Mackie and Apogee Collaborate on Digital Innovation; Mackie Digital 8·Bus Console Incorporates Apogee Technology

January 30, 1998 – Woodinville, WA – Mackie Digital Systems, the digital division of the acclaimed audio mixer manufacturer, and Apogee Electronics Corporation, the leading manufacturer of digital audio conversion systems based in Santa Monica, California, are pleased to announce their successful collaboration on the incorporation of word-length reduction and digital interfacing technology into the new Mackie Digital 8·Bus console.

The Mackie 8·Bus console system includes two Apogee developments: an interface card to support Alesis ADAT and Tascam TDIF modular digital multitracks, and Apogee's unique UV22 system for translating high-resolution digital signals into the 16- and 20-bit domains.

Patric Wiesmann, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Mackie Designs, Inc. stated, "Our research indicated that most mastering facilities use Apogee's UV22 process to take high resolution digital audio information down to 16-bit for CD without loss of quality, so we went directly to Apogee for their proven expertise." Mackie has been appointed the exclusive digital mixer licensee of Apogee's UV22 process.

"Mackie is known the world over for making high-quality analog console technology affordable," said Apogee founder, Betty Bennett. "Now Mackie is expanding its efforts to include the digital domain and they naturally wanted to provide the very best technology at the most cost-effective price," Bennett added, "Mackie's digital development team was aware of our expertise in digital interfacing as well as conversion, so we were extremely happy that Mackie came to us to design their modular digital multitrack interfacing system. We were pleased to license UV22 to them for incorporation in every appropriate digital product they manufacture."

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including those described above and the following: changes in demand for the Company's products, product mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the impact of competitive products and pricing, constraints on supplies of critical components, excess or shortage of production capacity, difficulties encountered in the integration of acquired businesses and other risks discussed from time to time in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports. In addition, such statements could be affected by general industry and market conditions and growth rates, and general domestic and international economic conditions. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

About Mackie
Mackie Designs Inc. is known worldwide as a leading manufacturer and marketer of high-quality, affordable professional audio systems. Mackie products can be found in professional and project recording studios, video and broadcast suites, post production facilities, sound reinforcement applications including churches and nightclubs, retail locations and on major musical tours. Mackie Designs Inc. products are marketed by 54 distributors to more than 100 countries around the world.

"Mackie." is a registered trademark of Mackie Designs Inc. in the United States and other countries.

For more information please contact: Mackie Designs Inc. • 16220 Wood-Red Road N.E. • Woodinville, WA 98072 • Phone: 425-487-4333 • Fax: 425-487-4337 • Internet: www.mackie.com