Mackie’s FRS Series power amplifiers deliver
phenomenal power at a price that won’t break the bank—and in a package that won’t break your
back. In fact, each weighs just 22 pounds or less. Featuring Mackie's legendary Fast
Recovery circuitry, the FRS Series cranks out clean, undistorted sound and the ultimate in
punch and clarity—even when pushed to the limit. Each model features a high-current
switching power supply that is super-efficient, and also ultra-lightweight, so you get
maximum power with minimum load-in strain. Sophisticated protection ensures your FRS will
always perform reliably, and that it will stay with you for the long haul. Stack them up
against any competitor, and you’ll see, the FRS amps are simply the highest performing power
amps in their class.
| Mono
/ Stereo Modes |
| 8 ohms per channel |
235W |
| 4 ohms per channel |
420W |
| 2 ohms per channel |
650W |
|
Bridge Mono Mode |
| 8 ohms |
840W |
| 4 ohms |
1300W |
Fast Recovery, Fast Response
FRS amps feature sophisticated Fast Recovery circuitry for the cleanest sound around. Mackie
knows that most folks run their amps right up to clipping levels, so Mackie designs its amps
to handle this kind of real-world (ab)use. The result is circuitry that allows the FRS amps
to deliver ultimate power, without sacrificing sound quality. When you overdrive an amp with
a traditional “negative feedback” design into clipping mode, it creates a feedback loop
whereby even once you remove the input signal, the sub-stages of the circuits remain in
saturation mode, causing all sorts of nasty harmonic distortion. The Fast Recovery
technology in the FRS amps ensures all these sub-stages stay out of saturation, so even when
the amp is driven into clipping mode, it instantly recovers, avoiding the “latching”
phenomenon altogether. The result is ultra-clean, distortion free sound.
Fast Recovery refers to FRS amplifiers’ ability to recover after being over-driven into
clipping. Most amplifiers’ outputs circuits tend to stay “latched” in the clipping mode,
making their recovery time relatively slow, especially at high frequencies. This results in
harmonic distortion, a decidedly unpleasant sound to your ears. FRS amplifiers
incorporate two unique circuit designs that completely eliminate the latching phenomenon.
The first is a Baker Clamp diode configuration, and the second is the use of two additional
supplies that are at a higher voltage than the main supplies. Without getting too technical,
the long and short of it is, Mackie's circuitry means there’s no latching and instant recovery
from overdrive.
The latching effect is most prominent when the amp is near its clipping point, and this is where lots of folks like to keep their levels—pushed to the limit.
Mackie’s Fast Recovery circuitry ensures that when driven to clipping—and even when those
levels are sustained for long periods of time—FRS amps will deliver distortion-free sound
with great transient response, so everything comes out clean as a whistle. If you’re one of
those people who tend to be a little overzealous with the gain, take comfort in the
knowledge that while it may sound like crap on our competitors’ amps, with ours, it’ll just
sound louder.
Ultra-Efficient, Lightweight Power Supply
The resonant switching power supply in Mackie FRS amps provides many sonic and practical
advantages. Being much more compact and weighing considerably less than a conventional
linear supply, it helps make the FRS amps super lightweight and ultra-portable. And while
switching supplies are becoming more and more popular these days due to their more compact
topology, not all switching power supplies are the same.
Many competitors use switching power supplies that employ
“hard switching.” With this design, at switching, voltage is present across the transistor
and current is running through it, generating “glitch” energy that can cause unwanted noise
in the form of Radio Frequency Interference (RFI), as well as excess heat. The FRS power
supply employs “soft” switching. The soft switching design includes a resonant tank that
allows the power transistors to switch at zero current and zero voltage. This design ensures
that when the transistors switch, very little heat or errant energy is generated, so the FRS
amps run quiet as a mouse, and cool as a cucumber. This not only means better sound, but
longer life. The resonant switching power supply operates more efficiently than other
designs, too, allowing it to provide large bursts of power more quickly.
Complete Protection Circuitry
 FRS
amps come with complete system protection. Mackie spent hours conceiving of all the possible
what-if user scenarios, imagined all possible failure modes, then designed elaborate
protection circuits to ensure that pretty much no matter what you do to our FRS amps, they
will endure. Built into every FRS amp is a defeatable clip limiter plus short,
under-impedance, over-current and thermal protection.
The power supply also includes real-time monitoring circuitry that
keeps track of operating conditions in order to prevent over load failure. The circuitry
“checks” the operating temperature, takes into account the maximum current, then manages the
power supply accordingly, reducing the power if necessary to protect the power supply and
amplifier. As a result, Mackie FRS amps can actually throughput more power than competitors’ models with the same power rating.
Many competitors rate power by “music power,” not sine wave
power. If you drive some competitors’ amps using sine wave power at their supposed power
rating, the amp will overload and “burn up.” Because of Mackie's protection circuits, under
the same conditions, this simply won’t happen to FRS amps.
It’s never a good idea to overdo it with your amps, and we’re
certainly not encouraging it, but in the chance you do push them beyond their limits, Mackie
has
built the FRS amps to take it.
The Most Portable Powerhouse in its Class
 Despite
being heavy on power, our FRS amps are the lightest Mackie amplifiers EVER. Other amps in
their class either weigh a ton, or don’t deliver on wattage. Thanks to the design of our
super-lightweight and sophisticated switching power supply, we saved on the pounds, without
sacrificing on performance. FRS amps bring Mackie build and sound quality to rigs on the go,
for maximum power and portability. Now you can get all the wattage you need, and load in and
out with ease.
Ultimate Performance, Ultimate Value
With FRS amps, in one lightweight package, you get the ultimate in performance, reliability
and affordability. More powerful and quieter than others in their price range, FRS Series
amps satisfy even the most demanding systems, while demanding little strength to transport.
Their “built-like-a-tank” construction and Mackie reliability mean the FRS amps will
withstand the rigors of the road, and perform flawlessly during gigs—for years and years.
Plus, the FRS amps are designed to function optimally with Mackie Precision Passive
loudspeakers—match your FRS amp to loudspeakers from the Mackie C or S Series, and you’ve
got a perfectly integrated, powerhouse sound reinforcement system.
Features
- Professional lightweight stereo power amplifier with high-power / low-distortion design
- Fast Recovery™ circuitry for clean, undistorted sound - even at clipping
- Ultra-light, ultra-quiet switching power supply for maximum efficiency and minimal heat
- Selectable mono/stereo/bridged mono operating modes
- High-resolution, 6-segment LED meter per channel
- Defeatable clip limiter plus short, under-impedance, over-current and thermal
protection
- 30Hz subsonic filter maximizes amplifier efficiency and headroom
- Combo XLR/TRS input and TRS thru connectors per channel
- Speakon® and binding post outputs per channel
- Third Speakon output for bridged mono applications, also provides both output channels
on a single connector (mono/stereo modes)
- Multi-speed fans adjust to operating temperature for minimal acoustic noise
- Robust, impact-resistant, all-steel 2U rackmount chassis
- Comfortable handles for easy transport and protection of level controls
Specifications subject to change without notice
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