Mackie History

        Mackie was founded in Woodinville, Washington by Mr. Greg Mackie. He started creating audio equipment and amplifiers after establishing TAPCO. Subsequently, he began producing in-house audio equipment under the name AudioControl, leading to the birth of the company Mackie Designs, Inc. The company is known for designing and manufacturing professional-grade audio mixers at affordable prices. The company’s first product was a 16-channel mixer called the LM-1602

        After achieving success in the mid-range market with the LM-1602 model, the company moved to establish an actual factory in 1991. Prior to this, they operated out of a simple room in Edmonds, Washington, where they produced audio mixers. The next model they introduced was the CR-1604, a versatile mixer suitable for both desktop and rack-mounted setups. With its robust performance and competitive pricing, the CR-1604 was a resounding success, selling hundreds of thousands of units by 1996 and accounting for 48% of the company’s total revenue at that time.

        Mackie continued to operate in the mixer category and introduced a new 8-bus console for multi-track recording and live sound production in 1993. The company leveraged a diverse pool of electronics and engineering subcontractors, resulting in low overall production costs. With an annual growth rate of over 100%, they had to relocate and expand their production facilities each year. In 1994, this led to significant growth for the company, with an average revenue of $35.5 million per year.

        In 1995, the company celebrated the milestone of selling 100,000 mixers and completing its initial public offering. Ever since, the company has grown greatly and is widely known.

        In 1996, Mackie welcomed the renowned designer Cal Perkins to the team, who brought his knowledge and expertise, empowering the rest of the team. This led to the company entering new markets, manufacturing PA systems and studio monitors. In 1999, the company expanded its horizons by acquiring Radio Cine Forniture SpA’s business. Mackie also introduced the highly popular SRM450 PA speaker. By 2001, speaker sales accounted for 55% of the company’s total revenue.