Mackie MR5 Reference Monitor User Reviews at zZounds

"Amazing speakers for the price." submitted September 11, 2008

By a customer from verizon.net

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The Wow Factor

Musical Background: Hobbyist

Music Style: Alternative, Jazz, Electronic

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Sound: Mixing with these speakers is incredible. I used Audio Technica headphones before I purchased these and while it sounded really good I mixed down a song using the MR5s and then listened back over the headphones and I could not believe the difference. I have a lot of re-mixes to do. Feature: Selection of input options and ability to adjust the highs and lows to meet the needs of your environment rate these high on feature content as far as I'm concerned. Ease of Use: Very easy to use. Make sure that you open the manual and follow the quick setup instructions. They even write them like "We know you want to crank these babies up but for your own good do it like this". The manual is very good, concise and well written, easy to understand. Quality: They are really solid, you can tell as soon as you take them out of the box that they are well built with quality materials. Value: I compared a lot of ratings and these monitors constantly came out on top for value, quality and features. Manufacturer Support: I'll give them a 10 here because the best support you can get is to have well written and easy to follow directions. I would guess that based on the quality of the product that they would take as much pride in their support. I hope that I don't have to find that out. The Wow Factor: The monitors are black and black is cool. They look pretty sitting on either side of my monitor. I like a clean and simple look and these fit the bill. Very understated and very functional. Overall: I cannot say enough good things about this product. I thought that I would have to pay a lot of money for speakers of this quality. If you are on a limited budget get these you will not be disappointed.

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"Best in class!" submitted November 28, 2008

By a customer from hotmail.com

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Features

Ease of Use

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The Wow Factor

Musical Background: Studio owner, recording engineer, musician

Music Style: Rock, Alt, Hip Hop, Country, Voice Overs - Anything and Everything

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Sound: Smooth, rich, accurate - great little monitors for the money. At this price point, I call them "best in class." Great for accurate mixes on a budget. These do not fatigue the listener. Feature: These come packed well from the factory with a manual (READ IT!) a power chord and years of good listening. Not much else... Ease of Use: Read the manual and set them up in 2 minutes. Don't read the manual and you'll be very embarrassed when you call tech support. Quality: Very well made. I have owned the Mackie HR824s for many many years now - absolutely reliable service from them. I expect the same from the MR5s. Value: Well worth the money. Better - way better then many other monitors at similar price points. Manufacturer Support: I have not had to contact tech support for the MR5s but when I had a Mackie 1604 mixer, I had trouble with it right after the warranty expired. Mackie fixed the mixer for free and shipped it back to me within two weeks. Good as new! The Wow Factor: I want the power switch on the front of the monitor - like it is on the HR824s. Aside from the very minor complaint, these are dead sexy monitors that will get you attention from all the ladies! Buy them! Overall: I love these things. I tested them out in the store and ordered a pair right away. I am a 20+ year studio owner/musician/recording engineer. I don't want hype and I don't have money to burn. These are the best value I've seen/heard in this class. I recommend them because I own them and I own them because they do what they promise.

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"Blew the others away!" submitted April 9, 2008

By a customer from EMTWeb.org

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Musical Background: Drums / Percussion & Saxaphone Hobbyist - Home Recording Studio

Music Style: Smooth Jazz - Clasic Rock

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Sound: I did a side-by-side comparison with KRK, Behringer, Yamaha & M-Audio. The Mackie absolutely blew them away. Feature: The Mackie have individual switches for filtering highs & lows by +/- 2db or 0 (flat). Input level control is nearly flush - impossible to break. Ease of Use: 3 inputs - 2 balanced or 1 unbalanced Quality: Solid construction, steel exterior, very little plastic. Solid reputation of Mackie quality. Value: Mackies for the price of the others - it's a no-brainer. Manufacturer Support: I don't know yet - that's a good thing.... The Wow Factor: More professional looking than the others. Overall: I don't see ever replacing these monitors. The size and sound quality are all exactly what I need for my home studio.

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"Amazing sound for money." submitted February 25, 2009

By a customer from cox.net

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Musical Background: I just listen but I find professional gear is often better value than consumer-oriented.

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Sound: In terms of sound for this price range, this speaker really deserves a 10. I'm really hard to please - my stereo system has a pair of Magnepan MG1.6 speakers. I'd intended these MR5 speakers to be used with my PC but right now they are plugged into the headphone output of my fiancee's TV. I can say that, after a couple of hundred hours of use, I'm well pleased. They don't impose their own character on the sound and they behave well even with material that has components below their frequency limit. They are not intended to provide room-filling volume (they are monitor speakers) but even on orchestral music they aren't stressed at normal levels. If you really crank them up, they start sounding less transparent but in the near-field situation they were designed for that would be too loud for me anyhow. If you play material that has much below 60 Hz, you should consider spending more. Ease of Use: The manual is excellent and the controls are easy to use. Quality: It's well made but one of the pair was defective - it tweeted but wouldn't woof. Zzounds replaced it quickly with one that worked. Mackie products are generally reliable, so I may have just been unlucky. Good response from Zzounds. Value: Excellent value for money. Manufacturer Support: I was a few days past the deadline mailing the rebate form but Mackie made sure I received my check anyhow. The Wow Factor: The whole point of a studio monitor is to be unobtrusive. It's a black box that makes sound. Overall: If thses were stolen, I'd buy the same. Or Mackie HR624 Mk II if I could afford it.

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"Good solution with double cheese bass." submitted November 6, 2009

By a customer from gmail.com

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Musical Background: Hobby, recording and composing for years.

Music Style: Pop, ambience, chill.

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Sound: Big issue here... I read a lot of reviews of different monitors. I did my homework, listened the ones I considered investing in, and finally choose these. The sound is crisp and clear, giving you all the details... except for when the bass eats 40 % of what you are listening to. For several weeks i struggled with my decision, should I have gone the Yamaha way...?? Why? Bass! Yamaha lacks it, and Mackies have too much of it. I am not disappointed with the sound, just wished the bass was halfway between Yamaha´s and Mackie´s. Feature: Nice power on-off button. Just wish it was more accessible. Ease of Use: Just gotta watch out for that bass. Quality: If taken good care of, probably will last forever... Value: Bang for the buck. Manufacturer Support: Not contacted them. That´s always good. The Wow Factor: Nice, black, the fit perfectly in my rigg. Overall: I have manage to deal with the bass, so I guess I will stick with them ´till half of my wish list is siting in my room.

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"Stop sweating the reviews and buy these!" submitted January 14, 2011

By a customer from yahoo.com

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Musical Background: Musician

Music Style: Americana,Instrumental,Roots,Rock

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Sound: These speakers are incredibly flat and detailed. I expected exaggerations in the low frequency area because of some reviews I had read prior to purchasing these.To my delight there is no issue at all with the sound of these units. My primary goal was to move the quality of sound of my Grado headphones away from my head and into the room- these did the job nicely and saved me quite a bit of money in the process.If you are a basement/bedroom/project studio kind of operation I would put these on the short list. Then I would buy them! Value: I am pleased completely with my puchase, I would repeat the choice again in a second. Manufacturer Support: Haven't needed them yet they are still new.... time will tell. The Wow Factor: They are near field monitors... they aren't B&W 800 series sexy but what is? Overall: Can't think of anything I am unsatisfied with at all about these. The folks who are having issues with the sound of these I suspect need to examine the room acoustics.I can hear great levels of balanced detail in everything I have recorded and expect these will no doubt improve both my recordings and mixes. They are that good.

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"Best monitor on the market for the money!" submitted August 2, 2009

By a customer from gmail.com

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Features

Ease of Use

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The Wow Factor

Musical Background: Active Musician, Amateur Engineer

Music Style: All Kinds

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Sound: Sound is incredible regardless of price. By far the best monitors I've owned...and I've owned a lot of different monitors over the years (KRK Rockit's, Yamaha MP5S's, Yamaha HS80M's, JBL Controls, Wharfedales) Bass response is really strong and full for such a small cabinet. Highs are transparent without being harsh. Midrange and midbass extremely satisfying. I can listen to them for hours...and am always pleased. Note: recommend you let them break in for 12-18 hours. (Play them at 3/4 volume with a variety of music)...that really opens them up. Feature: Low pass and high pass filters...XLR/TRS/RCA inputs...everything I need. Ease of Use: Out of the box...onto the desk...one cable...one power chord...a monkey could do it. Quality: Very solid cabinet...no worries at all on cab construction. Don't like the fact that both the main driver and the tweeter are not caged. Could be easy to get pushed in if you're not careful. But I'm careful and they sit on a riser in my studio so they're fine. But be aware that both speakers are exposed. Value: $180 each...that's a steal. I paid $400 each for a Yamaha HS80M's and still needed to add a sub. Got these Mackies...sold the HS80M's AND the sub because the Mackies have such nice low end that I no longer feel a sub is necessary. If I had to pay twice as much for these monitors I would...hands down. Manufacturer Support: Never used it...no need. So we'll give them the benefit of the doubt that it will be good. The Wow Factor: Hmm...the sex appeal? They big, black, and solid. I suppose many would find that appealing...to me...they just sound great...that's appealing enough for me. Overall: I did a ton of research and demos before buying a new pair of monitors. As stated above, I've owned just about all the good ones. For the money...these are head and shoulders above all others. Buy them...you will not be disappointed. BTW...I worked in a recording studio for a while...so my ears are well tuned. :)

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"BOOMY SPEAKERS RUIN EVERYTHING" submitted April 3, 2009

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Sound: don't know why i am alone here, but these monitors are close to useless because of one fundamental flaw. The bass is all over the place and dominates the overall sound with an unpleasant, boxy booming. Feature: and the on off switch is behind the speaker, meaning turning them on and off is a pain. Ease of Use: plug in and go, check the settings available, you can go from boomy to ridiculously boomy Quality: really sturdy looking and well put together. Value: going to sell them and get some second hand passive spendors for nearly twice what i paid for these. there must be some neutral monitors around for the same money but I don't know what they are The Wow Factor: recording has become a frustration since i had these, Overall: for sale now. they are that annoying

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