Mackie Redefines What’s Possible with Next-Generation of Affordable CR Monitors

Mackie announced the third generation of its Creative Reference (CR) monitors, now adding a flexible tone control and location switch for even more flexibility in any application. The new powered studio monitors now can switch between desktop and bookshelf speaker modes, and shape the sound for more bass or added high-end sparkle with the tone control knob, depending if the monitors are being used in the studio, for casual listening, partying, or entertainment. The updated Mackie CR Series includes models with 3.5-, 4.5-, 5, and 8-inch woofers, with and without Bluetooth, plus an 8” subwoofer. First introduced a decade ago, and designed to bring professional sound to a wider range of users, the Mackie CR Series studio monitors offered clear, articulate sound at an accessible price for working musicians and producers. But users discovered that CR Series speakers also sounded great for all their listening, whether for work or play. 

With Mackie now owned by The Freedman Group, the holding that includes Røde, this third generation Mackie CR Series embraces every of those applications and adds controls to customize the sound. The speakers have been updated with easy-to-use options that allow users to place them anywhere and adapt the sound for working on new music, gaming, video editing, casual listening or partying.

“When we introduced CR in 2014 they were an overnight success," says Product Manager Ty Vaughn. "Over time we noticed the speakers extending beyond their intended purposes with musicians and content creators, appearing on bookshelves, or hooked up to vinyl record players. So, we baked that right into the product. This iteration of CR balances the nature of work and play by giving flexible features that shape your sound based on your use case. They are perfect for any situation, and are truly your 'everything’ speakers.”
 
The tone control knob is placed right up front for easy access, letting users shape the sound instantly. The knob starts with the transparent, “flat” response of reference monitors. Turning the knob gradually boosts the bass or adds high-end sparkle, allowing any of the CR Series models to be used as gaming speakers, casual listening speakers or all-out party speakers. Using the location switch on the back, the speakers can also be adapted for desktop mode and listening up close (typical use in the studio) and bookshelf mode for listening at a distance (from the couch).

One of the key aspects of these Mackie CR Series speakers is that they connect to just about anything: audio interfaces, mixers, record players and other playback devices with TRS, RCA and 3.5mm input connectors. Users can switch to quiet listening with the built-in headphone output — connecting the headphones cuts the speaker audio. The “BT” models can even pair with smartphones, laptops and other Bluetooth streaming devices.
 
The new Mackie CR Series sports a fresh visual but maintains the core sound quality. Each speaker contains a silk dome tweeter with a protective grille and woven-fiber woofers available in 3.5, 4.5, 5.25 and 8-inch sizes. The series also includes the new Mackie CR8SBT Creative Reference subwoofer, designed specifically to work with these Creative Reference monitors. The subwoofer also has Bluetooth, so users can connect any non-Bluetooth speakers to the subwoofer and stream wirelessly through the whole system.
One of the most affordable speaker series from a reputable brand, the new Mackie CR Series studio monitors are now shipping and will be available on Mackie.com and at participating retailers, with the following MAPs:

CR3.5 3.5” Studio Monitors (Pair): $99.99
CR3.5BT 3.5” Studio Monitors With Bluetooth (Pair): $129.99
CR4.5 4.5” Studio Monitors (Pair): $129.99
CR4.5BT 4.5” Studio Monitors With Bluetooth (Pair): $159.99
CR5BT 5.25” Studio Monitors With Bluetooth (Pair): $199.99
CR8BT 8” Studio Monitors With Bluetooth (Pair): $279.99
CR8SBT 8” Subwoofer With Desktop Remote: $199.99
www.mackie.com