Except maybe to say ...
We should all remember this.
15-20 years ago there was no such thing a mixer with
xlrs on every channel
phantom power-switchable or otherwise
metering
direct outs for each channel
inserts on each channel
stereo subgroups
more than two aux sends
stereo aux returns
a solo section
multiple outputs
and other things I've probably forgotten
In a box you could carry with one hand. Anywhere. For any price. At that point you had a choice. Buy a mixer with all those features or buy a car. Or a house. And don't forget the truck to move it with.
Ditto for multitracks. And power amps. And mics. And guitars. The list goes on. Pro audio used to be so far out of reach for normal people pricewise that 5 people would have been on these forums instead of thousands. We are all very lucky people to live in a time where we can even be having these discussions. I remember being blown away that you could get a Tascam four track cassette recorder for "only" about a grand.
Say what you want about Greg Mackie but his impact on the audio world cannot be overstated. His mixers were something noone had ever seen, never mind their price point. And they were dirt cheap. Even now- $1300US list for a 1604-VLZ pro? The guy should get a medal. And that concept has reached all areas of audio. Mackie gear is still budget gear, just remember that. A few years ago it still would have been budget gear at twice the price. And still a good bargain because it was the only real semi-pro choice.
Thousands of people, some of them now very famous, can realize their artistic visions in a way impossible a short time ago. And be part of an industry that was very small due to the incrdible expense of good gear. Or any gear.
I'm a fan of cheap gear, too. Money is expensive. I have some berry gear. Can't beat the bang for the buck. And I do think that Mackie QC has gone down. VLZ-pro stuff seems to be the first series with problems. Market pressure isn't always a good thing.
I know I sound like a dinosaur, "you kids don't know how good you've got it", but to hear someone say Mackie's prices are silly just ignores way too much history for me to let it pass.
