Mackie Studio Monitor as FRFR

gitapik

gitapik

Member
I was recently given a pair of Mackie HR 824 Mark 1 studio monitors.

https://www.zikinf.com/manuels/mackie-hr824-manuel-utilisateur-en-53899.pdf

I knew that one needed repair but the other one was working fine. I contacted Fractal Support and was told a microphone cable from my FM9 into one of the monitors would work fine.

Well…it worked better than “fine”. In fact, it sounded great! But the next day, that one good speaker was no longer powering on.

I contacted Mackie support and they advised me to go for another speaker, as the older Mark one version is hard to find parts for and the repair would be expensive.

I can get a floor model of their Mark 2 from a store nearby for $300. Wondering how much better something like the Fender Tonemaster would be, though. I don’t mind paying a few hundred more if there’s that much of a difference.

This is for home use, btw. I’m using the Return on my Quilter 8” for traveling. Got a Headrush 8” too.
 
Decent studio monitors with 8" drivers have always aimed to be as flat as possible frequency response wise, so they'll naturally be excellent at reproducing the tones the way they were intended to be heard. HR824s are great with modeling, and have always been considered somewhat flat. I'd go for the 824s over a Tonemaster all day, but that's me.
 
I’m hearing and reading that the MK1 is a better build than the current Mk2. I don’t know if this is true but if so, I might just bite the bullet and have both repaired. Anyone have experience?
 
Depends on your idea of better. They're designed for somewhat different purposes. Studio monitors will most likely have a flatter and more accurate response, but will usually lack the familiar feel of a guitar cab in the room since they are designed for near field use at a specific listening position. Studio monitors are also typically designed for more moderate volumes, not blasting gig volumes to compete with a loud drummer.

If you want accuracy in a home or studio environment, studio monitors are the way to go. If you want a more guitar cab like feel with lots of volume for backline use and a gigable build quality, the Tonemaster would likely be a better choice.
 
gitapik said:
I’m hearing and reading that the MK1 is a better build than the current Mk2. I don’t know if this is true but if so, I might just bite the bullet and have both repaired. Anyone have experience?
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The mk2 version's frequency response curve is way flatter. Take that for whatever it's worth.
 
mr_fender said:
Depends on your idea of better. They're designed for somewhat different purposes. Studio monitors will most likely have a flatter and more accurate response, but will usually lack the familiar feel of a guitar cab in the room since they are designed for near field use at a specific listening position. Studio monitors are also typically designed for more moderate volumes, not blasting gig volumes to compete with a loud drummer.

If you want accuracy in a home or studio environment, studio monitors are the way to go. If you want a more guitar cab like feel with lots of volume for backline use and a gigable build quality, the Tonemaster would likely be a better choice.
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I’ll be using this at home. Moderate volumes at most. Thanks for this point.
jeffgoobs said:
The mk2 version's frequency response curve is way flatter. Take that for whatever it's worth.
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Interesting. So it’s not so much that it’s “better” as that it more accurately captures the sounds I’ve set in the FM9…?

Bottom line is I really like the sound of the MK1. I should check out the return policy on floor model purchases. Thanks.
 
gitapik said:
Interesting. So it’s not so much that it’s “better” as that it more accurately captures the sounds I’ve set in the FM9…?
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Correct. Or at least it more accurately represents what that configuration is "supposed" to sound like (which presumably in this context means more "true to life" and/or better aligned with the spirit/idea behind modeling in general.)
gitapik said:
Bottom line is I really like the sound of the MK1.
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Safe to say you'd like the sound of the mk2 as well then. I certainly wouldn't go through an extensive Reverb/eBay search for them until you've at least compared them with a pair of mk2s, which are far more repairable parts wise. Their sound signature isn't wildly different from one another (in spite of the curve differences), but YMMV.
 
jeffgoobs said:
Correct. Or at least it more accurately represents what that configuration is "supposed" to sound like (which presumably in this context means more "true to life" and/or better aligned with the spirit/idea behind modeling in general.)

Safe to say you'd like the sound of the mk2 as well then. I certainly wouldn't go through an extensive Reverb/eBay search for them until you've at least compared them with a pair of mk2s, which are far more repairable parts wise. Their sound signature isn't wildly different from one another (in spite of the curve differences), but YMMV.
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The M2 floor model is $300. I'm thinking seriously about getting it. I spoke with a guy who can fix the M1 pair I have. He wouldn't get into which is "better", but he did say that the M1 would be a pita to get parts for, both now and even more so, down the road.
chrisjnyc said:
Get a pair of Yamaha HS8s...
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Thanks for the rec.

I've heard the same from two of my friends who have home recording studios. I'd probably have gone for them or a standard FRFR if these Mackies hadn't just fallen into my lap. Just one of them has a much fuller and still crisp sound than the Headrush 8" or Quilter Mach 2 (surprisingly good sound) that I've been using.

Have you heard the Mackies? How's the bass on the Yamahas?
 
gitapik said:
The M2 floor model is $300. I'm thinking seriously about getting it. I spoke with a guy who can fix the M1 pair I have. He wouldn't get into which is "better", but he did say that the M1 would be a pita to get parts for, both now and even more so, down the road.

Thanks for the rec.

I've heard the same from two of my friends who have home recording studios. I'd probably have gone for them or a standard FRFR if these Mackies hadn't just fallen into my lap. Just one of them has a much fuller and still crisp sound than the Headrush 8" or Quilter Mach 2 (surprisingly good sound) that I've been using.

Have you heard the Mackies? How's the bass on the Yamahas?
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I dont know the Mackie's, but getting one fixed is likely going to be hard... a friend gave me a pair of Presonus monitors, and I tried to get the fixed for a few months, but no one could be bothered to take a look what was wrong.

The Yamahas have great bass, maybe a bit too loud.
 
Yeah…everyone I’ve spoken to has said powered monitors can be difficult. I spoke with one guy who said the one with a buzz might be easier than the one not powering on. He’s up in Vermont, near where I’ll be this summer. Less expensive than NYC prices. Think I’ll bring it to him.

I’m interested in a pair of the smaller Yamahas for my studio. Thanks for the tip.
 
gitapik said:
Yeah…everyone I’ve spoken to has said powered monitors can be difficult. I spoke with one guy who said the one with a buzz might be easier than the one not powering on. He’s up in Vermont, near where I’ll be this summer. Less expensive than NYC prices. Think I’ll bring it to him.

I’m interested in a pair of the smaller Yamahas for my studio. Thanks for the tip.
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Who's the guy in Vermont? ( I live here, just curious)
 
A friend of mine is a bass player. He urged me to contact "Speaking Volumes" in Burlington:

https://www.speakingvolumesvt.com/

Winfield answered my question with similar issues that I've heard from two Mackie authorized repair places, here in the city. I like how he detailed the reason why the repair might be easier on the one with the buzz. Good communicator and realistic.

We'll see. We have a place on a lake near Cabot. I like visiting Burlington. Not going to be around as much as usual this summer but def going to bring it in to him when there.
 
gitapik said:
I was recently given a pair of Mackie HR 824 Mark 1 studio monitors.

https://www.zikinf.com/manuels/mackie-hr824-manuel-utilisateur-en-53899.pdf

I knew that one needed repair but the other one was working fine. I contacted Fractal Support and was told a microphone cable from my FM9 into one of the monitors would work fine.

Well…it worked better than “fine”. In fact, it sounded great! But the next day, that one good speaker was no longer powering on.

I contacted Mackie support and they advised me to go for another speaker, as the older Mark one version is hard to find parts for and the repair would be expensive.

I can get a floor model of their Mark 2 from a store nearby for $300. Wondering how much better something like the Fender Tonemaster would be, though. I don’t mind paying a few hundred more if there’s that much of a difference.

This is for home use, btw. I’m using the Return on my Quilter 8” for traveling. Got a Headrush 8” too.
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I wonder if it’s just the power switch. I have 2 and love them. But the toggle switch is a b$&@“h.
 
200man said:
I wonder if it’s just the power switch. I have 2 and love them. But the toggle switch is a b$&@“h.
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It would be nice if that was the problem. It did just kind of crap out on me after working great.

It’s funny how our ears tend to “fill in the blanks “. It’s been about a week since I heard my guitar through the FM9 and into that single Mackie speaker. I definitely noticed a difference from the tone i was getting, using the FX Return from my Quilter. That was the storied moment which started me on this epic quest.

But today I plugged into the Quilter for the first time since then and…well: it sounds great. When there’s nothing to compare to…good is good enough, I guess.

One thing’s for sure: FM9 is serious. I made a copy of “Albert’s Lead”(treble boosted driven Bassman) , added a Twin for clean presets, a comp, and delay. Insanely great sounds.
 
gitapik said:
A friend of mine is a bass player. He urged me to contact "Speaking Volumes" in Burlington:

https://www.speakingvolumesvt.com/

Winfield answered my question with similar issues that I've heard from two Mackie authorized repair places, here in the city. I like how he detailed the reason why the repair might be easier on the one with the buzz. Good communicator and realistic.

We'll see. We have a place on a lake near Cabot. I like visiting Burlington. Not going to be around as much as usual this summer but def going to bring it in to him when there.
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That's great to hear and best of luck. .I live 20 miles from there, and have only known of them as a record/stereo /books place! Glad to hear there's someone doing electronics repair there. It's been a long time since I've needed something like that, but Dan Lurie/Fyd Amps is our local tube amp guy. I would ask him to do it, or who he'd recommend (if it were me).. Also the Electronic Hospital in S Burlington used to work on Solid State gear/Stereo gear, but I looked them up and they seem to be all appliances,etc now. Crazy how there's no Mackie Authorized place in VT or NH or closeby in NY. That wasn't like that at all, when Mackie originally came out. There also used to be Contois Music here that was 100% Yamaha dealer and their repairman fixed a few Rackmount pieces for me that weren't Yamahas but they closed after being here 30+ years! Anyway, best of luck and yep Burlington's a fun place for sure.
 
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