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Mackie S408
4x8" Two-way Passive w/ Tetrad Technology
Ever wonder how a band can sound so good at a concert and then sound
so bad in a smaller venue? Most likely, the small loudspeakers available
to most houses of worship, clubs, and performers have a relatively narrow
dispersion pattern and can't be flown like touring arrays. Most full-range
loudspeakers can provide ample punch and frequency response when you
are positioned directly in front of them - but sit off to the
side, even just a little bit, and the sound quality quickly deteriorates.
Mackie turned to the gurus at Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) for
a solution to this dilemma and they, in turn, developed Tetrad™ Technology.
This remarkable technology makes its debut in the Mackie S408. The ideal
choice for any establishment where high quality live sound is crucial,
including houses of worship, DJs, club sound reinforcement, and keyboard/drum
monitoring. And if that weren't enough, the Mackie S408's trapezoidal
shape makes it perfect for vocal monitor wedge applications.
How Tetrad Works
In a typical 15", 2-way loudspeaker system, the
15" speaker offers relatively slow transient response, and the small
high-frequency horn tends to beam a narrow, blaring sound at the listener -
end result, muddy sound. By replacing the 15" speaker with four
8" drivers, Mackie increased the driver surface area
to 201 sq. inches from 177 sq. inches, creating more punch and a tight,
more focused low-end. The four 8" transducers
offer better transient response and move a bigger column of air than
a single fifteen.
Vocal Clarity and Pattern Control
By using four 8" low-frequency
drivers, Mackie is able to drop an extremely large horn into the S408
and still keep the cabinet size small. Besides presenting a more friendly
load impedance, a bigger horn yields lower distortion, better pattern
control and allows the horn to operate more efficiently at lower frequencies
all the way down to the heart of the critical vocal and midrange zones.
Since this larger horn is more stable through the crossover point, the
transition to the LF drivers is virtually seamless, in terms of frequency
response and directivity. All this adds up to greater consistency throughout
the entire coverage pattern, resulting in vastly improved intelligibility
across your entire audience.
Solid Construction
The S408 is constructed of solid 18mm Baltic Birch
plywood and coated with wear-resistant, textured black PVC vinyl paint.
These cabinets are built to stand up to rugged use while maintaining
their stunning appearance. Top and side-mounted, balanced-optimized carrying
handles make them easy to transport.
Power Handling
Due to its extremely efficient design, the S408 can be
driven by even the smallest of power amplifiers. But to showcase its
full potential, strap-on your beefiest amp
and climb to a new level of sound quality and professional capability.
The S408 is, quite possibly, the closest thing to “concert-quality" sound
on the market in its class.
Versatility
Designed for maximum versatility, the S408 can be stacked,
or pole-mounted, on the S410s Subwoofer. It can also be flown via 12
integrated rigging points, either vertically or horizontally. They function
extremely well when arrayed in pairs, providing outstanding coverage
to an incredible 150 degrees. And the S408's trapezoidal shape makes
it perfect for use as a floor monitor.
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