After lugging around 110-pound speakers for 30 years, DJ Mario Gonzalez, owner of HP Productions in Brooksville, Florida, decided it was time for a lighter alternative. But because he was unwilling to sacrifice sound quality, he wasn’t sure he had many options. With guidance from John Krupa and Jamie Villarie, co-owners of Italian Speaker Imports, he purchased two FBT ProMaxX 14a’s and four ProMaxX 15sa’s. Since then, he’s been playing music with exceptional sound for a variety of audiences – without breaking his back.
Gonzalez, who works alone on gigs that range from weddings and private parties to corporate events, said he’s dedicated to bringing the best quality he can provide to his clients.
“I’ve always used top notch equipment,” he said, “so I was skeptical when John and Jamie recommended FBT; this wasn’t a company I’d ever heard of. But I have to tell you, the sound that I get from those FBTs is different than what I’ve gotten from other commercialized, popular speakers – and I’ve tried them all. For one thing, they use B&C drivers. In my opinion, there are B&C drivers and then there’s everything else. They use a fan-less design – so there’s no worry about a fan popping – and even though I’ve driven them hard, they just don’t get hot or shut down. But I think one of the best parts for me is the digital signal processing that they offer. There are eight DSP settings on the back that control the speaker. It’s like having an automatic EQ that tailors the sound, wherever that speaker is and whatever you’re playing. On a stand or near a wall, the eight selectable DSP options allow for quick environment adjustments. Let’s just say it ‘tunes’ the speaker for you.”
A passionate DJ who works in a variety of environments from Tampa to Orlando, Gonzalez cites a particularly challenging event where the ProMaxX 14a’s and 15sa’s delivered.
“I worked a gig not too long ago that surprised me,” Gonzalez added. “The space I was in had 25-foot high ceilings and must have been at least 200 feet by 125 feet deep. I didn’t have a single problem with the sound.”
Being a veteran DJ, Gonzalez has also learned a few things over the years.
“Some DJs believe that you can simply ‘plug and play,’ and that louder is better,” he said. “I actually also used to be under the impression that if a speaker weighed a lot it was going to be a good-sounding speaker. None of that is necessarily true. For me, it’s all about the quality of the sound, and if you can get better quality with a lighter speaker, that’s a win-win. Heavy speakers get even heavier at 12:30 at night. The FBTs weigh so much less that it’s like going to weight watchers for speakers. It really makes a big difference at the end of a long night.”
