Mackie CR3.5BT + CR8SBT subwoofer review

I've long been of the opinion that you don't necessarily need a set of gaming-specific speakers for great gaming audio. That probably sounds rather counterintuitive, I know, but unless you're prepared to run the cabling nightmare that is a 5.1 system around your gamer cave, a good set of regular speakers has long been my go-to advice for gamers looking for audio-out-loud.

Of course, if it's studio monitoring you're after, then reference speakers are what you'll be needing. And for music listening alone? Perhaps a set of bookshelf units, with maybe a subwoofer if you find yourself in need of extra bass.

Mackie, however, thinks it can fulfil all your audio needs in one bite of the cherry. Its CR3.5BT speakers are designed to be $130 noise-makers for all seasons, from gaming wonders to reference monitor scalpels, music-listening marvels, and more. That's primarily down to a tone control knob on the front of the right speaker, which allows you to adjust the EQ balance on the fly between work and play.

Or, to put it more accurately, from a reference-like response to an easy-listening, fun and bouncy style EQ, which Mackie says makes them perfect for gaming, casual listening; and movie-watching, alongside more traditional reference monitor duties.

Ordinarily I'd view this sort of jack-of-all-trades marketing with a healthy dose of skepticism, but Mackie has been making professional audio gear since 1988, and its mixers, consoles, and reference monitors have graced the desk of many a high-end studio. It's a manufacturer I'm fairly familiar with, coming from the rock 'n' roll audio game, so I was anxious to try a pair out for myself. I also asked Mackie to send me one of its optional $200 CR8SBT subwoofers, so I could make some comparisons with more traditional 2.1 gaming setup offerings from the likes of Logitech and Klipsch.

The Mackie CR3.5BT speakers feature 3.5-inch drivers paired with 1.5-inch silk dome tweeters in an attractive, textured enclosure, with the familiar Mackie green ring around the main drivers. Each speaker has a subtle, understated design that should fit into any desk setup or home studio layout without looking too gamer-chic, although RGB fans will just have to make do with the neon-ringed Mackie logo for their gamer flair.

Included in the package is a pre-prepared wire to connect the two speakers, and an RCA to 3.5mm aux cable to easily hook up to your PC's audio output ports.

On the rear of the right speaker are two RCA inputs, two TRS ¼-inch inputs, and a 3.5 mm stereo input. Below that are several switches, and it's here that you start to get an idea of the flexibility on offer.

The location switch alternates between desktop and bookshelf modes, essentially adjusting the audio responses to create near field and far field-tuned sound. I'll be honest here—I switched between the two settings quite regularly and listened from various distances and at various speaker positions, and in the confines of my small front room, I couldn't really tell the difference.

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Still, if you're planning on mounting them at quite a distance from each other, it may well have more of an effect. Underneath the location switch is a small toggle to adjust the position of the powered speaker, meaning you could have it on your left hand side if it suits your setup (or your hand dominance).

On the front are two dials, one for volume, and one mysterious counterpart on the opposite side of the driver. This is the tone control knob, and it comes with an easily-removable sticker indicating it can adjust between work and play.

What this means in reality is that, at its far left setting, the Mackie CR3.5BTs deliver a flattened response, as you would expect from a set of reference speakers for studio work. Crank it to the right, however, and the EQ adjusts to fatten up the bass and lower-mids, while the treble takes on a warmer, shinier quality that's more suited to everyday listening.

The effect is surprisingly pronounced. While I would describe the Mackies as great-sounding at both settings, the ability to shift the EQ on the fly between something highly-detailed but flat, to something warm, boosted, and pleasant really adds something to the experience. I'm used to jumping into audio plugins and sculpting my own EQ, but reducing that extra hassle down to a single, easy-to-use dial really does feel like an innovation that all reference speakers would do well to copy.

However, should you wish for a bit more lower-end punch, they also respond beautifully to a bit of extra EQ in your audio drivers. A simple scooped curve allows them to hit even harder, beyond the EQ boost available from the dial.

While these little units are technically only 50 W, they're remarkably powerful, and the custom-tuned rear ports deliver a decent thunk of bass response that belies their small size.

Beyond the power, however, lies a sweetness that comes through with the tone dial pegged to the right, and it really makes music shine. There's a sense here that these speakers find a conventional, boosted EQ somewhat easy, because they're designed for more demanding things, and as a result they respond beautifully to a well-mixed song.

The bass here is of the defined variety rather than gut-rumbling, delivering a decent weighty chunk of kick drum and rounded bass guitar tones, while the mids remain punchy without verging into the harsh. The treble floats at the top of the mix exactly where it should, never quite verging into piercing while remaining shiny, pleasant, and smooth.

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Really, at the far right setting these speakers sound exactly like I hoped they would—reference speakers with the harsh edges rounded off, and with the warmer, punchier qualities gently boosted in the mix to create a very pleasing listening experience.

Cranking the dial over to the left, and you're back in flat (or at least, near-flat) response territory. I wouldn't say they ever reach the accuracy of a pair of Yamaha HS5s, but given you'd pay more than double for a set of those studio-monitor-standards, I don't think anyone will be too disappointed by what you receive for the cash here.

And yes, they prove my point once more—good speakers are good speakers, and that means gaming, too. The CR3.5BT speaker's tendency towards accuracy in combination with that tone dial means you can flatten the EQ response for multiplayer footstep-listening, or swing it over to the right for punchy explosions, soothing soundscapes, and hissing, whizzing bullets.

Not only that, but a Bluetooth connection is a mere button press away. The Mackie dancing man logo on the right speaker doubles as a connection button, and a long press puts it in pairing mode. I tested it with both Android and Apple phones, and can confirm the connection is rock solid for both.

So then, what about the optional $200 CR8SBT subwoofer? Well, in a word, it's massive. Not just physically, either, although if you're anything like me you'll laugh when you pull it from the box. It's a Godzilla of a bass unit, deep enough that you'll probably want to stick it sideways under your desk to minimise its mega-footprint.

Sound-wise, it's truly gigantic. The 8-inch driver is immensely powerful when pushed by that built-in 100 W amplifier, and is more than capable of shaking any reasonably sized room to the point that pictures begin to loosen themselves from the wall.

At the rear are two TRS inputs, two RCA, and two for each set of outputs. That means you can hook up the CR 3.5BT set to the sub, run the audio output from your PC into the back of the subwoofer itself, and end up with a honking-great 2.1 system to put the fear of Cthulhu in your neighbours.

Actually, I'll make an admission—I think the subwoofer is perhaps too powerful for its own good, or at least, capable of delivering far more low-end horsepower than the CR 3.5 BT units can keep up with.

Luckily, the rear of the sub features a bass volume control, along with separate bass controls on the included control puck, so you can dial it down to a reasonable response that doesn't completely overwhelm the rest of the setup.

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There's also an input dial for adjusting line-level signal, and a crossover knob, which allows you to minutely adjust the crossover frequency between 40 to 180 Hz for optimal balance between the monitors and the mega-subwoofer beneath them. It's actually pretty easy to find a balance between the two that sounds great, but you'd do well to live in fear of that volume dial—at least if you want your house to pass its next structural inspection.

What isn't so great, however, is that CRDV control unit. It's essentially a wired puck with multiple dials that hooks into the back of the sub so you can control the volume of the speaker units and the subwoofer separately. A good idea for sure, but it doesn't feel quite as high-quality as the rest of the package, and the concentric dial design is a little fiddly to use and overly light to the touch.

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Still, when combined with the rear sub controls, there are a huge number of options here to find the right bass balance for you.

So, if you're considering the Mackie CR 3.5BTs for your next set of computer speakers (and I really think you should), do you need the CR8SBT sub? If you're a bass-head, then I'd recommend it.

It really is an astonishing room-rumbler, and it's got enough granular control options to mean you can tweak it down to your exact demands with a little fiddling. That control puck might not be perfect, but the sub itself is such a giggle-inducing, overpowered beast that I can't ignore the fun-factor it adds to the experience.

For many people it's probably a bit too much, and it does complicate the experience with all those tweaking options. And that's fine, because if you want a simpler, more plug and play experience—and bass isn't your highest priority—you can instead spend a mere $130 on two accurate, warm, and sonically defined speakers, hook 'em into the back of your rig, and enjoy excellent audio for a very reasonable price.

The Logitech G560, our current pick for the best PC speakers, are starting to become hard to find. While they're very good for what they are (and RGB lit, if that matters to you), they're essentially two small satellite units in combination with an excellent subwoofer, and in terms of balance and quality of sound, I think the Mackies stomp all over them.

Really it's a bit of an unfair fight, as I'm pitting gaming-focused speakers against multi-talented marvels that, as a 2.1 package, costs $100 more, but again I return to my original point—good speakers should just be good speakers, faux gaming credentials be damned.

And for a grand total of $330, for the speakers and sub, I'd pit the overall Mackie 2.1 setup available here against just about anything else for the money. It really is phenomenal when it all comes together.

The Mackie CR 3.5BT set aims to do it all, and manages to mostly achieve it. And if you're missing the sort of ultra-low-end that calls the constabulary to your door, the CR8SBT subwoofer looms in the distance. Gaming-specific speakers are starting to feel a little outdated these days, and when semi-pro units like these are available on the market for consumer-grade prices, it's not difficult to see why.