Eric Clapton on Tour in North America With EAW Loudspeakers

May 10, 2001 – Woodinville, WA – Mackie Designs Inc., (NASDAQ:MKIE) announced today that its Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) subsidiary will provide loudspeakers for Eric Clapton's North American tour that begins May 10, 2001, in Dallas, Texas.

Spectrum Sound, a premier touring company based in Nashville, Tennessee, will employ EAW's advanced KF900 "Phased Pointsource Technology" system for all of Clapton's shows. The system comprises a series of 'cellular' cabinets with each horn loaded section under separate control, enabling users to 'steer' the array's coverage pattern, a unique and important shift in technology. Ken Porter of Spectrum Sound said, "We have toured with the best of the best and Clapton certainly fits that bill. EAW's KF900 boxes are perfect for this tour because they are high-powered, easily rigged boxes, yet they can fill and provide clear sound to the largest of venues. Clapton's tour will be cruising through some of the most demanding venues in the U.S., and with the EAW rig we will be ready to deliver optimum sound to all of them."

Clapton recently completed the European leg of the tour which saw Concert Sound of England using similar KF900 rigs for the shows which included a number of shows in London's Royal Albert Hall. Tim Boyle of Concert Sound commented on the uniqueness of the KF900 boxes, "The advantage is that with this new EAW technology we have a system which is much more coherent and completely controllable."

Clapton's first full road trip in nearly three years will support his most recent releases, Reptile and Riding With The King.

EAW's touring manager, Paul Carelli said, "We are gaining momentum in the touring circuit. In just the past couple of months, EAW has provided sound for some of the biggest names in the industry. The season has just begun, yet we are already on the road with Clapton, Kid Rock, and Kenny Chesney."

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.

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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