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Edit Review: Mackie VLZ3 Series, Tracktion 3, and HR824mk2

Sep 1, 2007 12:00 PM, Reviewer: Gary Eskow

Audio hardware/software trio empowers the video producer.

Mackie VLZ3 Series

Back in the old pre-digital days — or, more precisely, at the time when digital audio technology was in its early commercial-release stage — budget-conscious musicians and sound-reinforcement pros worked almost exclusively within the analog domain. Consoles used both in the studio and field were bulky, pricey by today's standards, and (with the exception of high-end analog boards) noisy. In 1989, at about the time when Digidesign was starting to manufacture products for the Mac and just a couple of years before the Alesis ADAT was released, Mackie came out with its 1604-VLZ Pro console. It changed the rules dramatically.

With its small footprint, extremely clean signal path, and low cost, this 16-channel digital console (and other models that featured fewer inputs) became the centerpiece of many project studios. The VLZ line of boards, which Mackie brought to market several years later, took over from the original digital consoles. The company's new VLZ3 consoles represent the first significant upgrade to this technology in several years.

The line lacks FireWire connectivity, because its inclusion would add cost and interfere with Mackie's Onyx line. Reasonable readers might wonder why I'm covering the VLZ3 in Digital Content Producer. But of course, many companies that handle audio post assignments also capture content in the field and provide traditional sound-reinforcement services to corporate and other types of clients. Maybe you'd like your facility to fit that profile; if so, the Mackie VLZ3 line is an intriguing choice for audio post.

If you've been dealing exclusively with a virtual mixing screen and mouse for the last several years, the first things you'll notice about the VLZ3 are its physical attractiveness and the solid feel of its faders. They're a bit stiff, some might say, but they're sure to work in nicely over time. The board has eight mono/mic channels plus another four stereo line-input channels.

Since the days of the original 1604, Mackie mixers have featured mic preamps that offer great value. The new XDR (extended dynamic range) mic pres were hard for me to compare to those found on earlier VLZ versions; I haven't had a Mackie board in my studio for several years. But they sounded more than adequate for most, if not all, audio post work, including voiceover recording. Of course, you can add a stereo set of classic mic pres — or emulations of them — if you feel so inclined.

The three-band EQ package will also suffice — particularly if you're using the VLZ3 to capture audio in the field to then port it over to a workstation for detail work. The bussing scheme, which includes channel routing to four subgroups, is extensive. The gain structure going to the headphone output, which often gets shortchanged in budget boards, is robust and extremely quiet. In short, if you need a small console that is easy to pack up and take into the field, the VLZ3 is a must-consider.

Tracktion 3

Digital audio workstations (DAWs) generally employ the traditional recording-studio model, with areas designated for virtual tape tracks, one or more mixer screens, and the insertion of physical or virtual effects racks. Continuing the idiom, these racks are ordered in a manner that will make the program comfortable for musicians and engineers who come from that background. Occasionally, an application will come along that challenges this way of thinking. Ableton Live comes to mind, and so does Mackie Tracktion 3.

This extremely affordable application is predicated on the belief that many users (including a number of audio post pros) should be able to operate using only a single screen. The idea makes sense, too; equalization, for example, was originally developed to fix audio problems that stemmed from early equipment that did not accurately capture the entire frequency range. Do you really need a virtual mixer that forces you to load four bands of EQ across 32 channels today?

Tracktion 3 operates on both major platforms, and it can import QuickTime files on both. It is a full-fledged DAW, with a 64-bit, 192kHz mix engine. Installation is straightforward, and the app is intelligent. I have a few time-expired plug-ins on my computer, and other DAWs that I use stop loading when they confront them. After initially asking me if I was currently using these programs, Tracktion 3 bypassed the expired plug-ins from that time forward.

Make no mistake: This program is object-based. But if you're ready to take on the learning curve, it has lots to offer. Somewhat confusingly (to me), the term “filters” is applied to any element you drag onto a track — software synths as well as effects, for example. Drag the New Filter arrow onto a track, and a screen opens up that displays all of the plug-ins in your system. Once you establish MIDI communications between your keyboard controller and the system, you can instantiate a soft synth, for example, and easily route it to a second filter — a reverb, perhaps. In traditional parlance, this would be called an insert. Of course, you'll want to conserve CPU power by routing multiple tracks to the same effect. To do this within Tracktion 3, you create Racks. You also use Racks to route the outputs of a MIDI device with multiple outs and to layer MIDI parts.

The plug-ins that come with the Tracktion 3 Ultimate Bundle are serviceable. The RMIV drum module had all of the sounds you'd expect, but if you own a high-quality drum module such as Spectrasonics Stylus RMX or Native Instruments Battery 3, you won't turn to it very frequently. The same can be said for the LinPlug Cronox 3, an emulation of a classic analog synth. This plug-in has lots of editing capabilities and a decent sound, but if you own Native Instruments Massive or Atmosphere from Spectrasonics, you'll most likely turn to them for the fattest bass lines and pads. Speaking of plug-ins that ship with the app, the Mackie effects themselves are quite good.

Tracktion 3 has lots more features, which we don't have the space to cover in depth. MIDI editing is adequate and offers some nice touches, such as the inclusion of groove templates that you can impose to change the feel of your tracks. The DVD installation includes a four-hour video tutorial that covers all corners of the application. In short, Tracktion 3 packs high value for the dollar.

HR824mk2 monitors

When Mackie introduced the original HR824 monitors about a decade ago, they were immediately hailed as a leader of the new generation of active speakers. The 824s delivered tremendous volume for their size — much more than most near-field monitors — and they were widely praised for their accuracy. Mackie recently announced the next generation of 824s (and the smaller 624s). For the moment, both generations of models are for sale; when inventory runs out on the originals, only the mk2 series will be available.

The HR824mk2 features a high-frequency tweeter and a low-frequency woofer. Connectivity to your mixer outputs can be made via XLR, phone, or RCA inputs. As with the originals, settings on the rear of the speakers allow you to tune them to the position that they occupy in your room. You can also choose to have the mk2s on at all times or have them remain in standby mode. Or select the Auto On option to tell them to turn on when they detect the presence of an audio signal louder than -45dB.

According to Mackie, the mk2s use the same amplifiers as their forebears, but these have been redesigned substantially. The biggest criticism leveled at the 824s was that they're a bit hyped on the low end. “There was a bump at the 70Hz-90Hz range,” says Mackie's James Woodburne, “and the monitors lacked a little definition in the 120Hz range. We've built a slightly larger cabinet to flatten out the bottom-end bumpiness.”

So how do the HR824mk2 speakers sound when measured against the originals? Having owned a pair of 824s for a number of years, I was able to match the two directly against each other. I listened to a variety of stereo mixes — different styles, at both 16 bits and 24 bits — including the mix of a piece of my own that was recently completed. Further, to check out the low end, I loaded up samples of orchestral bass drums and timpani and switched between the two pairs.

To my ears, the two sets of speakers yielded a very similar sound. There was clearly more air around the mid-range in the mk2s, but the distinction was subtle. In my studio, the low-end material spoke very similarly on the older and new monitors.

The 824mk2s, priced identically to the monitors they replace, remain a high-value item that will continue to be a presence in many mix rooms — particularly those that require a set of speakers that can function as both near- and mid-field monitors.

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bottomline

Company: Mackie
www.mackie.com

Product: VLZ3 Series, Tracktion 3, and HR824mk2

Assets: Powerful, portable consoles, affordable, streamlined software, and high-value, accurate monitors.

Caveats: Fader buttons stiff at first, some confusing software workflow.

Demographic: Audio post pros looking for a powerful hardware/software combination.

PRICE: $1099.99 (1604-VLZ3); $519.99 (1402-VLZ3); $779.99 (1642-VLZ3); $389.99 (1202-VLZ3); $319.99 (TRACKTION 3 ULTIMATE BUNDLE); $259.99 (TRACKTION 3 ULTIMATE UPGRADE); $129.99 (TRACKTION 3 PROJECT BUNDLE); $779.99 (HR824MK2)

© 2008 Penton Media, Inc.