Rode acquires American professional audio manufacturer Mackie

Rode writes a new chapter in its evolution by purchasing its parent company The Freedman Group from the manufacturer Mackie which, since 1989, has designed and manufactured professional audio products, including mixers and speakers for home, studio and stage use.

The founder and president of the group, Peter Freedman, admits that Mackie is a “genuine legend, with a pedigree of live sound experience that is simply unmatched.” Today, Rode and Mackie are leaders in audio, and we share the same passion for creating innovative, high-quality products with a strong customer focus.”

“With this acquisition, The Freedman Group is now a premier audio technology company offering world-class products to an even broader range of customers, from emerging content creators to professionals working in live production and everyone in between,” he adds.

A protagonist of the home recording revolution of the 1990s, Mackie quickly made a name for itself as a highly innovative brand focused on quality and affordability. Innovative products such as the 1602 and D8B mixers and the SRM450 loudspeaker were instant classics and, combined with a unique marketing approach, established Mackie as a leading brand in the recording and live sound industries, a status they maintain today with leading products such as the ProFX series of compact mixers, the Thump series of powered loudspeakers and the popular CR series of tabletop production monitors.

“Mackie is one of the great success stories in pro audio and I've admired her for a long time,” says Freedman. "My background is in live sound production. It's something I've always been passionate about, ever since I saw Tom Jones as a kid at the Chevron Hotel in Sydney in '69; my dad Henry installed the sound system there, as well as many other venues in the city. Live sound is where I cut my teeth, so this part of my career comes full circle."

"Having known Greg Mackie even before starting Ride, I found his passion for audio and his approach to the business inspiring. His story is very similar to ours. Both brands helped drive the democratization of DIY recording in their own way, Mackie with its mixers and speakers and RØDE with our microphones. We share a similar path and today both brands are leaders in what they do, so I am incredibly excited to bring these two audio icons together," he says.

On the other hand, Alex Nelson, CEO of Mackie, maintains that "the entire Mackie team is excited to join forces with Peter, Damien and their incredible team. Having worked in the audio industry for many years, I have always held RØDE in high regard. Their manufacturing capabilities and technological leadership are second to none in the pro audio sector and I believe they are the perfect partner to help Mackie expand as we enter an exciting new chapter in our history. Plus, the timing couldn't be better. We have an incredible sheet of product road ahead, of which we will make some big announcements before NAMM ’24.” “This is an extremely exciting time for Mackie, and we couldn’t be happier to be doing all of this alongside the Rode team.”

Greg Mackie, founder of Mackie and audio industry legend, shares a similar opinion: “I can't think of a better company to associate Mackie with than Rode.”

“RØDE and Mackie are incredibly harmonious brands,” he says. Damien Wilson, CEO of the Freedman Group. "This acquisition diversifies our product offering in a very complementary way. We now offer comprehensive audio solutions for all types of users, from musicians who set up a home studio to professional sound engineers who work live." Although the Mackie brand, manufacturing and operations will remain unchanged, there are incredible opportunities to combine the complementary intellectual property, infrastructure and resources of both brands in powerful ways. “I am very excited about the potential this offers RØDE and Mackie.”