DL16S/32S "Offical Info from Mackie"

[dpdan]

sad, but I guess I got out just in time 

[WK154]

Sad that Mackie can't be honest with their loyal customer base. Releasing MF 5.2 with AXIS support after stating that there will be no additional software releases for AXIS. Can anyone trust anything that they release anymore.

[Wynnd]

I feel the pain, but I'm glad that someone in software development saw the value of the Axis system and decided to move that direction anyway.  I was personally afraid that Master Fader development would stop at 5.1 and I'm glad to be wrong.

I think I'm done purchasing mixers.  The pandemic has put a serious damper on sound jobs and music gigs.  So the DL16S will have to carry me to my demise.   (Hopefully twenty years.)

[WK154]

I remember you saying that about your DL1608 and here you are with the DL16S  .  Twenty years is a long time and this business like many others will get past this problem and progress will be made in this field. I wish you more than Twenty years and of course you'll buy more gear  Cheers

[Wynnd]

I sure did say that with the DL1608.  Then my recording mixer stopped being supported.  That was the straw that broke that camel's back and pushed the new purchase.  Seems to me that I bought the 1608 in 2013 for about $1200. 

[WK154]

It looks like Mackie has no more innovations for Master Fader. Is it the end of the line?? Any rumors? Is this Mackie's version number death?

[WK154]

Is this the indication that it's the end of Mackie's digital mixer line?

[JMC89]

Has anyone from Mackie ever posted here with updates?

It’s anyone’s guess what’s going on but if history is any indicator, another NAMM has just passed without any news or updates. Combined with part of the product line being discontinued, this doesn’t bode well for the future.

The budget digital mixer market is limited to a few players. Given that it’s the hardware sales that pay for the software development I think they have now priced themselves out of a competitive sub $1000 market and are on the slippery slope.

Soundcraft Ui12 $375
Behringer XR12 $399
Midas MR12 $399
Soundcraft Ui16 $499
Behringer XR16 $549
Behringer X18 $649
Mackie DL1608 $699 (discontinued)
Behringer XR18 $699
Midas MR18 $799
Mackie DL16S $849

I seems that all Behringer products jumped $100 in price, while the Mackie products have jumped $150-200.

All these prices are from Sweetwater. Search for Mackie and sort by popularity and you’ll notice that no digital mixers appear until half way down Page 3.

[WK154]

JMC89 way back when Ben Olswang used to communicate with this forum with News and updates. Please also remember that Behringer has not participated in NAMM for at least two years. So using NAMM as a date for new products although traditional may not be the best time to introduce a product especially if the real time frame is eight to ten months later just to delay competitors product purchases. Mackie is notorious for this tactic
Cheers.

[JMC89]

Behringer has stated why they pulled out of NAMM:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-our-last-namm-show-uli-behringer

I saw that Mackie recently announced several products at Virtual NAMM this year. More low-end stuff like ring lights for $45 so they’re definitely trying to attract the attention of the buyers who usually descend upon NAMM.

January is a pretty important month for intake booking. With no NAMM show to hold private meetings to show off pre-release hardware, a press release now is the only practical way to book orders and estimate units for the initial production run.

With no MF updates and no replacement products announced, just discontinued products like DL32R, DC16 and now DL1608, it’s looking like the end of the line for Mackie digital mixers.

Whether or not this is due to parts shortages or simply low 2021 sales, they are not trying to do anything at all to avoid the appearance of exiting the digital mixer business.