Hard to believe that it was just a year ago when FOH was running news stories about problems at LOUD Technologies just about every issue-delisting from the NASDAQ, manufacturing partners in Asia shutting down and disrupting supply chains for both Mackie and EAW products and finally rumors of impending bankruptcy.
Hard to believe because in just a year the news has done a 180 with significant new gear offerings from both Mackie and EAW and one coming-we hear-in April from Martin Audio.
"I'm really proud of what the company accomplished in the past 15 months," said Rodney Olson, LOUD CEO.
Restructuring, Cost-Cutting
According to Olson, delisting from the NASDAQ saved LOUD $1 million in annual public company expenses, and after 12 months, 95 percent of the products waiting for restored supplies are back in production.
"Our customers should feel very confident that the new LOUD supply chain is stable and has ample capacity to continue growing as the economy comes back to life," Olson said.
Another change was an internal reorganization that put the day-to-day guidance of product development into market segments rather than product types. John Boudreau, VP of Music Gear Group, looks after the MI brands including audio gear from Mackie while Jeffrey Cox, VP of Pro Audio Group, heads the efforts for LOUD's pro brands EAW and Martin Audio.
The Mackie Balancing Act
"Since Mackie started in 1989, its products have been designed around Greg's vision – to bring professional features to the regular musician, club, and house of worship that have an actual budget to stay within. And they are all great sounding, robust products with significant innovations," said Boudreau.
"It is a tough balancing act to be the premier brand in the cost-effective market and a trusted, high-value solution in the higher end markets, but Mackie has continued this philosophy as a core value to this day. Products like Onyx mixers brought FireWire connectivity to analog mixing, the TT24 brought digital mixing to a new price point and made analog dudes stop squirming in front of a digital desk and realize that it was not as big a leap as they thought."
Recently, Mackie HD loudspeakers brought EAW technology (DSP-based acoustic correction processing) down market, and at NAMM, Mackie released several ranges of powered sound reinforcement subwoofers. The HD1501 and HD1801 subwoofers bring 1200W/1600W respectively and add features like EAW designed transducers and tuning and small footprints.
Boudreau also hinted at some new mixers and a "game-changing" powered loudspeaker queued up for InfoComm 2010, along with a new Mackie-only demo room at the show, set for Las Vegas June 9-11.
The Latest from EAW
EAW has also been developing new gear. Just prior to NAMM, EAW demoed the new KF740 line array at the Cricket Amphitheater in San Diego. (For a video of the demo and interviews with the design team go to fohonline.com/foh-tv.
Cox laid it on the line at that demo. "EAW built its reputation as a leader in the pro audio market on ingenuity and broad market appeal in the products and solutions it provides. These products and solutions came from the EAW Engineering group in Whitinsville, Massachusetts. They still do.
"With the broad resource and talent afforded by two preeminent loudspeaker manufacturers, plus our Pro Audio Software/Hardware Development Group, the Pro Audio group has the most formidable development team in the industry," Cox added. "You're going to see things coming from us that will lead the industry forward."
Big Plans for Martin Audio
The next big rollout will be for Martin Audio. "We have a product that is as sophisticated as any on the market. Bar none. No one has achieved this level of integration of technology ahead of us. This will be previewed in a large scale demo in the U.K. in April."
One of the areas where LOUD took the most heat was the transfer of most EAW manufacturing to Asia, a situation which, according to Cox, is now moot.
"We are manufacturing in the USA again. All KF series products are built in Whitinsville, Mass. We have the luxury of proximity between design and development, prototyping and full manufacturing back in our control in the USA. The new KF740 is being built right there in New England. Right in that beautiful old EAW factory building! Red Sox baseball hats, Patriots T-shirts and Celtics shorts!"
Cox reports that the response to the new KF740 line array has been overwhelmingly positive. At the demo event, he introduced the system, confidently stalking the stage like the veteran road dog he is at heart.
"Seeing my old comrades, some for the first time in years, was a huge rush. The people were overwhelmed by the power of the rig. It didn't hurt that we had the honor of being entertained by the guys from Jackson Browne's band either."
In a year, the attitude has flipped, just like the news has, and the feel among LOUD staffers has gone from what felt like a bunker mentality to a team that is obviously enjoying what they do.
"We've successfully navigated through a complex period for our company and the industry and are once again ready to tackle the fun stuff – growing the business," Olson said.
