Mackie S410S Subwoofer Quad 10-inch Precision

MACKIE s410s Details ^top

Ever wonder how touring loudspeaker systems can cover an audience of thousands with high-output, high-quality sound? In addition to the knowledgeable experts who design and tune these systems, the secret is that these loudspeaker systems employ "arrayable" cabinets with multiple drivers; large, wide-dispersion horns; and subwoofer stacks—all configured to match the requirements of each venue.

In contrast, most audio and music retailers sell two basic types of "professional" loudspeakers: the compact, two-way box with a 12" or 15" driver and a small horn, and the compact subwoofer with a single or double 15" or 18" woofer. The most popular format—the 15" two-way—can provide ample punch and "ruler-flat" frequency response when listening directly in front of the speaker. But move even just a little bit to the left, right, up or down, and that perfect sonic image deteriorates rapidly.

We figured it was time for Mackie to once again raise the game of affordable pro audio—allowing smaller venues, clubs and houses of worship to tap into touring sound technology. Enter Mackie's flagship S400 Series Precision Passive Loudspeakers with Tetrad Technology.

To develop the S408 Precision Passive Loudspeaker and S410s Subwoofer, Mackie enlisted the loudspeaker experts at our sister company Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW)—the company behind high-end touring systems and world-class stadium sound ranging from Eric Clapton to Iron Maiden to the Super Bowl. Their solution was to develop proprietary Tetrad™ Technology, bringing the advantages of large-format touring systems to a compact, portable loudspeaker design.

Tetrad Technology starts by eliminating the biggest source of trouble with a 15" 2-way loudspeaker—the 15" woofer—and replaces it with four smaller 8" drivers, plus an unusually large horn in the center of the S408. The result is greater overall low-frequency driver surface area—200 sq. inches vs. 175 sq. inches—for more punch, plus a horn that delivers far better pattern control in the upper mid frequencies, where important stuff like vocals reside. The large horn also eases the crossover transition from the 1.75-inch titanium compression driver to the 8-inch drivers. This allows the S408 to keep the crossover frequency low enough that the critical vocal and midrange frequencies (1k-3k) are all reproduced by the horn, not shared between the horn and drivers. Put simply, this means the S408 sounds superb and projects extremely well—much closer to a true touring sound system than anything within thousands of dollars of its price, in fact.

The S408 Mid/High box is ideally partnered with the S410s subwoofer, which also employs some serious innovation. While most compact and portable subwoofers use either a 15" or 18" driver and a folded-horn design to maximize bass, the S410s employs four 10" drivers per cabinet, providing a much tighter bass response, greater power handling, and far more impact. (In fact, in testing the S410s prototypes at The War Room, a top Seattle nightclub, we replaced a giant "big-name" professional subwoofer with several smaller S410s cabinets, using the exact same amplifier setup. On the first night, one DJ stopped in the middle of his set because he thought the stage was going to collapse.)

The similarities between the S400 Series and touring sound systems don’t end with sound quality. We also designed these enclosures to be extremely roadworthy. Both models feature solid 18mm Baltic Birch plywood enclosures coated with wear-resistant, textured black PVC vinyl paint. They also incorporate comfortable, weight-balanced carrying handles, top-notch hardware, and powder-coated silver speaker grilles that both look cool and protect the drivers from anything you’re likely to throw their way.

Because touring sound not only relies on more drivers but on arrayability, the S408 Mid/High box is eminently arrayable, with a trapezoidal shape and 12 integrated rigging points for flying and permanent installation. These boxes can be flown side-by-side on both sides of a stage, for example, yielding a whopping 150 degrees of horizontal coverage per side! Of course, the S408 also incorporates weight-balanced carrying handles and integrated pole mounts for more portable applications. And the trapezoidal cabinet design and symmetrical acoustic design allows for professional stage monitoring, without the need for mirror-imaged speakers.

Unique 4x10" LF driver configuration offers enhanced transient response vs. single 18" configuration
Stackable design with recessed footholds allows for S408 atop a sub or two S410s stacked for a powerful long-throw sub-stack
Top Hat pole receptacle for use with S408
Portable with 2 balance-optimized side mounted handles
Dual, parallel, locking NL4 connections for Input and Thru on rear panel
Sensitivity: 96dB SPL (1W/1m)
750W RMS power handling at 8 Ohms
Integrated 180Hz low pass filter
Frequency Response: 40Hz-400Hz

MACKIE s410s Documentation ^top

Mackie s410s Manual