STEREO GUIDE verdict
The Mackie CR3.5BT is a really good little stereo Bluetooth speaker set. This is especially true when you consider the low price.
Advantages
- Powerful sound with natural tuning and good resolution
- TRS inputs for studio devices
- Left-right assignment for the primary box with the connections
- Decent workmanship
Disadvantages
- No digital inputs
- No app, no equalizer
- Analog volume control, no synchronization with that of the cell phone
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Tonal balance / transparency8.4
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Bass / Dynamics7
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Spatial imaging8
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Usability / Connectivity8.4
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Price/Performance10
The US brand Mackie made a name for itself primarily with mixing consoles, high-end studio monitors and sound reinforcement systems. The speakers we have reviewed in the recent past tended to be offshoots of professional PA technology to go. The extremely compact Mackie CR3.5BT, the 3rd generation of which was available for us to review, remains true to the studio monitors in terms of design: from the Running Man logo to the rounded plastic cladding of the baffle and waveguides to the poison green applications. We were surprised at the non-binding price of 130 euros for the set, which makes it just as suitable as an entry-level monitor as a higher-quality computer loudspeaker.
However, when looking at the rear, it is noticeable that the digital inputs typical of PC speakers, such as USB or S/PDIF, are missing. The primary master speaker, which can reproduce either the left or right channel, houses all the electronics. Its marketing as a studio monitor is underlined by the wide range of analog connections: in addition to a pair of RCA/RCA and a 3.5 mm jack, there are two professional 6.3 mm jack connections. These can be controlled both asymmetrically and symmetrically for studio applications, which will please owners of professional mixing consoles.
Job sharing
The CR3.5BT set with a master speaker and a passive slave is obviously based on an older, analog concept. The additional Bluetooth module for wireless input is also the only digital input. For the low price, you shouldn’t expect the equipment of the “Thump Go 8” with professional features such as channel mixer and equalizer, which we highly praised.
After all, in addition to an analog volume control on the front next to the 3.5 mm headphone connection, there is a second rotary knob on the left-hand side for the sound control. This affects bass and treble at the same time and bends the frequency response to the right like a bathtub when turned. In other words, it boosts bass and treble like a loudness function. A convenient and foolproof way to spice up the sound, but not necessarily what studio professionals imagine a setup correction to be.
There are two more smart switches on the back of the primary speaker. One of them switches the tuning between desktop (near-field) and bookshelf (far-field operation). However, the switch between left and right for the primary speaker is particularly useful. This is something I would have liked to have seen on the Edifier MR3.
Solid performance
To drive both speakers, the master speaker of the Mackie set contains a stereo power amplifier with a total output of 50 watts with a classic Class A/B circuit. Considering the overall price, this is surprisingly high quality and increasingly rare in the age of switching power amplifiers.
So it’s not a problem that the Mackie doesn’t belong to the class of fully active concepts where each driver has its own power amplifier. The Mackie obviously uses passive crossovers, which means that no DSP adjustments are possible as with digital crossovers. The signal reaches the passive secondary speaker via the 2 meter long speaker cable supplied. If this distance is too short for you, you can replace it with any commercially available cable by the meter, as long as the diameter of the wire fits into the small terminals.
Nomen est Omen
This makes it all the more important to have a coherent driver configuration: a 2-way system is used in the bass reflex enclosure made of MDF (medium density particle board) with a high-quality, seamless foil finish and rear port. A 2.5 cm silk dome tweeter is controlled by a Mackie-typical waveguide. A 9 cm cone handles the bass and mids. As its diameter is exactly 3.5 inches, this also explains the name CR3.5BT. In the PA sector, it is common practice to specify the “displacement class” of the woofer in inches anyway, and Mackie has also been doing this with studio monitors since the legendary HR824 from 1996.
If the deep bass is not enough, the Mackie CR8SBT wireless active subwoofer with an 8-inch woofer can be purchased as an option and used. The Bluetooth connection is then established from the smart device to the bass module and the audio signal is forwarded to the CR3.5BT set via a jack or RCA cable.
Sound test: Mackie CR3.5BT
Even if the concept and dimensions are comparable to the Edifier MR3, the Mackie CR3.5BT is in a different league. And it’s even a little cheaper. Above all, it sounds so good that the initial frown at its self-confident positioning as a studio speaker quickly proved to be unfounded. “What, it’s only supposed to cost 130 euros?” I was amazed after the sound test when researching the price. If you want to edit and mix podcasts, explainer videos for YouTube or dream of a career as an influencer on TikTok, you really don’t need to spend more money on sound. However, the Mini-Mackies are so good that you can get a bargain even if you have slightly higher expectations. The same goes for gamers, who will feel like they’re in the middle of a movie adventure once they add a subwoofer.
This very positive assessment can be attributed to a number of good features. First of all, there is the fundamentally natural tuning with expressive, surprisingly neutral reproduction of voices or natural instruments compared to the price. This was very evident on tracks such as “Swimming Pools” from the Trevor Horn album “Echos” on our Qobuz playlist “Audiophile Voices”. The quality of the treble reproduction also stands out from the crowd. Even if you emphasize the already very fresh high frequencies with the “Tone” control, they still remain relatively silky. Even recordings in which the cymbals are treated with brushes appear extremely delicate and finely resolved by class standards.
Small, but surprisingly powerful
What’s more, the Mackie CR3.5BT can play quite loud for their size and remain pleasantly clean. The small 3.5-inch basses produce a decent punch. Drums are tight and differentiated. The drive and sense of rhythm are really fun. On tracks like “Ratchets” by Hedegaard, the tension builds slowly. Very, very good for this class. Mackie hasn’t just stuck its good name on an inexpensive Bluetooth speaker set here.
Another positive aspect was the precise focus and the wide soundstage of the small studio speakers. With the Mackie CR3.5BT, you can not only mix, but also simply enjoy the music. The only annoying element in the sound test was the analogue volume control, which worked in Bluetooth mode without synchronization with the smartphone. This is not practical, but not so tragic when used on a desktop. For optimum sound quality, you should only set the sound source control to maximum level and then adjust the volume directly using the potentiometer on the front of the primary speaker.
Mackie CR3.5BT: Conclusion and alternatives
The Mackie is really fun. And it is actually suitable as a studio monitor up to a certain standard. It is easily sufficient for dubbing YouTube or TikTok videos and, in view of the good performance, the comparatively extremely low price is surprising. This also applies to the workmanship: you can’t really expect more for 130 euros. In contrast, the Edifier MR3 is almost expensive in itself. In terms of sound and finish, it doesn’t come close to the Mackie CR3.5BT, despite its solid performance. It could develop into an insider tip for price-conscious hi-fi fans for the living room.
Mackie CR3.5BT: Technical specifications
- Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 130 Euro
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 14 x 20.6 × 18 cm
- Weight: 3,7 kg
- Special features: Analog inputs jack balanced & unbalanced, RCA, Bluetooth, loudness control (“Tone”), headphone output on the front
- More at: mackie.com
