Many of you may remember Dan’s recent review of the SRM350 active loudspeakers by Mackie. But what about all of you who have already invested money in outboard amplifiers that you are already very happy with. For you Mackie has created the C300z passive loudspeaker.

When I first entered the live music scene several years ago, loudspeakers were little more than wooden boxes with speakers installed in the front. These square and rectangular boxes worked fairly well in the hands of experienced sound crews and engineers who could afford the best equipment to get the most out of them. For the less experienced however, these cabinets were a breeding ground for resonant frequencies and standing waves that turned their sound into an undesirable mush. With much effort and experimentation with placement, most were able to get results they could live with.

While newer speakers and electronics were developed over the years, the problems with the cabinet designs were for the most part ignored. That was until Mackie introduced their line of injection molded polypropylene speaker enclosures. It has been my experience that Mackie does not approach a problem from only one direction, but they tend to innovate on several angles at a once. This is achieved by hiring people who use and therefore understand firsthand the problems associated with most loudspeakers and work hard to solve these issues. This was especially true with the C300z passive loudspeakers.

C300z Specifications



· Portable Precision Passive loudspeaker with 1.75" HF compression driver and 12" LF transducer.
· HF compression driver mounted on a multi-celled aperture, with a constant directivity horn for room-wide 90° x 45° dispersion.
· Precise reproduction of critical upper mid-range and high frequencies
· Tough, impact-resistant enclosure with sturdy handles, pole-mount, and integrated rigging points.
· Designed for optimum performance with Mackie powered mixers and power amplifiers.
· 750W peak power handling.
· Three setup configurations: pole mount, flyable and wedge.
· Speakon and ¼" inputs (balanced and unbalanced)

Innovations in the C300z Enclosure Design

Looking at the C300z from the front, you will notice that it has a very modern aerodynamic appearance, but it is not until you look at the back and sides that you will find the biggest innovation in cabinet design in decades. This is evident by the asymmetrical trapezoid shape of the enclosure itself. While this shape my seen peculiar at first, it serves a very important function. It solves the problem of resonate frequency phase cancellation. Most loudspeakers have flat surfaces that are perpendicular to each other. This means that resonate low frequencies will bounce directly off the back of the cabinet and exit through the woofer out of phase with the original musical program. This causes the sound to become muddy and unclear. By designing the C300z to have no surfaces that are perpendicular, resonate frequencies are bounced away from the woofer and into integrated internal dampening materials. The results are a sound that is more natural and airy. Like the SRM 350, the shape also makes this speaker a perfect floor monitor.

I can still well remember moving other speakers around when I was doing gigs on a regular basis. While all these speaker cabinets were billed as being portable, that usually just meant that it took two people and much effort to move them around. Mackie has proven that heavy does not equate to better. The C300z weighs in at 43 lbs thanks to the incredibly rigid and durable polypropylene construction. It also features ergonomically designed handles on the sides and top for ease of lifting, while the weight of the entire enclosure is balanced for easy transport by one person.

What’s Inside

The C300z matches a 12" low frequency transducer with a 1.75" high frequency driver allowing for clear, and transparent reproduction of low, mid, and high frequencies. These speakers were precision tuned by the people at EAW, whom are well know for creating huge and extremely expensive loudspeaker systems for many large public events and well known venues. They were able to use their 25 plus years of expertise in high output loudspeaker design to tune these speakers for the best sound, while keeping them affordable. One of their solutions was to design a horn that had a much wider dispersion than the horns in comparable loudspeakers.

Often times the people who are directly in front of the loudspeakers get the best sound. As you move to the sides of the speaker the high and mid frequencies seem to drop out of the mix which causes the music program to sound thin and lifeless. This is because most speakers utilize horns that do not allow for good dispersion for these frequencies. Mackie and EAW came up with a solution to this problem with a device they call a "multi cell horn throat aperture". While this sound really technical, it basically allows for a much wider high and mid frequency dispersion rate taking the real sound to the masses whether they are in front, or to the sides of the speakers. The chart below borrowed from the Mackie website will give you a visual of what this really means.



Another addition feature is the incorporation of a protection circuit that protects the high frequency driver from excessive power. The power is reduced when the high frequency driver approaches its maximum power handling level. You will want to remember that this protection circuit is not in place so you can drive these speakers past their original designed program mode. It is still possible to damage your speakers if you ignore the warning signs such as the clip indicator on your power amplifier.

The Sound Test

Although I am quite familiar with some of Mackie’s other products, this was to be my first experience with their loudspeakers. For my sound test, I ran several program materials through an Onyx1640 mixing board using a Tapco J1400 power amp. I set the EQ on the Onyx1640 for a flat response for easier comparison of the original sound to the amplified sound. These speakers performed excellently with all programs including electric, acoustic, and bass guitars, as well as vocals and drums. I was able to achieve thumping bass sounds while the highs and mids cut right through at a well balanced output level.

The C300z reproduced sounds with no perceptible coloration to the original sound. As I was listening to the different instruments, I walked around the room to compare the sound quality from different positions. I did not notice any frequency drop outs until I was almost behind the speaker itself, which was positively amazing.

What really got my attention though, is the articulation I could hear in my own playing style. Even at extreme volume level, the C300z maintained a transparent sound with no distortion or break up. Whether I was playing a mellow acoustic, or a driving electric guitar, I was able to hear the true tones I was trying to achieve. The bass guitar thundered right on through without overtaking the sound of the other instruments.

For a final test, I hooked up a CD player and played several styles of music through these speakers at various volume levels. This set up is like having the most impressive stereo system ever built. All types and styles of music sounded great coming through these speakers. In fact, these speakers are as close to studio monitor quality as I have ever heard for a speaker designed for live applications.


Closing Thoughts

If you are in the market for a set of loudspeakers, you owe it to yourself to check out the C300z. This is a great loudspeaker for small to medium venues. It gives you a wonderful balanced sound with a wide dispersion of all frequency levels, as well as easy portability and room to grow. When you are ready to update to a larger speaker system in the future, the C300z’s can easily take the place of your old stage monitors. With its built in fly points, it also makes a great addition to the installed sound system application.

When clarity in sound counts, The C300z comes through with flying colors. Mackie has demonstrated to me once again, that great quality gear can be designed, built, and offered at a price point that does not kill a musicians budget. These are by far the best loudspeakers that I have ever heard in their price range. This is why Guitar Gear Heads has decided to use Mackie speakers for reviewing live sound equipment and instruments. These speakers are a very integral part of my review studio and therefore get my vote for the Rig Ready and the Guitar Gear Heads Approved award.



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All Rights Reserved
Guitar Gear Heads is a Division of Allen & Halberg Publishing, Inc.

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