FBT Speakers?

[GZsound]

I was up in Canada over the weekend at a festival and the sound guy had several FBT powered speakers set up. According to what he told me and I have since read, his were 900 watt powered 15's with a horn.

 

They didn't sound bad at all, in fact were much better sounding than any powered Mackie I have heard. The EQ curve he used was pretty ugly and I had a heck of a time getting my flat Large Diaphragm condensers to sound anything but thin, but eventually got them to work..

 

Any comments on these speakers?

[Scodiddly]

Yeah, I use them sometimes, the smaller "MaxX 2a" model with a 10" and a horn. Pretty nice speakers, very good sound and very reliable.

[cobrasound.com]

We've been using and selling FBT speakers for a while now and have been quite happy with their performance. We're currently using FBT PSR series active cabinets for stage monitors.

 

Jeff

[GZsound]

 

We've been using and selling FBT speakers for a while now and have been quite happy with their performance. We're currently using FBT PSR series active cabinets for stage monitors. Jeff

 

 

 

Thanks. As I said, they sounded pretty darn good to me, much better than the SRM 450 Mackies some local sound folks around here use.

 

I may look more seriously into them.

[agedhorse]

How can you possibly tell with eq like that? The only reliable way to tell is to test them yourself side by side without eq to start with. Otherwise you may be comparing poor quality eq rather than the speakers themselves.

 

That said, the FBT stuff I've seen seems pretty decent, they seem to work better than the cars from Italy that's for sure.

[fingerpicker]

they seem to work better than the cars from Italy that's for sure

HEEHhee!

[GZsound]

 

How can you possibly tell with eq like that? The only reliable way to tell is to test them yourself side by side without eq to start with. Otherwise you may be comparing poor quality eq rather than the speakers themselves. That said, the FBT stuff I've seen seems pretty decent, they seem to work better than the cars from Italy that's for sure.

 

 

 

That's true. It's too bad there aren't several other systems set up and running for comparison at a live event. And there are so many variables at each event that unless you use each system at the same event, there may be no way to compare the speakers.

 

I just have never heard the Mackies sound as good on acoustic instruments, regardless of venue, EQ, microphones used, etc. as these FBT speakers sounded. And that's after several years of hearing the Mackies at various events.

[jbutler1982]

I agree with agedhorse. The operator has quite a bit to do with it. I recently attended two shows on back-to-back nights at a local venue. They both used the same all-Yamaha club system. One sounded amazing; clear highs, great thumping lows. One sounded horrendus, complete mud and the vocals were buried under an over-active guitar player. Both on the same system, different operators at FOH. Night and day. If you had come friday night and heard the first band you would have wanted to buy a set of Clubs. If you had come saturday and heard the other band you would swear the Clubs were the worst speakers in the world.

 

Ive found those particular Mackies are quite a bit like that because they require EQ to sound great. But if you have a skilled operator, the SRM450 can really sing. I would use them much more except for the heat issues. Heat issues + New Orleans summer gigs = ebay for the Mackies.

[agedhorse]

Often, the difference between a great sounding PA and a mediocre sounding one is nothing more than the skill of the operator. The operator can be the biggest PA upgrade sometimes.