PSA: Mackie Freeplay refurbs $189, free ship

[martingitdave]

This is a refurb unit for sure. There are a couple of nicks in the plastic. I think it sounds like a much more clear loud box mini. I don't have the ac33 to compare. But, I would say it sounds surprisingly good. Vocals sound excellent. The app is easy to use. It came with the power brick in a nondescript brown box to prevent resale.

Speaking with an AGF member who is using the FreePlay for small gigs, he seems to have the same impressions. It's a good tool with some preamp design flaws.

From a design standpoint, it looks a little more "boom box" than professional audio gear. But, once you use it, it's more pleasing.

I can see many people getting a lot of use from it. If the retail price, with the battery and stand, brought was competitively priced compared to the loudbox mini, I think you'd find a lot of AGFers using these as acoustic amps for home and small gigs. At retail that package would cost $470, which is a lot more than similar sized acoustic amps. Ultimately, I consider it "prosumer" grade equipment.


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[dannyg1]

[QUOTE=martingitdave;5380512]This is a refurb unit for sure. There are a couple of nicks in the plastic. I think it sounds like a much more clear loud box mini. I don't have the ac33 to compare. But, I would say it sounds surprisingly good. Vocals sound excellent. The app is easy to use. It came with the power brick in a nondescript brown box to prevent resale.

Speaking with an AGF member who is using the FreePlay for small gigs, he seems to have the same impressions. It's a good tool with some preamp design flaws.

From a design standpoint, it looks a little more "boom box" than professional audio gear. But, once you use it, it's more pleasing.

I can see many people getting a lot of use from it. If the retail price, with the battery and stand, brought was competitively priced compared to the loudbox mini, I think you'd find a lot of AGFers using these as acoustic amps for home and small gigs. At retail that package would cost $470, which is a lot more than similar sized acoustic amps. Ultimately, I consider it "prosumer" grade equipment.


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I believe the standard street price of the Free-play is $399 and it's on closeout now at $299. So $570 at the old retail and $470 now.

Does the kickstand have a pole mount built in? I'm wondering why both you and Aerousa consider it mandatory.

[martingitdave]

The kick stand has the pole mount. Otherwise the unit sits flat on a table. The stand provides the tilt and the pole receptacle. You make a good point. When they first came out is was almost $600 for the package. That's a lot of money. I think I paid $330 all in. That's the same as a new loudbox mini. I figure that's fair.


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[dannyg1]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

The kick stand has the pole mount. Otherwise the unit sits flat on a table. The stand provides the tilt and the pole receptacle. You make a good point. When they first came out is was almost $600 for the package. That's a lot of money. I think I paid $330 all in. That's the same as a new loudbox mini. I figure that's fair.


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Given what other battery powered options there are at the $175-350 problems Price point, I think the Freeplay is the current best deal. There are a couple of options out there, but they're on the obscure side.

This $299 LD systems PA on wheels looks like an Alesis whatever they're called but might be okay to middling.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00U7...d_i=B00U75FII2

Then there's the Cube Street for $299, which is around $150 overpriced IMO.

There's the Traynor TVM15 for $250 and the little Sunburst Gear amp for $250, which is reported to not be loud enough for anything over 30 listeners (but is probably louder than most anything at or below its pricepoint).

It's possible that running two of the $150 amps could sound competitive but I doubt it. For now and at this price, the Freeplay seems to be king.

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by dannyg1

Given what other battery powered options there are at the $175-350 problems Price point, I think the Freeplay is the current best deal. There are a couple of options out there, but they're on the obscure side.



This $299 LD systems PA on wheels looks like an Alesis whatever they're called but might be okay to middling.



https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00U7...d_i=B00U75FII2



Then there's the Cube Street for $299, which is around $150 overpriced IMO.



There's the Traynor TVM15 for $250 and the little Sunburst Gear amp for $250, which is reported to not be loud enough for anything over 30 listeners (but is probably louder than most anything at or below its pricepoint).



It's possible that running two of the $150 amps could sound competitive but I doubt it. For now and at this price, the Freeplay seems to be king.

I agree with all of that. It's a very nice unit. I hope they fix the faults in the next release, which I am guessing will be soon.


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[martingitdave]

Some of us were having an offline conversation comparing he Mackie Freeplay to using a class a/b acoustic guitar amplifier with a rechargeable battery. Based on the math, you should be able to get the same or better performance from the latter. But, it's hard to beat the power efficiency, convenience, portability and features of a product like this. Once they rectify their preamp design flaws, they'll have a winner. If they change the aesthetics to be more professional, they can probably command the top dollar they asking for.


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[dannyg1]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

Some of us were having an offline conversation comparing he Mackie Freeplay to using a class a/b acoustic guitar amplifier with a rechargeable battery. Based on the math, you should be able to get the same or better performance from the latter. But, it's hard to beat the power efficiency, convenience, portability and features of a product like this. Once they rectify their preamp design flaws, they'll have a winner. If they change the aesthetics to be more professional, they can probably command the top dollar they asking for.


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I just found that the lithium powerbank I've been recommending, the Poweroak 400 (22ah battery, 300w pure sine all in one), after having dropped from $599 a year and a half ago to $329, can now be bought for $280 or so. Match that with a refurb Bugera AC60, which I believe can be bought for $165-175 (both items are 'make offer' estimates, with free ship from eBay) and were coming to the point where an honest 40w or better, 28lb battery powered amp with a 6 hour runtime is inexpensive enough to be much more widely used.

The Free play is getting our attention now because its become too inexpensive to ignore but this is a limited time thing and though were encouraging people to take the offer and run, I doubt that Mackie's next version is going to have the collection of features and build necessary to compete with the Bugera system I've just spec'd out. At least not at $450.I'm betting that they'll go down market instead.

If I had any sway at Mackie, I'd be having the designers mold the DLM8 into a portable, battery powered system with a very powerful battery that 4 hour fast charges and Bluetooth remote for the mixer. I'd keep the batteries swappable, as in the Freeplay. The way I see it, there's no other shape that will make the small plastic case seem like a quality product.

I'm supposing that in your conversation, you were using the Loudbox Mini as the class A/B amp reference. It'll be interesting to see what comes up in A/C powered amps in the near future. With Fenders Acoustic 100 and the Bugera amp competing with the Loudbox Mini now, I bet we'll see more options. Makes me wonder if Acoustics A40, though its shape and size are annoying for portability, is a competitive option. In any event, I'm surprised that you think the Freeplay can compete in this realm, or almost compete.

How close is it?

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by dannyg1

How close is it?

That's a good question. Since I don't have occasion to use the equipment as thoroughly as you do, I won't claim expertise in comparing the options.

But, I can compare it to an A/C powered Loudbox mini. And, to my ears, I think the FreePlay sounds better. Not a whole lot better, but I think the vocals are more clear with the extra tweeter and bi-amp design. The Fishman is easier to work with (having analog controls), and the guitar preamp does not need a crutch like the Mackie.

Where the Mackie shines is the higher end clarity, simple portability and weight, built-in battery and charger, bluetooth, and effects.

There are plenty of ways to solve the problem.

I like your suggestions for the DLM8. I think we are the only two AGFers using that speaker. At 22 lbs (currently) they would need to add a few lbs of battery and overhaul the mixer. But, that would still make it a light and small solution. I like the compact coax speaker design in a 12" cube. But, I also think that it needs to be played at higher SPL than the FreePlay to sound equally as good. There is a benefit to the "boombox" shape design and extra tweeter in the FreePlay that makes it sound better at lower volumes.

The product I am most interested in trying s the new JBL Eon One Pro. If they improved the mixer like we asked, and included the battery, I'll be very impressed. For the money, I think the current Eon One is one of the better line array options. I won't be surprised if Bose introduces a competing battery powered product soon.

Lastly, I wonder if the battery powered trend is a fad, or here to stay. I don't have a sense of the market for battery powered equipment.

[dannyg1]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

That's a good question. Since I don't have occasion to use the equipment as thoroughly as you do, I won't claim expertise in comparing the options.

But, I can compare it to an A/C powered Loudbox mini. And, to my ears, I think the FreePlay sounds better. Not a whole lot better, but I think the vocals are more clear with the extra tweeter and bi-amp design. The Fishman is easier to work with (having analog controls), and the guitar preamp does not need a crutch like the Mackie.

Where the Mackie shines is the higher end clarity, simple portability and weight, built-in battery and charger, bluetooth, and effects.

There are plenty of ways to solve the problem.

I like your suggestions for the DLM8. I think we are the only two AGFers using that speaker. At 22 lbs (currently) they would need to add a few lbs of battery and overhaul the mixer. But, that would still make it a light and small solution. I like the compact coax speaker design in a 12" cube. But, I also think that it needs to be played at higher SPL than the FreePlay to sound equally as good. There is a benefit to the "boombox" shape design and extra tweeter in the FreePlay that makes it sound better at lower volumes.

The product I am most interested in trying s the new JBL Eon One Pro. If they improved the mixer like we asked, and included the battery, I'll be very impressed. For the money, I think the current Eon One is one of the better line array options. I won't be surprised if Bose introduces a competing battery powered product soon.

Lastly, I wonder if the battery powered trend is a fad, or here to stay. I don't have a sense of the market for battery powered equipment.

Don't you think that once high power battery operation becomes a small, light and affordable enough design element, we'll start to see it as a standard feature on every new amp? That's how I see the battery in the new JBL tower.

Its exciting to me that you like the sound of the Freeplay better than the LBX Mini. Makes me want to give it a fair test. In fact, my Crate Taxi15 just decided to resurrect itself from the dead and I'm looking at a fairly large collection of battery powered options that I currently own available for one big shootout test. Maybe 6 amps, 11 if we include a bunch of the AC options.

Maybe AeroUSA/Aaron wants to bring the Freeplay out and we can run through them. I have an acquaintance who uses the Cube Street EX so we can get that one in as well. Given that I know another guy whom uses the Vox Mini3 and Cube Street (the littler one) together (he runs the out of the Vox to the Roland as an expansion amp) we could cover almost the entire market in one session.

I'm also working on another build and maybe I could throw that together quickly to add it to the event.

[dannyg1]

Two things to amend: first from a post I made on this thread yesterday, there's this $350 amp that I shouldn't have forgotten as its one of the most promising options:

https://smile.amazon.com/Elite-Acous...lite+acoustics

Second, I shouldn't have said "all" the new amps will feature battery power, maybe just a lot of them.

[dannyg1]

Dave,
Can you describe exactly what it is that you're looking for at lower volumes? It seems to me that amps that have deficient bass response sound woefully thin when they're run quietly. That seems counter to what youve said is the difference between the DLM8 and the Freeplay.

Do you have an electric bass in the house? That will tell us a lot about both options.

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by dannyg1

Dave,
Can you describe exactly what it is that you're looking for at lower volumes? It seems to me that amps that have deficient bass response sound woefully thin when they're run quietly. That seems counter to what youve said is the difference between the DLM8 and the Freeplay.

Do you have an electric bass in the house? That will tell us a lot about both options.

Hi Danny,

The DLM8's default PA mode has too much bass and not enough high end for my ears. It goes beyond "warm". In the K Eq mode, its more flat, and sounds better at high volume. However, the K series EQ sound can sound a little thin played at low rehearsal volumes.

The FreePlay is a portable device and doesn't have the power (or max SPL) of the DLM, but across the SPL range that it is capable of, it sounds consistent. Does that make sense?

[dannyg1]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

Hi Danny,

The DLM8's default PA mode has too much bass and not enough high end for my ears. It goes beyond "warm". In the K Eq mode, its more flat, and sounds better at high volume. However, the K series EQ sound can sound a little thin played at low rehearsal volumes.

The FreePlay is a portable device and doesn't have the power (or max SPL) of the DLM, but across the SPL range that it is capable of, it sounds consistent. Does that make sense?

It does but Im thinking I'll have to hear it to really get what you're hearing.

[leew3]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

This Mackie unit will not engage the fixed 20dB preamp until a balanced XLR is inserted. Balanced 1/4" won't engage it. So, I have a passive balanced DI that I would use it with. Don't know if it would be enough, but it should work. I should get 6 dB from transforming and an additional 20 dB from the preamp.


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So am I correct in assuming that if I use the TRS to XLR cable with my Taylor acoustics to the preamp this would engaged the 20dB preamp for the guitar channel?

[martingitdave]

If your Taylor has a balanced TRS output, then you are correct.


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