The recording guys really loved the Onyx-i series. In fact, Ben and Kent were not sure they would be able to take the mixers with them to the next stop, but they managed to pry them out of the staffs hands before packing up. The 820i, in particular, was a big hit. The staff was certain that it would be perfect for the thousands of DJs and producers that shop at Music Produktiv. They even gave a cool nickname, "Kleine geil", which roughly translates to "Little Bad Ass" or "Little Hottie." We like it.

All in all, Germany has been a great place to showcase the new Mackie gear and anyone in the area should definitely stop by Music Produktiv. Just make sure you plan to spend some time there. Like we said, it's massive!

There is but one more stop on this tour. Looks like product manager, Ben has had enough of the road and he went back to the states. Looks like Kent is one his own as he travels to Rotterdam, NL and visits the team at Feedback. We will have updates soon.

Mackie is on the road in Europe

Day Six: Music Store Professional - Cologne, DE

Van Condition: The air is infused with the smell of Chimay and Orval

Crew Condition: Beleaguered, but maintaining a professional aire about them

Ah, the road trip. Always sounds good at first, but boy are you ready to get home after a few days. However, that hasn't crept into the minds of the crew, obviously, as they are more energetic and friendly than ever. Perhaps they are growing accustomed to the European way of living. Sorry boys, but in America we have to work in August and you need to pay for your health care...so you better just forget about it.

Day six finds the crew in Germany. Specifically, they are visiting the town of Cologne. Beautiful architecture and rich culture is everywhere. But alas, the boys are here to work, so they headed straight to Music Store Professional, which is located right in the heart of downtown Cologne. As such, it sees a tremendous amount of foot traffic during the busy workday.

The crew setup in their expansive (and impressive) demo room, which boast a complete stage and more loudspeakers than you can shake a stick at. Go ahead, shake one. Right now. They talked to a ton of customers and trained the staff on the new products. They got tons of great feedback, especially for the new Onyx-i Series mixers.

A couple of German pro audio magazines and blogger-types stopped by to interview the crew. They were really psyched to find out that the Onyx-i mixers were qualified by Mackie for use with Pro Tools M-Powered 8. It is truly big news for home recordists and touring bands alike.

After rocking the place all day long, the boys actually got to see some sights. Ben's penchant for pointing has apparently caught on...

There are still two more stops on the tour, Music Produktiv and Feedback. So, please drop by if you are in the area. Otherwise, stay tuned for updates on the tour.

Mackie is on the road in Europe

DAY FIVE: Bekafun - Izegem, BE

VAN CONDITION: Baguette sleeves and empty wine bottles everywhere

CREW CONDITION: Shattered emotions due to unrequited love in Paris

Day four finds the crew in Belgium, home of everything good. Good beer. Good food. Good people. Did I say good beer? Anyway, the boys pulled up to one of the largest and full-featured retail locations they have ever seen. And it is called Bekafun.

The owner of Bekafun is named Koen Bekaert, and he made sure that the Mackie boys received a hearty welcome. Bekafun created cool custom flyers for the event even decked out their own vehicle with massive Mackie signage. The location is huge, as in multiple warehouses (one of which was nearly completely filled with Mackie gear!). There is a separate demo room (complete with fully-stocked bar...wow) next to the store that is used for education of both staff and customers.  So, when the customers find out there is a demo going on, it gets packed very quickly.

The crew gave demo after demo to people who came from far and wide to hear the new gear and just talk shop in general. The boys stayed late into the evening and only left because they needed to pack the van up for the next stop. (Although the crew did manage to work in a few choice Belgian beers at the hotel before hitting the sack).

They awoke the next morning to find out that the hotel had cut all water due to construction. So, they skipped the shower and hit the road. Gross, right?

Long story short, Bekafun (and Belgium, in general) is full of great people and great fun. It is a cool stop for any European road trip. Make sure to say hello to Koen. Heck, their might be another demo scheduled. If so, you will want to get your place in line.

Next stop is at Music Store Professional in Cologne, Germany. Stay tuned, as the attempts to safely navigate through another country renowned for their beer. Good luck, boys.

Mackie is on the road in Europe

DAY FOUR: Home Studio & Star's Music, Paris FR

VAN CONDITION: Excess trash has been removed as Ben is very tidy

CREW CONDITION: Frantic, with a chance of excessive pointing at things

Day four starts with product manager, Ben, driving precariously through the City of Love, Paris. His driving skills are improving day by day. It would turn out to be a very busy day, as the crew had two separate stores to visit.

The first was Home Studio, which was very full of customers. They stock a ton of Mackie gear and should visited by any Paris-bound Mackoid. The boys set up the Onyx-i gear right in the shop window and spent time with customers explaining the features and benefits of this great new series.

Next was a trip to Star's Music, which boasts a ton of live sound equipment. The new HD Series and TH-15A loudspeakers were right at home. The store was very busy, and there was a  ton of interest in the new speakers. By the way, when you approach an HD loudspeaker in the wild, please adopt the position seen in the picture. Avoid eye contact and you should be good.

After a busy day, product manager Ben toured the city. He took all sorts of fine pictures of historic locations and monuments. However, his trip to the Louvre was particularly inspiring.

The next stop is September 22nd at Bekafun in Izegem, Belgium. Come by if you are in the area. Afterwards, offer to take Ben out for beer and frites. He loves them.

Mackie is on the road in Europe

DAY THREE: Andertons, Guildford UK

VAN CONDITION: Smells of bangers and mash

CREW CONDITION: Also smells of bangers and mash

Andertons' is easily one of Britain's largest outlets for musical gear, with a great online store for web purchases. It's a great shop with a very enthusiastic staff. Our crew rolled up bright and early, ready to demo the latest Mackie gear.

The boys set up the Onyx-i rig in Andertons' mixer room and there were plenty of interested people. People loved the feel and look of the new series and really appreciated the fact that it is compatible with virtually EVERY DAW out there. No, really...check it out. The PA room was the perfect venue for the HD Series loudspeakers and the TH-15A. The HD speakers get really loud, so its always nice to have an isolated place to really crank them up.

The store was busy and there was a lot of customer interaction, but the guys were able to give one-on-one demos to every staff member. So, if you are near Guildford, you can count on the knowledge of their staff.

After the goodbyes were said, product manager Ben was left to his own devices. He was tasked with driving a van that seated the driver on the left, but had to manage driving on the left side of the road. With the narrow streets he was about to face in Paris, this would prove to be a test of Ben's driving skills. Plus, to get there, he needed to load the van onto a train that would traverse the Eurotunnel to France.

We wish you the best of luck, Ben. Drive safely! The next stop is a double-stop, as we will visit both Star's Music and Home Studio in Paris. Stay tuned.

Mackie is on the road in Europe

DAY TWO: Digital Village, Romford UK

VAN CONDITION: Curly Wurly and Jaffa Cake wrappers are beginning to pile up

CREW CONDITION: Getting a little giddy, but still in good spirits

This  stop landed the boys at Digital Village, which boasts several popular locations throughout the UK. Along with their online store, Digital Village is a powerhouse dealer for everything pro audio and beyond.

The Romford location is massive, filled with everything you need (musically speaking, of course). The Mackie Boys setup the HD Series loudspeakers and the new TH-15A in the Live Sound Room and laid out the new Onyx-i Series mixers in front of a massive wall of studio monitors.

They spent all day providing demos of the new gear for all the staff and a ton of customers who came out. The staff was great and were really interested in the technology behind the new Mackie gear.

Be sure to check out Digital Village's site, they have some great deals.

The next stop is at Andertons in Guildford, UK.  The boys will be there from 10am - 4pm. Will you be there? Plan on being at any of the stops? Email us at news@mackie.com and we can get a photo of you with the crew and van. Cheerio!

Day One: Confetti Studios, Nottingham, UK

Van Condition: Clean and fresh

Crew Condition: Invigorated and eager

Confetti Studios is part of the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies, a unique establishment which houses progressive learning alongside commercial recording studios and pre/post film and TV companies. 

It's an awesome location with the primary purpose of audio/video production education for people of all ages. The crew spent the day giving demos to both the students and the teachers. They set up all the gear and students could listen and ask  questions while they waited for their class to begin. The staff, in particular, had a ton of great feedback and genuinely loved the new gear.

So, be sure to check out Confetti's site and learn about their innovative program.

And be on the lookout for info from the next stop. Will you be there? Plan on being at any of the stops? Email us at news@mackie.com and we can get a photo of you with the crew and van. Till next time!