Rode buys Mackie

[Weasel-Boy]

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A ... ZhkOUrLhYk

[BertKoor]

Direct link: https://rode.com/en/about/news-info/rod ... der-mackie

...
“I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Mackie to The Freedman Group’s roster of iconic audio brands,” says Founder and Chairman Peter Freedman AM. “They are true legends, with a pedigree of live sound expertise that is simply unmatched. Today, RØDE and Mackie are both leaders in audio, and we share the same passion for creating innovative, high-quality products with a strong customer focus. With this acquisition, The Freedman Group is now a premier audio technology company offering world-class products to an even wider range of customers, from up-and-coming content creators to professionals working in live production and everyone in-between.”
...
Greg Mackie, founder of Mackie and audio industry legend, shares a similar sentiment, saying: “I can't think of a better company for Mackie to be associated with than RØDE”.

That doesn't sound so hostile

[sqigls]

awesome

[CapnLockheed]

Yeah, usually corporate buyouts are a death knell for the company that's absorbed.
Avid destroyed M-Audio, Behringer grabbed TC Electronic and once iconic gear made in Denmark is just more cheap Chinese made crap. Then there damn Private Equity hedge fund jackoffs STG that have swallowed up Avid in turn, and Servco Pacific that bought Fender, Presonus & Harley Davidson.

It's hard to have faith that hedge fund money managers will properly shepard businesses they do not understand.

On the other hand deals like this one make sense. Harman Intl. is another good example. All the music companies under their umbrella have shared technologies across the board improving all the various branded products,

[gentleclockdivider]

Mackie's been almost dead for 2 decades

[bmanic]

Rode is one of those few companies that I still trust "doing the right thing". The resisted the urge to outsource their microphone production into China when everybody else did so.

Haven't followed up with the company in years though so maybe they are as scummy as everybody else..? If they are still on their moral high ground then I can imagine Mackie being in good hands.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I've got no concerns about this one. It's not like Mackie was putting out killer products these days, and if anything, this Rode purchase could only improve that situation. Can't see how it could make things worse for Mackie.

[masterhiggins]

Uh-oh. It appears I’ve just been sucked into a wormhole and ended up in 2001, when Mackie was still a “leader” in the pro audio biz. I guess time travel is possible.

[khanyz]

I still use my Mackie XD-2 Audio Interface (without DSP and driver software) and Mackie preamps are great on a budget IMO. So, to me, the acquisition makes sense. It will be interesting to see if/how the preamp designs are used.

However, the whole Tracktion debacle and the lack of driver/software support was always an issue which stopped me buying Mackie again.

Loud Tech really are clearing the decks. Is there anything left in their portfolio? I still have a Blackheart amp, but miss my little Crate one.