GEAR REVIEW
MACKIE ’ S THUMP GO PORTABLE PA & MORE ! | Eric Dahl
KEY FEATURES
• Multi-Function
• Light-weight
• Built-in Blue Tooth
• Battery or AC Powered
Portable and compact PA systems are all the rage now for obvious reasons . From a consumer standpoint all musicians have a need for a PA system that can be used in multiple situations , has multiple inputs , is smaller and lighter , but still sounds great . From a manufacturing perspective technology is finally catching up with what consumers seek and not at a ridiculous price so the average musician , house of worship or church can afford them !
Many worship facilities already utilize Mackie mixers , but they may not be aware of these powerful yet portable PA systems they have created as well . The Thump series , by Mackie , includes the Thump12BST , Thump15a and Thump12a , which have been very popular for the company . Their new powered PA speaker takes things a step further in the Thump GO system . Once the Thump GO was fully charged the first thing I did to test it was pairing the Bluetooth with my smart phone and started going through my favorite play list of songs . For its size I was surprised with the amount of bass that the Thump GO provided . The reason behind this is that , compared to other rechargeable speakers , Mackie has a dedicated 8 ” woofer in the cabinet and a 1 ” compression driver to handle the mid and high frequencies .
Weight comes in at a mere 17.6 pounds and the rechargeable and removable lithium-ion battery holds a charge for up to 12 hours of playing ( you can also purchase extra batteries to extend this and they change out on the bottom of the unit ). Thump GO has a builtin two channel mixer and each channel can be used with ¼ ” or XLR inputs . Making this Mackie flexible for an array of instruments or vocal microphone application as needed . An XLR through is provided in the connectivity cluster so that you can use it as a monitor and the angles of the cabinet are designed to accommodate multiple placements on stage or on a PA stand .
All of the controls are self-explanatory , and the Bluetooth channel is set for the second channel . Voicing Modes choices include music , speech , monitor or sub , and other options are outdoor mode , music ducking , feedback eliminator and front led . There is also a battery indicator and overload light that updates you on the health level of the lithium-ion battery , so you know when to turn it down or recharge . Thump
GO also has a master volume that rides over both channels for maximum control .
Similar to technology that Mackie has implemented with their audio mixers the Thump GO can be controlled remotely with your smart phone or tablet via the free Thump connect 2 App . Leaving you hands free to adjust this on your mic stand or from a distance .
Most houses of worship and youth groups can benefit from a small and portable PA system , especially one that is battery operated and can be used outdoors for events or indoors for practice and praise groups . The options are endless even if you just need to make announcements at church camp or are putting on a talent show or performance with the youth group . Quality sound performance and reproduction take things up a notch , at $ 449.99 street cost the Mackie Thump Go is affordable as well .