RØDE has acquired rival Mackie in a surprise deal that, at first blush, looks like a powerful landgrab of not just pro-audio share, but in the burgeoning podcast and streaming creator market.
Both firms should be well known to you, the knowledgable MusicRadar reader, as purveyors of top-notch mics, speakers, IEMs, mixing consoles and, increasingly, gear aimed squarely at that streaming/podcasting world.
We shared a similar path and today both brands are leaders in what we do
Peter Freedman, group founder/chairman
So it's a move that sees two increasingly aligned competitors come together under one potentially all-conquering roof. While RØDE has, in recent years, been expanding its 'lifestyle' range from its more high-end starting point, US-brand Mackie, known for affordable, 'built-like-a-tank' audio and live gear, has been making its own inroads into creator studios, with products like this year's DLZ Creator. Both firms will now operate under parent company The Freedman Group.
As Freedman Group founder and chairman Peter Freedman says in a RØDE statement, the firms have obvious parallels, not only in product, but in history.
“Their origin story is uncannily similar to ours. Both brands helped fuel the democratisation of DIY recording in their own way, Mackie with their mixers and speakers and RØDE with our microphones. We shared a similar path and today both brands are leaders in what we do, so I am incredibly excited to bring these two audio icons together.”
"Having worked in the audio industry for many years, I have always held RØDE in high esteem," says Alex Nelson, Mackie CEO. "Their manufacturing capability and technology leadership is second-to-none in pro audio and I think they are the perfect partner to help Mackie expand as we enter an exciting new chapter in our history."
"We have an incredible product roadmap ahead of us, which we’ll be making some big announcements for leading up to NAMM ’24 - we couldn’t be happier doing all of this alongside the RØDE team."
Watch this space...
