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£1,198
This updated version of Mackie’s industry-standard monitor sports reassuringly large cones and a passive radiator rather than a bass reflex port. It took some work to find a good spot for these - they need decent room acoustics and solid stands.
Delivering trouser-flapping bass, the HR824s’ response is smooth and accurate - we spotted a few sonic details that had previously gone unnoticed. Tiny EQ tweaks and the differences between, say, low- and high-quality modes in certain plug-ins are obvious.
The sound’s not too cold - if anything, these speakers are subtly ‘hi-fi’, making them enjoyable to work with. With heavy material such as DnB, sounds retain separation, and with orchestral material, low-end movement is quite palpable. The HR824s excel at dance and rock styles, too - overall, we think you won’t go far wrong with a set of these.
