GEAR REVIEW
MACKIE ’ S SHOWBOX | Steve Sattler
Mackie ’ s new Showbox is an all-in-one portable PA or as Mackie calls it , “ Performance Rig ”.
Mackie has considerable experience designing portable battery powered PA ’ s going back to the Mackie Thump and they have taken all that experience into account in designing the Mackie Showbox . For worship leaders who need a on the go portable PA that can be set up in literally minutes this is quite possibly the solution you and your church have been looking for .
The Showbox has enough I / 0 and flexibility to accommodate up to a small ensemble and is designed to combine all the functionality of a portable PA with an acoustic guitar amp , 6-channel mixer , effects rack , a USB-C interface , combined into a single , rugged and portable device . The Mackie Showbox has built in Bluetooth I / O which makes it easy to hook up your backing tracks to playback during your church services . It also has switchable PA and switchable indoor and outdoor amp voicing modes .
The Mackie Showbox can easily accommodate a pastor , one or two instrumentalists , vocalists , percussionist etc . The Showbox is built sturdily and is designed to withstand the daily bumps and grinds you might encounter . At just under 20 ” tall and 12 ” wide and weighing just under 21 pounds the Showbox is designed for easy portability . It has a recessed handle making it easy for just about anyone to move around with one hand and is designed to comfortably fit in the backseat of your car and can be carried in a padded backpack which Mackie sells separately . It can be mounted on a pole plus the shape is wedged , so you can lay it on the ground , Stage , etc .
The Showbox features a unique breakaway mix control panel which can be mounted on a mic stand . The control panel connects to the Showbox via an included Ethernet cable and gives you full ‘ hands on ’ control . The breakaway panel can be mounted on a pole or mic stand and connects to the main unit via an included ( Mackie green !) Ethernet cable .
The Showbox has two XLR , and two guitar inputs plus a stereo input . It also has an effect send for looping in an effect pedal such as a reverb , compressor or delay . An 8-inch aux jack is provided to plug in devices like a phone or an iPad , it also has a USB-C interface built in to ‘ live stream ’ your gig or record the audio onto your phone . There is also an XLR balanced mix out , so you could connect to another speaker without any noise through longer cable runs .
The Showbox has a built-in auto-gain feature borrowed from Mackie ’ s DLZ Creator podcast solution which is a great feature to have when setting your input levels . Whether you ’ re a beginner or have experience in correctly setting gain levels , the Auto Gain feature is great to have especially if you are in hurry to get set up and start your gig .
The heart of the Mackie Showbox is an onboard Class D digital amplifier that is rated at 400 watts peak , which makes it perfect for small indoor or outdoor needs . Its lithium-ion
126 May 2024 Subscribe for Free ...