Featuring a 12” speaker, two mono inputs and a stereo line input, Mackie’s new Dashboard software for onboard voicing, EQ, input gain, delay and mains monitoring, the Mackie DRM212 is highly customisable, and very easily so. Tweaks can be made quickly on stage without referring to an FOH or monitor engineer. This makes the DRM series a great solution for bands doing away with conventional guitar or bass cabinets.
The Mackie DRM212 is primarily designed to be used as a stage monitor, or alternatively as a smaller FOH speaker for more intimate gigs. Alternatively, because of the super flat EQ curve, the speaker can be used for creatively re-amping room sounds, emphasising drums in a room or as a powered speaker for an amp modeler such as Fractal Audio AxeFx, Kemper or the Line 6 Helix. The profiles created on these units can ring true and remain uncoloured by more conventional guitar cabinets. With two microphone inputs, as well as Neutrik combo XLR/1/4” jack inputs and an auxiliary stereo input, all with independent gain pots, there’s a myriad of uses for the DRM212 specifically. Once you’re in, further settings can be tweaked via the Dashboard.
Similar to a standard 4×12 speaker guitar cabinet, the DRM212 is a 12” powered loudspeaker, powered by a 1600 watt Class-D amplifier. Reproducing frequencies from 45Hz up to 20kHz, with a maximum SPL peak of 134dB. The 12” speaker itself reproduces sound with startling clarity, with a super flat EQ curve and total harmonic distortion totaling less than 1%. If flat EQ isn’t your thing, that’s okay too – you can quickly change the EQ via the Dashboard software, on the brightly lit screen on a darkened stage. There’s an electronic crossover at 1.5kHz, featuring a slope of 24dB per octave. A matte black grille protects the 12” speaker, attached to the plywood enclosure, ensuring minimal vibration, rattle and long life even at loud volumes. All speakers in the series feature Mackie’s DRM Control Dashboard, accessible via the brightly lit, full-colour display on the back of the speaker. From here you can tweak input gain, voicing and even delay to compensate for the position of the speakers. You can change the sub crosser point, and tweak the onboard three band EQ.
Overall, the Mackie DRM212 is a great speaker solution for the audio professional. While the smallest in size of the DRM Series, the DRM212 packs a punch and can deliver the goods. Reproducing crystal clear sound at high volumes with minimal distortion, the speaker can withstand high level inputs, and deliver high output without breaking a sweat. The Dashboard software makes tweaking the voicing and EQ of the speaker a breeze, and you can quickly toggle it without running back and forth between FOH and the stage to check. If the DRM212 isn’t enough for your needs, Mackie also offer more powerful options with the DRM215 and DRM315, which both feature the Dashboard software onboard. The series then extends all the way up monstrous towering FOH systems for large venues. Mackie is here to work with musicians and artists to create and express their best work, ready to be relied on and sought after.
