Over the years, Mackie Thumps have been an extremely popular choice with mobile DJs, gaining a cult following of loyal owners who speak highly of the range marketed by Mackie as being Built-Like-A-Tank™. Understandably, this refreshed 2022 Thump series has quite a lot to live up to!

I started my DJ career using Mackie TH-15As as my PA system, a fairly new product at that time. They were only 400W speakers, a small number compared to today’s products, but they were loud and robust, and lived up to their name – Thump! At the time I couldn’t afford to buy the matching subs, but with 15-inch cones, a pair of TH-15As packed more than enough power for my needs as a new DJ.

Nowadays, most of my DJ work is weddings, visiting various venues all over Yorkshire and Lancashire, sometimes straying into the North East. Covering such a large and varied area, I find that quite a few venues have issues regarding noise levels (it’s a real shame, as we all know the bass gives feeling to the music played, which really helps the vibe of any event).

But when I find myself at a venue that can handle a bit of volume, or the size of the function room means that sub-bass levels need an extra push, I use an extra subwoofer – one that was never meant to work with the system I use.

So, for this review, I tested Mackie’s new Thump215 tops with the Thump118S subwoofers in a venue that only the week before I’d been in using my own speakers (a well-known column system).

The all-new 2022 Thump tops look a lot different to my old ones. This new design is incredible and you can immediately tell that a lot of thought and time has gone into the refreshed look. From the front, the logo in the centre with the green ring really stands out and gives the speakers a modern feel. And the side view hints at design borrowed from a fancy super car.

The wedge shape means you can use the Thump215 tops as monitors or on a stand for full PA mode. At 34.8lb/16.8kg, they’re certainly portable, not to mention lighter than previous Mackie Thumps I’ve lifted. You won’t throw your back out with these! They’re easy to store too, as the tops sit nicely on top of each other and won’t move or slide about.
Mackie also offers optional carry bags, which I haven’t seen yet, though from previous experience, I have little doubt that these will be well made with strong zips and handles (the subwoofers also stack well and have optional slip covers).

My first test was using a pair of tops on their own. The Thump215s are more than capable, and nice and loud, as you might expect from a 1400W class-D amplifier. The max sound output is at 129dB SPL, something that showed when my music filled the venue and my client asked me to turn it down whilst they chatted (school boy error, getting carried away).

The highs, mids and lows were all clear with no distortion. The visual aid of the clip limit indicator changing from green to red is useful, especially when using hearing protection (as I know you all do!). In full test mode with subs, the sound was too loud for some of the guests. But later the subs rumbled away nicely and I had them set perfectly for the crowd and the music they’d requested.
The mid-range is where all the clarity is, and the new Thumps are perfectly balanced without messing with EQ, but DJs will always gravitate towards more bass.

On the rear you’ll find a built-in 2-channel mixer with two combo input jacks and a 1/8” stereo line for connecting audio input from smartphones or media players, as well as a throughput XLR port for extending the system. There are two other buttons that will prove very useful, particularly when plugging in microphones directly. The first is labelled ducking – this will automatically lower the volume on channel two when you have a microphone plugged into channel one and are using it for speech. The second is labelled FB (feedback) eliminator – particularly useful when you’ve handed your microphone to someone who ignores your instruction not to walk directly in front of the speaker!

The Thump215 speakers seem to offer everything you could ask for (and more) at a very low price point. A single Thump215 active speaker is yours for under £450 – in my view, that’s unrivalled value for money.

Next up, it’s Mackie’s Thump118S subwoofers. Again, these are 1400W active units with a 30-200Hz frequency response and 132dB SPL. My immediate reaction was “wow, these are heavy!” but once I’d got them out of the box they were much more manoeuvrable.

With two nicely positioned ergonomic carry handles on the top, the subs are not nearly as cumbersome as I first worried. In fact, the handles are very well positioned compared to most other subs, where they’re often placed on the side of the cabs.

Of course, we should be realistic. Nobody ever said 18-inch subs were going to be lightweight – it’s a lot of speaker and you want them to be well built to handle all of that power. With a wood construction and a weight of 65.5lb/29.7kg, the cabs are certainly solid and robust enough for life on the road.

With the Thump118S you have four different voicing modes: flat, deep, punch or variable mode, the latter with a dial that changes the frequency from 80Hz to 160Hz. Flat mode delivers the most balance between overall output and bass. Deep is likely to be the perfect mode for most DJs, as it suits dance music especially well.

And punch mode prioritises the highest possible output level, so probably most effective for bands. The 118S sub provides two stereo inputs and four outputs (two of which are full range, the other two high-pass) – this is ideal when combining with your tops. There’s also a polarity invert switch, which allows for cardioid setup and prevents feedback from bass exiting the rear, as well as a stereo/mono switch. The pole mount is M20. Power input is a standard IEC connection and it’s accompanied by an LED light (on/off). I also noticed that there is a switch to turn the front light off. This isn’t a feature on the tops, but I think it would be a great addition for future iterations.

At £805.01, the Thump118S is the most expensive product in the new range, but for an 18-inch sub with 132db SPL, and with that Built-Like-A-Tank™ specification, it is an investment that should last you for many years to come. With the 118S in your setup, you’ll always have enough power for those larger venues we sometimes find ourselves in as mobile DJs.

For me, the new Thumps are back where they belong – and then some! An affordable, loud, clear top speaker that’s capable in so many situations, from PA hire to live act to touring bands, I’m sure the Thumps will sell like hot cakes. And expanding the package to include one or two Thump118s subs will really get the floor thudding and your trousers vibrating! Overall, the 2022 Thump range is leagues ahead of the old, and with that renowned Mackie build and reasonable price point, these speakers and subs offer excellent value for money.