Mackie Reach Review

Written by Mark Le. Last updated on September 11, 2020.
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Mackie Reach Review

I have written this Mackie Reach review to share my first-hand experience with this product.

Upon visiting my church recently, I noticed that their sound system wasn’t as great as it used to be. I hadn’t visited the place for a long time, but I still felt heartbroken at the sight. That day, I came home and decided to donate a sound system to my childhood church! But I had to make sure of two things; one, that it was up to the mark and second, that it was not extremely out of my budget.

Obviously, being the curious cat that I am, I had to research and read reviews of everything that was available online. And it was during my research that I stumbled across Mackie Reach. This brought all my worries to an end. After looking at all the features, I was convinced I had found the best model in the market. I instantly knew this would be my final choice, but despite my instant love for it, I had to double-check to be sure. The strong build, the great diversity, and the excellent ergonomics convinced me that I had.

Things to Consider Before Buying

With over 1000 plus models of speakers available in the market, choosing the right one according to my church's needs was hard. I had to look for a plethora of different models to see which one I liked the best. I was also looking for something that was not just aesthetically pleasing but had an amazing sound quality as well, something that the church wouldn’t have to change for years.

Mackie Reach offered me everything that I was looking for. It covered a large ground and ensured that the church music could be heard by people sitting in the distant corners as well. It also came with a lot of auxiliary outputs and inbuilt systems like Bluetooth connectivity and wireless performance. What else could I have asked for? I would suggest it to everyone reading this, but there are a few questions that you must ask yourself before making this purchase.

  • Does the price point suit my budget?
  • Does the speaker’s coverage suit my needs?
  • Does it offer good portability?

I asked the same questions to myself, and once I got a satisfactory answer to each, I was happy enough to move to the other part of my research. This model wasn’t very expensive and offered good coverage. It was also relatively compact, so I had no trouble moving it around.

Presenting the Product

Mackie Reach is the ultimate all-in-one-compact PA system that delivers the perfect mix of features with everything that is needed to provide room-filling high-fidelity sound reinforcement between you and your audience. It comes fully loaded with an innovative loudspeaker design that is fit for any frequency. Mackie Reach also comes with many first-to-market technologies that you just won’t find in other products. It has a stylish design and incorporates the arc array technology, a shop personal monitoring system, and good wireless streaming.

It only weighs 28 pounds, which makes it comfortable and easily portable. Its setup is another thing that fascinated me because it does not require any extensive procedure. After my detailed research on Mackie Reach, I made a shortlist of its pros and cons, and I’ll share it with you, so you don’t have to go through any additional trouble.

Pros

  • Perfect for church halls
  • Aesthetically and sonically pleasing
  • Offers Bluetooth Connectivity
  • Works perfectly with acoustic-electric guitars and other such instruments
  • Very Portable

Cons - Mackie Reach Review

  • Not for concert arenas

Features and Benefits

Unlike most other models, Mackie Reach is designed for larger audiences, and that’s what I absolutely love about it. It stands out in the crowd. My favorite feature is that Mackie Reach provides ideal power and coverage for musicians and presenters alike in small to medium-sized venues. It is perfect for church halls, offices, meetings. However, even if you are a student, Mackie Reach will prove to be your perfect companion. Here are some of its top features.

Arc Array Design

The first thing I noticed when I saw my Mackie Reach up close was its columnar array design. This expands the horizontal coverage to an ultra-wide 150 degrees. Its design, combined with an advanced system DSP and 720 watts of onboard power, delivers power and pristine sound anywhere. Moreover, this excellent design also enhanced the durability of the design.

Ear Shot System

In addition to the front-facing arc array, it features Mackie’s “earshot personal monitoring system.” This uses a selectable full-range speaker on each side that can easily be controlled. You can also use each side individually for a different range of operations. This not only increases the outreach of the model but also adds to its diversity.

Wireless Audio Streaming

When it comes to PA systems, something that always stands out is the wireless system. This unit uses Bluetooth technology and mix and match different sounds to provide you with the best performance. For that, all you have to do is connect your Bluetooth device to the speaker, and you are good to go. The procedure is the same as any phone, laptop, or other musical instruments.

Combo Inputs

At the back of the speaker, there are 4 quarter-inch combo inputs for connecting vocal mic, guitars, and other instruments. This adds depth to the design and makes it more suitable for a variety of needs. A stereo mini input is also available below the combo inputs. If you’d like, you can also connect your AUX cable, your laptop, and phone wires to it directly as well.

The Simplicity of Setup

The best and unique feature of this speaker is its simplicity. Unlike many other units, this one didn’t have to have a complex design to stand out. It isn’t very heavy, which makes it easy for lazy users like me to carry it around. Since its lightweight, it’s easy to set up anywhere and anytime.

Perfect Size

As I was purchasing it for a church, I had to keep the size in mind. House of worships always needs a smaller portable B system for the public address during worship events and gatherings. Mackie Reach is small in size and comes with a portable stand, easy for any church to keep in the corner of the hall and still get better access.

Benefits - Mackie Reach Review

  • It is small in size and only weighs around 28 pounds, thus easy to carry around.
  • Wireless connectivity allows you to connect both Android and iOS.
  • 720W PA delivers ultra-wide coverage from left to right, making it ideal for halls and events
  • It offers a high-quality sound and is aesthetically pleasing.
  • It is perfect for small bands, debaters, and presenters and can be installed in schools, churches, and offices.

Social Proof

I always check for online reviews on any product that I am about to purchase, and since this was for a place that meant so much to me, I was extra cautious. I had to make sure that my purchase was worth every penny. I expected mixed opinions and reviews, but I was astonished to find positive reviews from almost every person online who had bought Mackie Reach. Most buyers had praised the strong acoustics and unmatched sound quality of this PA system. Others were content with the weight and size of the model that increased portability.

Reach 1

and

Reach 2

Alternatives

I wasn’t exaggerating when I said that I wanted this unit to be worth every penny. I knew I wouldn’t get another chance to buy a unit for a solid five years, so naturally, I compared Mackie with many other products on the internet to see whether the alternatives paled in comparison or not.

I had a specific budget for my purchase, so all my choices were priced around the same digits. To ensure that I wasn’t rushing into anything, I decided to note down all the features of my three alternative choices. Then I compared them with Mackie to see which one suited me best.

Here is a brief overview of what I concluded from the research.

QSC K12.2

Mackie ReachQSC K12.2
Lightweight hence easy to carryHeavier weight restricts portability
Requires less power to operateRequires more power to operate
Only suitable for smaller areasIdeal for larger concern halls

Alto Trouper

Mackie ReachAlto Trouper
Comes with 6 Channel MixersComes with 3 Channel Mixers
Generates a power of 720 WGenerates a Power of 200-300W
Air Shots are presentAir Shots are absent

Proreck Club 3000

Mackie ReachProreck Club 3000
Offers Bluetooth ConnectivityBluetooth connectivity falters in higher grounds
Provides better Arc Array TechnologyProvides the Subwoofer Technology
Portable and Lightweight  Occasionally Portable because of wires and heavy weight

Conclusion

Mackie is definitely the right choice for anyone looking to invest wisely and in a small and compact model. I was extremely happy and satisfied the first time I set my eyes on this PA system. It was exactly how I hoped it would be. It came with a strong exterior and featured good wireless connectivity. So as expected, my research just reinforced my intuition. I knew Mackie was the one for me.

Article written by Mark Le
An enthusiastic and charismatic Christian – dedicated to living a life of full service to the ministry through helping churches in bridging the gap between the Gospel and Technology.

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