Mackie MR524 Owner's Manual - Front Panel Description

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MR524 • MR624 • MR824 Powered Studio Monitors

MR5

24 • MR6

24 • MR824 P

o

w

er

ed Studio Monit

ors

A bit less high-frequency energy usually fixes this, and 

the mix may be forced in this direction by reducing the 

high-frequency output of the monitors by using the –2 dB 

position of the switch.

Conversely, if the mixes are consistently too bright, 

then adding some additional high-frequency energy in 

the monitors satisfies your ears, and the resultant mix 

has less HF content.

It’s a real rush to mix really loud. But remember that 

the resulting mix only sounds good when you play it at 

least that loud. However strange it may sound, mixes 

made at lower levels sound even better when played 

loud, perhaps even a bit bigger than life.

Get that sound level meter out. Decide what level to 

mix at and use the meter to help keep mixing at that 

level. Your ears will thank you, and your mixes will be 

better for it.

6. Input Level

The MR studio monitors expect a line-level signal  

at its input. Use this control to adjust the sensitivity  

of the input section according to the signal strength  

at its input.

•  The MR studio monitors are designed to operate  

with a +4 dBu signal when the input level control  

is in the normal (fully clockwise) position. In other 

words, wide open.

•  Refer to the Quick Start section on page 5 for the    

level-setting procedure.

7. Custom-Tuned Rear Port

The custom-tuned rear port uses the radiation from 

the rear of the woofer cone to extend the low-frequency 

response of the speaker. The size of the port is carefully 

designed with respect to the volume of the cabinet  

and the characteristics of the woofer to produce  

low-frequency extension.

Front Panel Description

8. Front Panel LED

This LED will illuminate solid green to indicate  

that signal is present in the MR studio monitor.

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Unbalanced RCA

Hot (+)    

Tip 

Shield (Ground) 

Sleeve

4. Acoustic Space

This is a three-way switch that  adjusts the  

low-frequency response of the monitors to compensate 

for their placement in the room.

•  If you use the MRs free-standing, away from walls and 

corners (whole space [4A]), set the acoustic space 

switch to the “A” position (NORMAL).

•  If you place the MR monitors against a wall (half space 

[4B]), set the acoustic space switch to the “B” position. 

This activates a shelving filter to reduce the low-fre-

quency output by 2 dB to compensate for the half-space 

placement.

•  If you place the monitors into the corners of your room 

(quarter space [4C]), the low-frequency output 

approximately doubles from what it is in half space. Set 

the acoustic space switch to the “C” position to reduce 

the low-frequency output by 4 dB to compensate for the 

quarter-space placement.

5. High Frequency Filter

This switch tailors the high-frequency response  

by ±2 dB at 3 kHz and above on all three MR models.

Leave this switch in the “0 (NORMAL)” position  

unless:

•   You want to subtly brighten or darken the sound of the 

speakers.

•   Perhaps you have hearing loss caused by too many 

nights in front of a Marshall full stack.

•   You just like to mix on the bright side or dull side.

If the mixes consistently sound dull or dark when 

you listen elsewhere, this usually indicates that the  

monitors are too bright, relative to your normal hearing. 

TIP

SLEEVE

TIP

SLEEVE

RCA Unbalanced Connectors

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5

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