Mackie's original 1604 (reviewed way back in SOS December '91) put the company squarely on the map as a serious mixer manufacturer, but since then their range has expanded considerably, with the new 1604VLZ occupying pride of place at the top of the 'small but cute' general‑purpose mixer range. The 1604VLZ retains the trademark Mackie sheet steel casing, as well as the original 1604's ability to convert the mixer from table‑top to rackmount mode, by adding rack ears and reorientating the rear‑panel connector pod, so that the connectors appear on the top panel rather than on the back. This seemingly complex feat takes only a few minutes and requires nothing more than a Philips screwdriver.