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Author Topic: Mackie MR5 mk3s  (Read 2335 times)

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ultrabike

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Mackie MR5 mk3s
« on: May 29, 2015, 06:12:00 AM »
So I wanted something that could do a half decent job playing stuffs out of an iPhone or so originally. Went to Best Buy and the "dock" speakers department did not do much for me (some where north of $200, and where not really smallish anyway). So I started thinking about those JBL 305 monitors and went to Guitar Center (since OJ mentioned they had some to audition) to check things out.

A single JBL 305 for $130 (Amazon) would hand any of the boomboxes or "dock" speakers their butts... for about the same or less. However, right next to the JBLs there were the Rokit KRK something something, Yamaha HS8s, Yamaha HS5s, M-Audio BX5s, Tannoy Reveal 402s, Mackie MR5mk3s, Pre-sonus E8s, Pre-sonus E5s and so forth. So I gave them a quick listen. Interestingly, the setup for all of these awesome sauce monitors involved some Focusrite Scarlett stuffs along with a Mac with pretty decent songs I was familiar with.

Bestest for me came the JBL305s and the Mackies. Rokit sucked, Yamies where not bad but a little bit bright (not much really), M-Audio maybe a little boxy, Tannoy bright, Pre-sonus boxy. All actually were not too bad, except the Rokits that were WTF material (YMMV).

The JBLs were a little bit brighter than the Mackies, and in the end after going back an forth decided the Mackies were my preference. Dude tells me they were on sale for $120 and I got a pair.

Gave them a listen and found them extremely enjoyable. They would benefit from a sub, but I can live just fine w/o the sub for music. I found them pretty revealing, non-fatiguing, accurate, open, reasonable sweet spot, you name it. Sort of reminded me of my Senns.

The boxes are biggish, and might need to find stands and a decent location for them (wife also likes how they look but task at hand is to give them a non-eye-sore location in the house). These are definitively awesome.

Anyways, measurements:

Right



Left



These are NOT anechoic chamber measurements (actually just on top of a table next to the kitchen). Measurements are with the mic 1 meter away from tweeter, about 80 dB SPL (they can get much louder of course but kids are in bed), and 0 degrees. Walls and reflections will contribute to the response. But IMO not bad :boom:
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Solderdude

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Re: Mackie MR5 mk3s
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2015, 06:54:51 AM »
Thanks for this.

I had been looking into cheap and small decent monitors (for next to the PC) lately as well and more or less decided to go for the JBL 305 based on yooboobs by Sonic Sense and this:
http://noaudiophile.com/JBL_LSR305/

Here you can 'audition' all kinds of monitors and compare to the original signal as well:
http://www.sonicsense.com/resourcecenter/reviews/studio-monitors/studio-monitor-comparison


Comparisons:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E70NLxmOKJI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oFwIyxSKjY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrqfbiWSftM

but this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YP95epYEPU  got me worried and think I can hear it on http://www.sonicsense.com/resourcecenter/reviews/studio-monitors/studio-monitor-comparison (scroll down and on the right you can select the monitors).
The Mackie doesn't do that and seems to be more fuller and pleasant in the treble but the 305 seems to have better clarity.
I am 'sensitive' to the 200Hz resonances so the 305 may bother me after a while so now will have to audition the 305 and Mackie in real life now.
They seem to be the only monitors that make (sonic) sense at this point.

« Last Edit: May 29, 2015, 08:50:15 AM by Solderdude »
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ultrabike

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Re: Mackie MR5 mk3s
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2015, 07:02:47 AM »
Yup. I took originally sonicsense reviews into strong consideration. And indeed it gives one a decent idea of what one may be dealing with. For example, the Rokit sounded awful in the sonicsense videos, and in real life.

The JBLs are pretty good IMO. I prefer the more smooth signature of the Mackies though. The 305s are more lively and open sounding. The Mackies bass is pretty awesome (for a ~5" woofer that is). They are both really good. They both don't diverge much from what I consider neutral.
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Solderdude

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Re: Mackie MR5 mk3s
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2015, 08:49:52 AM »
Thanks for the feedback.
 
I expect to hear similar things when trying them out.
My interest has now shifted to MR5-mkIII  :)
As I don't move around behind the PC the waveguide (which seems to work very well) isn't really that needed.
Might be auditioning a Mackie this evening.
« Last Edit: May 29, 2015, 10:26:31 AM by Solderdude »
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firev1

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Re: Mackie MR5 mk3s
« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2015, 02:54:33 PM »
Damn, Mackies were being sold down in my neck of the woods for cheaps for a while. I kinda regret not jumping on them. My friend got a new pair and had problems with monitor hum on one channel that only happened on warm up though. He shoot them out with Rokits and had the same general opinions.
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ultrabike

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Re: Mackie MR5 mk3s
« Reply #5 on: May 29, 2015, 03:26:39 PM »
I got lucky on my end. No hum so far with either. But if you happen to have a defective make sure you have a 30-day policy. Guitar Center seems to honor that.
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Solderdude

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Re: Mackie MR5 mk3s
« Reply #6 on: May 29, 2015, 07:50:49 PM »
So I listened to a few candidate speakers for quite a while using all sorts of music that was present.

The only 'cheapies' that sounded decent were indeed the LSR305 and MR5mk3
For most music my preference was for the JBL as it just sounded more clear/open especially with acoustic music.
Only when I heard music that I know well (was Sting in this case) it became obvious the Mackie sounded more pleasant and the JBL too midrangy.

If only there was a speaker right inbetween the JBL and Mackie at that price point ....

Then I (accidentally) switched to the Dynaudio BM12A (3x more expensive) and was temporarily reminded what was missing from the cheapies.
Switched back to the speakers I went for and switched of the demo and went home.

Had also tried lots of other speakers, big and small... Neuman, Focal, Genelec M-Audio, KRK, Yamaha the usual suspects ...
The smaller Dynaudios weren't bad but the difference with the JBL was small.
Nothing touched that big Dynaudio so I left .... a bit disappointed.

Still... both the JBL and Mackie were the best of the bunch in their price class.
I almost bought the JBL's as to me they sounded the most dynamic and clean.


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ultrabike

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Re: Mackie MR5 mk3s
« Reply #7 on: May 29, 2015, 08:22:21 PM »
Yes the JBLs were moreopen and maybe more dynamic. You should have gone for those mang.
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Solderdude

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Re: Mackie MR5 mk3s
« Reply #8 on: May 29, 2015, 08:33:34 PM »
Maybe I will after all ... those darn Dynaudios ruined the audition though.

Maybe I will make something myself from the small Dali's Lektor 1's I have lying around somewhere.
Of course the easy way would be to simply buy the 305's  ... or the MR5's
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ultrabike

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Re: Mackie MR5 mk3s
« Reply #9 on: May 29, 2015, 10:00:09 PM »
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