DLM Series

[RoadRanger]

Anybody out there using these?

[mauijet]

I'm interested/looking at the DLM 12's as I'm shopping for our band's mains upgrade. But I haven't found much in real reviews other than people requoting Mackie's lines, or trade people just promoting them for sales.

A couple Ytube videos but that's it. The lightweight and coax design almost have me sold, but how do they sound!!! Also don't need a mixer on the back of my speaker! Would be paying for a lot we don't need. 

[RoadRanger]

Also don't need a mixer on the back of my speaker! Would be paying for a lot we don't need.

Yah, that turns me off too . I'm happy enough with my RCF 310A's for now.

[Jerrylee]

Mauijet I have heard them and to be honest I was completely unimpressed. They are super thin sounding. I was praying that they sounded good because of their size. I went to 3 stores to hear them and compare them to other speakers including the qsc k12s. The qscs were just so much better. In a different league. The sales guys in all 3 stores said how much they disliked them. I ran the whole set up tops and subs and the sound was just ok. The sub on its own was awful. I also tried the tops on their own and could not seem to get any life out of them.

I still continue to this day trying them out every time I go in a store and always come away with the same conclusions. I really really wanted them to sound great because of what they are size wise. I even sent a singer I work with who wanted a new pa to see them. She wanted something light. I told her none of my opinions about them at all. I just told her to look at them. She ended up with Jbls. I was actually shocked with that too. She wanted the qscs but the guy in the store convinced her to buy the Jbls and claimed to give her a great deal on them. I asked her about the mackies and she said she just didn't like them. Her father, another great musician, was with her and said the same thing. She also bought the ev 12 inch sub and said there was no comparison with the mackie sub.

In regards to the mixer on the back I kind of get it in some scenarios and don't get it in lots of others. A solo acoustic player or even for general speaking maybe. But for bands or anyone with a mixer? No.

Why is it that mackie advertises it along with the dl1608? If you have the 1608 why would you need a digital mixer on the back of the speaker? And they are probably more expensive because of the mixer. And if you need 2 speakers then you are paying for 2 mixers but can only use one. If they somehow networked them together for 4 channels then maybe that would be better, but sadly it doesn't work this way. Maybe they will make a second box with no mixer for less money. Hmm? Oh crap, did I just mentioned that? Now that's vaporware.

[mauijet]

Thanks for that reply. We have no opportunity to auditon most equipment here on little ole Maui. Excellent testimonial. Several pairs of trained ears all agreeing, in separate occasions and locations.

The size and design look great, but without the "sound" no thanks. To good to be true. Mackie is kinda marketing them with the DL mixer, like Line 6 is pairing their DSP speakers with their digital mixer, which "communicates and adjusts to the environment" (and now too, the higher end PreSonus speakers). But the Mackie DLM speakers don't do that.

Our band's plain old Yamaha SM 15V, passive 2 way speakers, are sounding pretty good now with the DL1608 and a new amp. We were using a Yamaha box style powered mixer, so that in itself has been a huge upgrade. But that box mixer was a reliable work horse for a simple band set-up. Those speakers are just bulky and heavy though.

[Dtg77]

I finally got a chance to test them and didn't like them at all. I am looking for a good quality powered speaker for smaller gigs I really wanted to like the mackie speakers too.

Has anyone checked out the new ev range ? Cheap as hell and to me sounded better than the mackie

[troy mcclure]

I just ordered a system, based on someone I trusts recommendation...  I really needed something that was small, I hope it fits the bill.

[troy mcclure]

So my DLM  system arrived they sound great for the size and weight.  I have only used them on vocals and kick and recorded music.  I suspect that the QSC K series would have been a better bet but at a much bigger size and price point .  To give you an idea how small these are... the tops and subs fit on the back seat of my Small hatch back with enough room left for my 210 bass cab.  I spoke to a guy who beta tested these for Mackie and he told me they are really more like a 1100 watt peak rather than the 2000 watt rating. 

[gerenm63]

I've used the K10s in a good-sized room, and they really rock -- I used a pair of them as mains with an older Mackie 18" powered sub. The K10 acts like most everyone elses 12". But, they're heavy and expensive. If the Mackies are half as good, though, they're probably a great choice.

I just loaded my car (Hyundai Elantra Touring) for a sound gig tonight. Two Peavey 15" mains, two subs, four small monitor wedges, amps, cables, etc. I'm gonna need to get a bigger car!

[gerenm63]

Just looked online at pricing ... knowing the QSCs ... For most small to medium rooms, a 3-5 piece band with reasonable stage volume could probably live quite happily with a pair of K10s for tops and a single K-Sub, and come away with something that sounds great and would cost less than than two DLM 12" tops and two DLM 12" subs. The K10s also make killer powered monitors.

Man, I wish someone had a chunk of change to hand me....

[Rdmitch]

Totally agree the the QSC k's for monitors. I have used my K-12's on occasion for monitors and they are great.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[troy mcclure]

Disclaimer: I got my DLMs used... I came in under a pair of  QSC K10s without subs price wise...... I will be pairing them with the  DL1608 when it comes in next week and will report back when i get to run the full band on them

[troy mcclure]

So as everyone suspects, these are not going to beat the QSC Ks.  However they do a very good job.  I wish they made a simpler version ( On and off) as there are times you can hit the mic/pa switch and add a 30 db boost.  I also have an Elantra Touring and all 4 speakers fit on the back seat with room for my 2x10 bass cab.   I have not pushed them extremely hard, (nor do I plan on it).  I have ran drums, bass , guitar and vocals through them and filled a pretty big room ( a 300 seater we play).  The bass drum had an audible thump but not that chest kick you get from a big system.  I can live with the trade offs.

[LeeSteel]

I just got a pair of DLM12s. So far, they sound very good. I replaced a pair of Mackie Thump 12s.
Just like everything else,  they require a little tweaking but they work for me.
Plus the small size is perfect for situations where there is a low ceiling and you want to get the speakers up higher.

[LeeSteel]

I just had my second gig having changed over from Mackie Thump 12 to DLM12. They sound great, I think even better than the Thump speakers.
I am also waiting for someone to tell me what kick drum sounds like through the DLM12s I am very interested in lighter weight and smaller size but I only run kick, toms, and house music through my subs.