Review: Mackie Thump Go – flexible Active Monitor Box

An active monitor for live performances must meet several criteria. It needs to be robust and offer flexible connectivity. Most importantly, it must deliver high output and excellent sound. The Mackie Thump Go meets all these requirements and runs on batteries, making it exceptionally practical.

Mackie Thump Go: Well Equipped

The Mackie Thump Go is, first and foremost, a classic active monitor, comparable to the models in Mackie’s Thrash series. However, the Thump Go is smaller, lighter, and more portable. Despite this, its rugged plastic housing can withstand plenty of knocks, while a sturdy metal grille provides solid protection for the drivers.

The Thump Go is equipped with an 8″ woofer and a 1″ tweeter, powered by a 200-watt Class-D amplifier. With a maximum SPL of 115 dB and a frequency response of 57 Hz–20 kHz, it delivers exactly what you expect: a clear and powerful sound.

And let’s not forget the remote control via app. You may not use it every day, but it comes in handy during live performances.

Flexible Connections

The Mackie Thump Go includes a compact 2-channel mixer. Channel 2 can also handle wireless Bluetooth signals. Each channel has its own gain control for adjusting the volume.

Both input channels feature combo jacks (XLR/TRS), while channel 2 additionally offers a stereo mini-jack input for connecting devices such as recorders or players. For even more flexibility, channel 1 can be switched between line-level and microphone signals.

With Bluetooth pairing and linking functions, the Thump Go can easily be used with another speaker, such as for a stereo setup.

The Main section controls the overall level and provides an XLR output for routing the summed signal to another device or speaker.

Sounds Good Everywhere Thanks to Voicing Modes

At first glance, the mixer section seems rudimentary—there’s no traditional EQ for sound shaping. However, the Thump Go provides voicing modes that allow you to tailor the speaker’s frequency response to different applications at the touch of a button. In practice, this offers even more flexibility than basic mixing functions.

You can optimize the frequency response for music playback or speech applications. Monitor mode is ideal for using the Thump Go as a stage monitor. Sub attenuates the low end, which is perfect for pairing with a subwoofer.

There’s also an outdoor mode that slightly boosts the bass for open-air use. Practical extras for speech and vocal applications include music ducking, which automatically drops the level of channel 2 when a signal is present on channel 1, and a feedback eliminator, which helps suppress unwanted feedback.

Conclusion: Handy, Flexible, Loud!

Don’t let the Mackie Thump Go’s compact size fool you. Its powerful sound, coupled with the right voicing mode, makes it well-suited to almost any situation. Of course, you can’t expect true sub-bass from an 8″ woofer, but for live setups with a stage piano and/or keyboards, this configuration is ideal since extreme low-end isn’t usually required.

Thanks to the voicing modes, this compact monitor is highly versatile, and there’s always a setting that fits the situation. The sturdy case not only ensures worry-free use on stage, but also allows the Thump Go to serve as a floor monitor, side fill, or mini PA system.

Mackie specifies the battery life at 12 hours, which proved accurate in our continuous playback test. Naturally, actual runtime will vary depending on usage, but since the battery is user-replaceable, this is unlikely to be a serious limitation.

Mackie Thump Go – Overview

Release date: January 2022
Speaker: 8″ woofer, 1″ tweeter
Amplifier: 200 W, Class D
Special features: User-replaceable battery (GB-100), Bluetooth, voicing modes
Manufacturer/Distributor: Mackie

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