VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

GHull · Contributor Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Posts: 25

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend, VO Colleagues.

Seeking input from those who are currently using the Chinese-made Mackie products. All the ones I have bought -- up until now -- have been made in Woodinville WA and were built like tanks. Lotsa lotsa metal.

Now, I am contemplating the purchase of a 820i mixer -- because it has a 24/96 FireWire connection, 3 Onyx pres that I keep on hearing "aren't bad at all", and enough overall connectivity power to let me play around with "this, that and the other." I am hoping that someone will say the AD/DA converters are perfectly good enough for VO work.

At $350 - 400 [with a 3-year warranty], it doesn't sound like a bad deal ... as long as the quality is there.

Depending on where you go [Gearslutz, Rec.Audio.Pro, etc.], you'll be told that Mackie's quality has gone into the dumpster since they moved production to China. But then again, this is a "working announcer's" site, where it's OK to say you're using XDR, XDR2, or Onyx pres -- or a dbx 286A for a processor, connected to an RE20.

So ... what's the Chinese Mackie stuff like? Thanks!

georgethetech · Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 7:49 pm Post subject:

I've installed many 820i consoles in VO studios and think its the perfect combo of quality, size, function, and price available now. While it's overkill for some, it's a hard bargain to beat. I find the preamps to have just enough gain for a condenser mic used with a soft voice, but nowhere near enough for a dynamic mic when VO is concerned, my only gripe...
It's very clean, though!
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GHull · Contributor Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Posts: 25

Bruce · Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 9:37 am Post subject:

Since something like 90%(?) of all electronics these days are made/assembled in Asia these days (and I'm sure a high percentage of pro audio components, too) there's not much one can do to stay all-American with your gear.

As much as I hate to see manufacturing leave our shores, most of those folks do seem to know what they're doing. For example, Lenovo laptops (all Chinese) are highly regarded in some circles and a large percentage of Apple product contents are made/assembled across the Pacific also. We're going global like it or not, so your best protection is buying from an outlet with a good return policy, just in case.

This message was made in the USA.

B
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georgethetech · Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 3:12 pm Post subject:

Ghull, what I am saying is they provide maybe 40db of gain, so if you have a soft voice you need almost all of the gain available. They have plenty of headroom, though. Yes, the build quality is more than acceptable for a $400 unit. Want it made in the USA? That'll be $2000+, which is theoretical since there is no US made unit with the equivalent features.
I don't deal with Windows 64bit OS enough to predict a landmine, that'd be a good question for Mackie support. Every system I've setup with the 820i has been a Mac so far. Pat Fraley and Marian Massaro love theirs...
_________________
If it sounds good, it is good.
George Whittam
GeorgeThe.Tech
424-226-8528
VOBS.TV Co-host
TheProAudioSuite.com Co-host
TriBooth.com Co-founder

melissa eX · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 11:07 pm Post subject:

I have the 820i - and am on a PC - and while I haven't connected the firewire (I just have it connected to my emu 1212m) I think it's just fine. As George noted, it needs most of its gain when I'm in 'less is more' mode, which is more often than not - but it certainly suits my needs.