Sydney, Australia (December 4, 2023)—In a blockbuster deal crossing oceans, Australia’s Røde Microphones announced it has acquired U.S. pro-audio mainstay Mackie from Transom Capital Group. Mackie, based in Bothell, Washington, now joins Aphex, Event Electronics and SoundField under the umbrella of Røde’s privately owned parent company, The Freedman Group.
Details of the deal remain scant, but in a statement announcing the purchase noted that Mackie’s brand, manufacturing and operations will remain unchanged. As might be expected, however, the brands’ technologies will be co-mingled, as Damien Wilson, Freedman Group CEO, noted: “There are incredible opportunities to combine the complementary IP, infrastructure and resources of both brands in powerful ways. I am very excited about the potential this offers Røde and Mackie.”
Both companies have taken similar trajectories over the years, having each first come to prominence with the home recording boom of the early 1990s. Today, each is a key player in specific corners of the pro-audio world and they have both focused heavily on content creator gear in recent times.
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However, it may be the companies’ differences that highlight the appeal of the acquisition for Freedman Group. Røde has a long history in the recording and broadcast world, while Event is known for its studio monitors, Aphex has its presence in outboard gear and interfaces, and SoundField is a mainstay in the realm of ambisonics. The acquisition of Mackie gives Freedman Group an instant beachhead in the world of live sound, thanks in part to its ProFX compact mixers and Thump brand of powered loudspeakers.
Live sound would appear to be one of the main impetuses for the purchase, as Freedman Group’s founder and chairman Peter Freedman AM repeatedly noted Mackie’s history in that field, noting, “They are true legends, with a pedigree of live sound expertise that is simply unmatched…. The Freedman Group is now a premier audio technology company offering world-class products to an even wider range of customers, from up-and-coming content creators to professionals working in live production and everyone in-between.”
He later added, “My background is in live sound production. It’s something I have always been passionate about, ever since I saw Tom Jones at the Chevron Hotel in Sydney as a kid back in ’69 – my father Henry installed the sound system there, as well as many other venues across the city. Live sound is where I cut my teeth in audio, so this very much feels like that part of my career coming full circle.”
Alex Nelson, CEO of Mackie, noted that the acquisition announcement is just the first of many to expect from Mackie in the coming weeks, offering, “[Røde is] the perfect partner to help Mackie expand as we enter an exciting new chapter in our history. Also, the timing could not be better. We have an incredible product roadmap ahead of us, which we’ll be making some big announcements for leading up to NAMM ’24. This is an extremely exciting time for Mackie, and we couldn’t be happier doing all of this alongside the Røde team.”
