Thrashv2 Loudspeakers: Better. Smarter. Louder.

Thrashv2 Loudspeakers: Better. Smarter. Louder.

Mackie Thrashv2 loudspeakers are the second generation of Thrash Series, but they’re a huge leap forward from the first generation. We’ve transformed Thrash Series from a simple budget speaker into something more ambitious: the model of the essential Mackie loudspeaker. Mackie defined powered loudspeakers decades ago with SRM450, we’ve been at the forefront of the industry ever since. Mackie loudspeakers stand for professional sound that’s reliable and fairly priced, bringing power to everyone who needs to be heard. 
 
Thrashv2 loudspeakers build on a foundation of clear, powerful sound, with Class-D amps and LaVoce Italiana drivers. They’re built to be rugged, versatile and straightforward. And, they have technology pulled down from our professional Thumpv4 Series—the kind of tech that actually makes your speaker easy to use, not confusing or overly complicated.
 
Our least expensive loudspeaker is, in some ways, the most important one for Mackie. We first made a name for ourselves by delivering no-compromise live sound to people who didn't have that power before, because it was too expensive or inaccessible. Some of the biggest names in music started out with Mackie gear. When you choose a Mackie for your first loudspeaker, you are choosing professional performance from the start. That’s what you’re getting with Thrashv2: a better, smarter, louder speaker, for anyone who wants to be heard.
 

Thrashv2 Is the New Essential Mackie Loudspeaker

So, if Thrashv2 is our new essential Mackie loudspeaker, then what makes a Mackie loudspeaker, exactly? It’s a combination of three things: performance, reliability and accessibility. Every feature of Thrashv2 advances one of these three goals. It pushes the envelope for an entry-level speaker, absolutely smoking the competition.
 
So: performance, reliability, accessibility. Thrashv2 is better sounding (much better) than the previous Thrash Series, and any other entry-level loudspeaker on the market. Thrashv2 is more reliable, both in its industrial design and famous Mackie “Built-Like-A-Tank” ruggedness. And Thrashv2 is accessible—not just because of price, but also because of technology from Thumpv4, including voicing modes, Feedback Eliminator and Bluetooth®, which make it easy to sound great without a steep learning curve.
 
Here’s a little more about what’s changed since first-generation Thrash Series speakers, and how these improvements make a difference for you, the user.
 

More Ways to Connect and Play

The first question with any speaker: how do I connect to it? We wanted to make connectivity as simple as possible, not packing Thrashv2 with more inputs that you’d actually use (and further increasing the price as a result). But we also wanted the speaker to be as versatile as possible. 
 
So, we settled on two inputs: one analog combo input and Bluetooth® streaming.
 
The analog combo inputs can take just about any analog device you can think of, from microphones to instruments to playback devices. There’s tons of gain on tap to make sure you have a healthy signal going into the speaker. There’s also an overload indicator, so you know right away if you cranked the gain too much. It’s a timeless, elegant setup, with everything you need to get connected and nothing you don’t.
 
But what about your phone or laptop? If a loudspeaker is truly going to be easy to use, it needs a way to get audio from these essential devices we use every single day. What if you want to stream songs at a party, or use backing tracks at a gig, or play a YouTube instructional video from your laptop while you’re learning a new song? That’s why Thrashv2 has Bluetooth® wireless streaming. You can even stream to two speakers at once.
 
Both of these inputs (analog and Bluetooth®) can be used at once. Both signals pass through the Mix Out output, for chaining your sound to another speaker.
 


Even Better (and Louder) Sound

We’re just going to be straight with you: Thrashv2 blows the first-generation Thrash Series speakers out of the water. The new Thrashv2 is basically a stripped-down version of our professional loudspeakers, delivering core sound quality that surpasses its price point. Thrashv2 is louder, lower and clearer sounding than first-gen Thrash, bringing the series closer to Thumpv4.
 
With an SPL peak of 129 dB, Thrashv2 is significantly louder than the first gen, rivaling the SPL output of our professional Thumpv4 loudspeakers. SPL (Sound Pressure Level) is how we like to measure volume, since it measures the actual movement of the air in front of the speaker. That’s what really matters when you’re at the gig, not wattage.
 
Thrashv2 also has much, much more low end than first-gen Thrash. Measured at -3 dB, Thrash15v2 gets a full seven Hertz lower than Thrash215. (Thumpv4 gets another seven Hertz lower than that. We call it the “king of low end” for a reason).
 
Of course, volume and bass only matter if you have clear mids and highs. Thrashv2 now features a custom compression driver made by the audio geniuses at Lavoce Italiana, the same driver introduced in the Thumpv4 loudspeakers. It’s a premium component in an entry-level speaker, because that’s just how we do things. Good sound shouldn’t be hard to get.
 


Voicing Modes from Thumpv4

Yes, the rumors are true: Thrashv2 now has voicing modes. Once reserved for more expensive speaker lines, DSP-powered voicing modes are now essential, in our opinion. They’re the easiest way to get really incredible sound for all our users, in every application.
 
We did a whole blog about Trumpv4 voicing modes, but really they are simple: they change the sound of the speaker to match how you’re using it. Think of it like four speakers in one. At any time, you can make any Thrashv2 speaker into one of the following:
 
  • Flat speaker: Flat mode is just a speaker. It takes your signal and makes it loud, changing as little as possible. It’s great for when you’re already shaping your sound. Guitarists should use this mode as an FRFR speaker, because that’s what it is!
  • DJ speaker: DJ mode has more low end and high end. DJs and party people use this mode for that extra punch on the dance floor.
  • PA speaker: Live mode is a PA speaker as we know it. Focused on the vocal range. If you have a mic connected to the input, you probably want Live mode.
  • Stage monitor: Wedge speaker placed on its side. This mode changes the sound to prevent bass buildup and optimize for monitoring. Remember to put your foot up on the monitor. It makes you look cool.
The DSP (digital signal processing) that powers these modes is very exact and carefully designed. But for you, it’s just a button. Set it, forget it, and sound great.
 


Gig-Saving Mackie Feedback Eliminator

Microphone feedback is, frankly, a scourge. We hate to see it. We want it gone forever. So, we did something about it. Mackie Feedback Eliminator has made mic feedback a thing of the past, and we’re adding it to more Mackie products all the time. That now includes Thrashv2.
 
We think your first loudspeaker should have Feedback Eliminator. When you’re first learning how to set up for a band practice, or rigging up your first local show, there’s a good chance you’re going to accidentally trigger mic feedback. It happens. Or at least, it used to. No more.
 
It’s actually pretty impressive how Feedback Eliminator works, but the point is, you don’t need to know. Just push the Feedback Eliminator button on Thrashv2. It will identify microphone feedback when it happens and clamp down on it before it ruins the vibe. Just call it magic.
 


You Need a Mackie. Start With Thrashv2.

Your first loudspeaker should have everything you need to get started. It should also have what you need to grow. By pulling features down from our Thumpv4 professional line, the new Thrashv2 loudspeakers let you sound good from the beginning. If you absolutely, positively need to be heard, you need your first loudspeaker. Like decades of musicians and live sound professionals before you, just “make it a Mackie” and never worry about it again.

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