Mackie Introduces the Next Generation of Digital Production Consoles: the dXb

October 10, 2003 – New York, AES Convention — Mackie, a LOUD Technologies Inc. brand, today issued a powerful statement of its position as a world leader in digital audio technology with the introduction of its next generation digital production console at the AES Convention in New York City. The Mackie dXb is a 96k/192k capable, 72 x 72 I/O matrix (36 x 36 at 192k) digital production console with dual integrated touch screens, internal DSP, powerful automation, control surface functionality as well as FireWire I/O option cards for streaming audio to/from a desktop or laptop computer.

Development of the dXb was a collaborative effort between Mackie and Sanewave Inc., a Washington-based engineering and design company specializing in digital audio technology. Ken Berger, Sr. Vice President of Marketing and Product Development at LOUD Technologies Inc. commented, "Sanewave was the perfect partner for the dXb because their group includes members of the original development team behind Mackie’s award-winning Digital 8-Bus. Our own internal engineering resources augmented their expertise – the same Mackie teams responsible for key products like D8B v5 software, Mackie Control, Spike and an expanding portfolio of effects plug-ins.

Berger continued, "As a result of this collaboration, dXb is a significant leap forward for digital mixing – a market that Mackie helped define and continues to drive today. It incorporates functionality from a number of Mackie products including an onboard UAD-1 Powered Plug-Ins card and the ability to operate as a Mackie Control Universal to provide tactical control for popular DAWs like Pro Tools™, Logic™, Digital Performer™, Nuendo™, Cubase™, SONAR™ and more."Physically, the dXb includes 24 channel strips with 100mm Penny + Giles optical touch sensitive faders and two integrated 15-inch touch screens—one for each bank of 12 faders. These screens are the mixer’s primary interface offering access to important functions like send levels, inserts, routing, dynamics processing, surround panning, metering, effects and much more. Also included is a tape-style transport with memory location recall and weighted Jog/Shuttle wheel as well as a padded armrest with built-in mouse pad and a control room section that allows for A/B monitoring, dual phones mixes and talkback.

The dXb software has been designed for the precise response and intuitive operation more commonly associated with analog buttons rather than virtual ones. Both touchscreens and the mouse can be used simultaneously and operate independently—allowing users to select the best interface for the task at hand. Users can also run select VST plug-ins internally without the need for a separate computer and/or operate plug-ins in a desktop or laptop computer system and interface with the dXb via FireWire.

The rear panel of the dXb features a card cage that can be customized with a variety of I/O cards including analog (mic or line level with remote controlled mic preamps), AES/EBU, FireWire (IEEE-1394a), TDIF and ADAT optical. Both a Sync Card (supporting Word-Clock and LTC) and Control Room Card (Nearfield and Main speaker outputs, phones, and stereo AES/EBU and SPDIF) are included. Fixed rear panel I/O includes Sony 9-pin, MIDI In/Out (MTC/MMC), FireWire (for external data storage), Ethernet and two USB host ports for connecting a mouse and/or keyboard if desired.

The Mackie dXb will be available from select Mackie dealers in the second quarter of 2004 with a suggested retail price beginning under $20k depending on configuration.

Key dXb features include:

• 96k digital mixing console with 72 x 72 channel I/O matrix
• 192k digital mixing console with 36 x 36 channel I/O matrix
• FireWire I/O cards for streaming audio to/from desktop or laptop computers
• Dual touch-screen graphic user interfaces plus mouse control
• Twenty-five 100mm Penny + Giles motorized optical touch-sensitive faders
• Full dynamics and parametric EQ on every channel, input and output
• Ability to run select VST plug-ins internally
• 8-channel surround mixing and monitoring capabilities
• Onboard UAD-1 card and Powered Plug-Ins bundle
• Tape style transport with memory location recall and Jog/Shuttle wheel
• Comprehensive automation system with event editing and dynamic/scene automation
• Variety of I/O cards available for support of all major analog or digital connections
• Sony 9-pin, LTC, MTC, MMC and Word Clock sync
• Mackie Control Universal™ mode for DAW control

About Loud LOUD Technologies Inc.
LOUD Technologies Inc. develops professional audio products under the brands Mackie, EAW, RCF, RCF Precision, SIA Software and Acuma Labs. Products from LOUD Technologies’ brands 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, dXb, and Mackie Control Universal are trademarks of LOUD Technologies Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

For more information please contact: LOUD Technologies Inc. – 16220 Wood-Red Road N.E. – Woodinville, WA 98072 – Phone: (425) 487-4333 – Fax: (425) 487-4337 –Internet: www.mackie.com

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.