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DJ Tech Reviews

Mackie CR3-X

A compact 3-inch desktop monitor pair, now discontinued; big sound for its size, too coloured for critical mixing.

A pair of Mackie CR3-X monitors at an angle

Photos: Mackie

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80%

of 5 reviews recommend it4.3/5 from 17 Guitar Center owners

See reviews
Best for
A first pair for a desk, a laptop or a small home studio.
Skip it if
You mix critically, need real bass, or want the newer CR3.5's tone control.

The Internet’s Opinion

From 5 professional reviews and 19 owner reviews: a fair amount of evidence.

Four of five professional reviews recommend it as a compact, good-sounding first pair for a desk or small home studio, and most owners read agree. All five reviews say it is too coloured and too limited in bass and level for critical mixing, and four owners report the powered speaker failing, two of them within months.

4 recommend1 mixed0 avoid

What people praise

  • Clear, full sound for the size and the money
  • Choice of 1/4", RCA and 1/8" inputs, and a switch for which side the powered speaker sits
  • Louder than its size suggests
Show 3 more
  • Compact, with a smart brushed-metal front
  • Front volume knob doubles as the on/off switch, beside a headphone jack
  • Wide, stable stereo image

What to know first

  • Too coloured for critical mixing: closer to good computer speakers or a second pair
  • Powered speaker fails, in some cases within months
  • Distorts or compresses when pushed, especially on bass-heavy music
Show 2 more
  • Little deep bass below about 80 Hz
  • Static noise from the speakers

Owner ratings, as the retailers publish them

See the 5 reviews behind this

5 professional reviews (4 recommend, 1 mixed, 0 avoid); 19 owner reviews read at Guitar Center across the standard and Limited-Edition Gold Trim CR3-X listings (Thomann no longer lists the CR3-X or its reviews)Compiled 2026-10-12How this is compiled

Prices

Before you buy

Released
March 2020 (announced January 2020)
Status
Discontinued
Replaced by
Mackie CR3.5

Works with

  • 1/4" TRS and RCA inputsOne source at a time

    Rear 1/4" inputs take balanced or unbalanced line signals and RCA takes unbalanced, for a mixer, controller or audio interface; the two are wired together, so connect only one source at a time Manufacturer spec sheet (Mackie (CR-X owner's manual)), checked 2026-10-12

  • 1/8" stereo inputPhone or laptop

    A rear 1/8" stereo input for a phone, computer or media player; a 1/8" to 1/8" cable is included Manufacturer spec sheet (Mackie (CR-X owner's manual)), checked 2026-10-12

  • Headphones1/8" jack, mutes speakers

    The front 1/8" headphone jack follows the volume knob; plugging in headphones cuts the speakers Manufacturer spec sheet (Mackie (CR-X owner's manual)), checked 2026-10-12

  • BluetoothNot on this model

    Bluetooth is on the separate CR3-XBT; the CR3-X is wired only Manufacturer spec sheet (Mackie), checked 2026-10-12

  • CR8S-XBT subwooferSold separately

    Mackie's 8" CR8S-XBT subwoofer is designed to add to any CR Series monitors and comes with a desktop volume control with a separate sub level; the CR3-X alone reaches down to 80 Hz (-3 dB) Manufacturer spec sheet (Mackie (CR-X owner's manual)), checked 2026-10-12

You’ll also need

  • Cables for a DJ controller or mixerNot in the box

    The box holds a 1/8" to stereo RCA cable, a 1/8" to 1/8" cable and the speaker-to-speaker cable; RCA-to-RCA or 1/4" cables from a controller or mixer are extra Manufacturer spec sheet (Mackie (CR-X owner's manual)), checked 2026-10-12

  • One mains socketPowered left or right

    Only the powered monitor plugs into the mains (100 to 240 V); it feeds the passive one over the included speaker cable, and a switch sets whether the powered one sits on the left or right Manufacturer spec sheet (Mackie (CR-X owner's manual)), checked 2026-10-12

  • Isolation pads (optional)Not included

    Mackie includes acoustic isolation pads with larger CR-X models but not with the CR3-X Manufacturer spec sheet (Mackie), checked 2026-10-12

Key specs

Configuration
2-way multimedia monitors, sold as a pair (amplifier in one speaker, passive partner on spring clips)
Woofer size
3.0 in
LF driver
3.0 in (76 mm) polypropylene-coated woofer
Amplifier power (total)
50 W
Amplifier power
50 W peak, Class AB (total system)
Max SPL
97 dB peak
All 15 specifications
Low-frequency extension
70 Hz (-10 dB)
Frequency response
80 Hz – 20 kHz (-3 dB); 70 Hz – 20 kHz (-10 dB)
Inputs
1/4" TRS (balanced/unbalanced), RCA (unbalanced), 1/8" stereo (unbalanced)
Weight
3.5 kg (7.8 lb) per pair
Crossover
3.0 kHz
Power requirements
100 / 120 / 220–240 V AC, 50/60 Hz
Dimensions (H x W x D)
206 x 140 x 180 mm (8.1 x 5.5 x 7.1 in)
HF driver
0.75 in (19 mm) ferrofluid-cooled silk-dome tweeter
Outputs
1/8" stereo headphone output (front; mutes the speakers)

15 of 15 figures sourced; hover one for its source

Our take

Tony AllenWritten from the sources on this page, not from a loan unit.

Four of five professional reviews recommend the CR3-X as a compact first pair for a desk or small home studio, and most of the 19 Guitar Center owners read praise its sound for the size. All five reviews call it too coloured for critical mixing, and four owners report the powered speaker failing, two within months. It is discontinued and Mackie's CR3.5 has replaced it: buy one only at a clear discount, for listening and rough work.

What it is

Status, October 2026: discontinued. Mackie's CR3-X page now leads to its third-generation CR Series, launched in October 2024, where the 3.5-inch CR3.5 takes its place.

What it is

The CR3-X is a pair of 3-inch multimedia monitors from Mackie, announced in January 2020 with the rest of the CR-X series and on sale from March 2020 (Mackie announcement). It sat at the small end of a range that also included the CR4-X and the CR5-X. The CR3-XBT is the same size with Bluetooth added; the CR3-X is wired only.

One speaker holds a 50 W peak Class AB amplifier for both and feeds the passive partner through spring-clip terminals and the included speaker cable. A rear switch sets whether the powered speaker sits on the left or the right. Each cabinet is solid MDF with a black vinyl wrap, a brushed-metal front and a rear port, and holds a 3-inch polypropylene-coated woofer and a 0.75-inch silk-dome tweeter crossed over at 3 kHz. Mackie rates the pair at 80 Hz to 20 kHz (-3 dB) and 97 dB peak SPL.

The rear panel takes 1/4" TRS and RCA inputs, which are wired together, so only one source connects at a time, plus a 1/8" stereo input for a phone or laptop. The front has the volume knob, which also switches the speakers on and off, and a 1/8" headphone jack that mutes the speakers.

Each speaker measures 206 x 140 x 180 mm (H x W x D), and the pair weighs 3.5 kg. The box holds a 1/8" to stereo RCA cable, a 1/8" to 1/8" cable and the speaker cable; the CR-X owner's manual covers setup. Mackie's CR8S-XBT subwoofer was sold separately.

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