FBT Spotlight: Speakers for the Serious Audiophile

Designed and manufactured in Italy, FBT has a long tradition of crafting high-quality speakers for a discerning audience. Setting up shop in 1963, the artisan company developed a single production line at their Recanati headquarters, where FBT speakers are researched, molded, soldered, painted, and tested at the same location. Since then, FBT has proven to be a mark of exceptional quality, because their tight-knit team doesn’t cut corners by outsourcing or using cheaper components. FBT started more than 50 years ago with the goal of achieving superior sound, and their respect for tradition has carried them into the 21st century as a brand that professional DJs can rely on. We’re proud to carry their DJ speakers in our stores, and here are a few of our recent favorites. FBT Pro J 5A 5” Powered Monitor Speaker Duo Bundle Let’s start small, even though this pair of monitors measures up to the competition. With the J 5A bundle, each speaker contains a 5” woofer for the lows/mids, and a 1” silk dome tweeter for the highs. In addition to the new speaker layout, FBT revamped their class-D amplifier technology to create their most efficient design yet; 80W + 40W of power is supplied by a low-noise toroidal transformer. These remarkably linear speakers use analog signal processing and an on-board limiter to achieve a desirable SPL without sacrificing audio quality along the way. In layman’s terms, the J 5As are excellent speakers for the price, and the bundle includes a pair of sturdy mounting brackets as well.   FBT Pro StageMaxx 12 MA Powered Speaker Duo Bundle Here’s another versatile bundle intended for stage monitoring, which can also be used as a primary speaker setup. First, the 12 MA cabinet is unlike most speakers on the market because FBT crafted it from highly durable polypropylene, which eliminates any unwanted resonance. Although the enclosure is made of plastic polymer, it has the acoustic characteristics of wood, so you get the best of both worlds: strength, great sound quality, portability, and sleek construction. In addition, these FBT speakers are easy to set up as stage monitors. A tilted front panel allows you to angle them at 35º or 55º, and replaceable teflon feet ensure that they won’t be sliding around mid-song. Depending on your needs, the 12 MA can also be mounted on a wall or rigged as PA speakers with an optional U Adapter. This all-in-one bundle includes the speaker pair, power cords, XLR cables, protective covers, and a Shure SM58 vocal mic — everything needed to power your DJ enterprise.   FBT Pro Verve 115A 2-Way 15” Powered Speaker Finally, the premium Verve series features a scratch-resistant birch plywood frame, digital signal processing with four EQ presets, and some impressive speaker components. As far as DJ speakers go, the 115A would be a powerful addition to any club’s arsenal. The bi-amplified design boasts 400W LF + 100W HF, with a frequency response that goes as low as 45Hz and as high as 20kHz. Inside the enclosure, the 115A’s custom-made and highly efficient woofers, rotatable horns, and HF compression drivers all come straight from FBT’s Italian factory. With two of these speakers, you could start a real party.