MF V5.1.1 Whats next????

[WK154]

I think this speaks volumes about a once significant player Mackie in the audio field.
LOUD Audio, LLC
Senior Firmware Engineer
LOUD Audio, LLC
Jul 2015 – Present 5 years 1 month
Woodinville, WA
Digital Audio Mixer Firmware. Freescale K6x, K2x, STM32F4, Blackfin, Ultimo, Dante. Baremetal, MQX and ucLinux. Mackie AXIS digital audio mixer system firmware lead. PID motor control. Firmware lead for DL16S and DL32S digital audio mixers. Firmware for DRM Series, including V-Class powered speakers. Schematic review, PCB layout review, new hardware bring-up. Linux kernel customization. Qt application platform porting to embedded environments. WiFi integration. Firmware for SRM-Flex Series powered speakers. Micro-controller bootloader firmware, Firmware upgrade over Bluetooth LE uCLinux kernel, U-Boot, Blackfin BF516/18 ADI-SC589, ARM, XMOS, K02, K20, K22, K60, K64, STM32F4, ADI1400 series DSP, Bluetooth LE and Classic, WiFi.

Looking for another opportunity. Good luck Jeff.
Cheers

[DigtheDL]

WK, in your latest post you reference Mackie being a “once significant player” in the audio field.

From my perspective that’s not true, but it depends on your definition of “significant”.  Mackie has sold a lot of units and there was a time many years ago that you couldn’t hear a band in a club that didn’t use a Mackie board or Mackie powered speakers.  But I don’t believe (at least from my perspective) they ever put out the quality products that professional sound men looked for.

I’m not a sound man, but I play guitar in bands and a certain amount of sound knowledge, gear buying and hanging with real sound men comes with the territory.

I would lump Mackie’s body of work with Peavey, Behringer, Sampson, Rockville and other companies who make those quality of products.  Some of the Peavey boards in the 80’s were great.  And the X32 is a great board as well.

Most of the places we play have a house system or a system is contracted for.  In clubs you’ll find a newer Presonus or an X32 (or more likely a M32).  I think the pre’s on the new Presonus or M32’s are great.  I can really hear the difference even with my guitar damaged ears.

But more likely at larger shows we’ll be provided a Soundcraft, Midas Pro, Yamaha, Avid, etc.

Some times we have to provide our own PA.  If we don’t contract it out we own a small PA that we can use.  Powered QSC boxes and the DL1608 that I bought when they first came out years ago for $800.  It got rid of a snake, a Allen and Heath mixer and a large rack full of Ashley, Presonus, DBX, Rane and other processing gear.  The DL1608 was a huge upgrade for us for all the reasons everyone on this forum knows.  I will replace my DL soon.  Probably the Soundcraft Ui24R, but there our other good choices as well.  Even though I like the layout of the Mackie interface it’s very doubtful I’ll replace my DL with one of Mackie’s current offerings.

I get your expectations of Mackie are different then mine.  And I’m not defending their business or design decisions.  What American company hasn’t seen a decline in their in-house engineering capability? And for people with engineering backgrounds (like you and I) that's disappointing.

And of course your opinion is perfectly valid…..as is mine.  And I’m not looking for some extensive reply to this post…..I’m begging you…..

But I did want to post that some of us….maybe even some people that follow this forum….are like me.  Not professional sound men, but musicians that appreciate the Mackie DL for the great little $800 box it is.

Best Regards.

[WK154]

What I have seen is a company that made its mark on pioneering affordable mixers in both analog and digital slowly getting out of that business. Without that central tool you are providing peripherals or outdated products such as their analog mixers. Their track record speaks for itself with the latest victim being their flagship AXIS. Key people leaving is certainly telling. That was my only point.
Cheers

[WK154]

DigtheDl  I reread your post and realized that we are in fact IMHO not at all disagreeing in the big picture. I agree that Mackie in the PAST has been in the forefront of innovation and lots of gear was sold to the masses. The "once significant player" refers to the PRESENT and the FUTURE which even you admit will not be a Mackie product for you. Exactly my point when I forecast my guesstimate of Mackie's game plan. I do disagree with the "pro" gear usage since many a mayor hit was produced on Mackie's gear. So our viewpoint are from different time points and i would say that "the Mackie DL for the great little $800 box it is"  "was" and its replacement is a disappointment.
Cheers

[Wynnd]

Master Fader 5.2 just released with DC16 support!!!!!

[RoadRanger]

http://cacophony.aspinock.com/index.php?topic=1592.0