NAMM 2020 officially kicks off today, and new Mackie studio monitors have now been unveiled. Positioned as the next generation of its affordable CR-series of multimedia speakers, the entire lineup is getting refreshed today alongside the introduction of new Bluetooth-enabled models and a compatible CR8S-XBT subwoofer. Whether you’re a home studio producer, podcaster, streamer, or game designer, Mackie’s CR-series has been providing content creators with affordable studio monitoring solutions for a few years now, and everything is getting an overhaul starting now. Head below for all the details.
New Mackie studio monitors
The new Mackie studio monitors come in several flavors and sizes. The lineup is designated with an “X” in the product names and consists of the 3-inch CR3-X, 4-inch CR4-X, and 5-inch CR5-X, on top of a Bluetooth-enabled version of each. The well-known audio company is also releasing the CR8-XBT 8-inch Bluetooth model and the newly connected CR8S-XBT subwoofer. There’s an option for almost everyone here with the ability to expand to a subwoofer-equipped setup to ruin your neighbor’s day at will.
All of these models feature “all-wood” cabinets, polypropylene-coated woofers, 0.75-inch ferrofluid-cooled silk-dome tweeters, and “specially designed” waveguides for what Mackie calls “unmatched sonic clarity” and even sound dispersion across the entire frequency spectrum. You’re also looking at brushed metal panels, a signature CR Green accent outline, and front panel controls for the on-off switch and master volume. This design allows users to choose which speaker (left or right) the volume control sits on your desk.
Plus 200W of wireless subwoofer
The aforementioned CR8S-XBT subwoofer is specifically designed to pair up with any of the new speakers in the line-up. It features a 1/4” TRS and RCA connectivity as well as wireless Bluetooth pairing so that it will work with all of the monitors unveiled today. Features include a dedicated 200W of bass reinforcement, as well as variable crossover and polarity controls.
The new Mackie studio monitors ship with acoustic isolation pads with up/down tilt control (other than the CR3-X and CR4-X) and all of the cables you’ll need to get going, including one for your smartphone. Pricing is as follows, and everything will begin shipping in March 2020.
- CR3-X $99.99
- CR3-XBT $119.99
- CR4-X $149.99
- CR4-XBT $169.99
- CR5-X $199.99
- CR5-XBT $219.99
- CR8-XBT $349.99
- CR8S-XBT $199.99
For all of the most interesting new gear for NAMM 2020, be sure to head over to our announcement hub right here. Take a look at Arturia’s hybrid MIDI controller, SSL’s audio interfaces for Mac, and this USB-C keyboard controller from Roland with MIDI 2.0 support.
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