Sound & Video Contractor posted a story about Italian Speaker Imports!
Italian Speaker Imports (I.S.I. / FBT USA)has announced its move to a larger location in Wappingers Falls, New York. John Krupa, President and owner of the company recently purchased the building in response to growing orders, inventory and staff, citing a desire to provide an even stronger customer experience as a driver for the change. I.S.I. is the exclusive distributor of FBT, JTS and Bespeco.
When First Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church in North Chicago wanted to take their sound system from analog to digital, they had plenty of brands to choose from. After extensive research and guidance from their advisor, Tim Hill, owner of Sound Hill Technologies, they chose FBT.
When First Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church in North Chicago wanted to take their sound system from analog to digital, they had plenty of brands to choose from. After extensive research and guidance from their advisor, Tim Hill, owner of Sound Hill Technologies, they chose FBT. Derrick Moore, the church’s deacon and drummer, says it all came down to the brand’s ability to provide rich sound that supports the wide variety of speakers and performers that the house of worship features weekly – from passionate speeches of a single pastor to the sounds of a full gospel choir.
Hill, who has been in the business since the 70s, has been on both sides of the microphone, holding both vocal and engineering degrees, and being a minister himself.
“I’ve directed music and productions at my own church,” said Hill. “Houses of worship need great sound for their pastors and full choirs, but there are also children’s choirs and plays and everything in between. I recommended FBT as a brand because they have a high-priced sound at a mid-range price so, dollar-for-dollar, you can’t beat their affordability. They also offer a quality of voicing that’s pretty tough to beat. This all allows me to provide my clients with an exceptional product at a competitive price.”
The church had some challenges that Hill and his team had to contend with, including the fact that the space – located on the second floor of an existing building – had a 30-foot ceiling. There was no way to get a lift up the stairs, so he used scaffolding to install the required electrical support and all of the flyware (custom-made by Hill himself) from the beams.
To maximize sound in the 1,200-seat church, Hill installed 3 powered line arrays, left, center and right side of the pulpit, each consisting of one Muse 118FSA sub and 4 Muse 210LAV cells. He also used 2 Ventis 112As for choir foldback.
At the 49 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival this year, an FBT sound system took center stage with Propaganda Group, a New Orleans-based AV company charged with designing and managing the sound at the Kids’ Stage. Chris Scott, the company’s front of house engineer at the event, raved about the rig throughout the seven-day outdoor event – along with the featured performers.
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has grown since its humble but significant beginnings in the 70’s. Today, the massive festival draws over 400,000 visitors for a two-week long celebration of music that spans over thirteen main stages and several smaller venues. Music includes every genre, from jazz, blues, Americana, blue grass, Cajun, zydeco, and roots rock, to African and Latin. There’s even a family-friendly “Kids’ Stage” that supports everything from puppet shows and storytellers to full bands and orchestras.
Joe Triola of Metro Joe’s Marketing, who has collaborated with the sound and backline companies that work with the Festival since 1993) was responsible for suggesting FBT at one of the nation’s most iconic annual celebrations. According to Triola, “the Kid’s Stage has grown just as much as the festival and, with such diversity, I knew it would be the best test to hear just how good FBT is. It passed with flying colors!”
“Back in the old days the kid’s stage was just a PA on a stick and the most difficult thing was micing a mime, “ he added, laughing. “This year we used a full FBT line array with over 40 different microphones and wireless. Many groups that started playing there have moved up to the big stages and the sound quality reflects this; it’s grown dramatically.”
When Grace Bible Church in La Vernia Texas planned a complex renovation that took two years to complete, Jack Saenz, Installation Manager of BP Lighting, Sound and Video (BP), was brought in by Rock River Media to design a sound system that would fit within their budget but exceed their expectations. Saenz suggested a rig made up entirely of FBT equipment – and says everyone is thrilled with the results.
The new church layout was beautiful, but not without its challenges. High ceilings were an advantage toward the front of the church, but an area toward the back threatened to cause a great deal of bounce that could disrupt even dispersion, and the ceiling where the main PA needed to be hung lacked structural support.
After reinforcing the ceiling structure, Saenz and his team tackled the sound system. To get even coverage throughout the room, they flew Muse 210A’s (five on each side) and then strategically placed four Subline 218 SA’s, spread out evenly under the stage. For front fills, Saenz used four Ventis 206A’s and, for wing fills and rear delays, they used Ventis 112A’s (one for each side of the church and a stereo pair in the back). Read more →
Annually, Case Western Reserve Medical School students produce and perform musical spoofs and parodies about their profession in a fundraiser that helps the underserved population of Greater Cleveland to gain access to health services. This year, ProShow Sound and FBT supplied stellar sound to the event.
When Case Western Reserve Medical School approached Keith Steele, President of ProShow Sound, LLC, to supply a sound system for their annual fundraiser, Steele was happy to offer his expertise. The event production veteran with over 30 years of experience chose FBT for the job, and was thrilled with the results.
Doc Opera is an annual fundraiser and variety show that’s written, directed and performed by Case Western’s medical students each year, to raise funds that help the underserved population of the Greater Cleveland area to gain access to quality health services. The performances, which range from skits to musical performances, are all parodies and spoofs on the medical school and community. Because the theater was built in the 1920s and the full orchestra spanned the full length of the proscenium, Steele had a few challenges to consider when designing the system.
“The theater is a really nice space but, because it was built in the early 1900s it was designed to reverberate,” said Steele. “The room had no fly points and, because the ceiling was so high and the orchestra spanned the full length of the proscenium, we decided to put four 210 Muse LAVs on each side of the stage their carts, and aim them just where we needed them so there wouldn’t be a bad seat in the house.”
Minutes before the show, everything changed when ticket sales exceeded expectations. The balcony (initially closed) was suddenly opened for seating, and Steele and his crew handled the change, just in the nick of time.
“There are so many moving parts to our business, so many things that can change at the last minute, that you just have to be prepared to roll with those changes and adjust your plans accordingly,” said Steele. “We’d already set the rig up for optimal coverage to the back row of the lower level. I got on the radio and had two of my techs get up in front of the curtain and drop the back of the top box on the cart 5 degrees. We had to point and shoot at that point, but the sound FBT Muse offers and the ease of rigging makes quick changes really easy to deal with.”
Years of experience also help. Steele and his company have been providing audio/visual services since 1988, and have worked with such notable artists as the Original Wailers, Mickey Hart, Parliament Funkadelic, bluegrass legend Dr. Ralph Stanley and G.E. Smith, among others. He has also worked with CBSN as live broadcast engineer for the RNC and is the audio provider for Cleveland Pride festival (the second largest in Ohio) which features nationally recognized artists’ performances. But big names aren’t what have earned Steele and his company their outstanding reputation; if you ask him, he’ll say that that came from treating his clients the way they want to, and should be, treated. ProShow has recently become the manufacturer of all IP65 power connections for the FBT Muse line arrays.
Steele explained why he chooses FBT and Italian Speaker Imports, the brand’s sole U.S. distributor.
“John Krupa and his staff at Italian Speaker Imports are really dedicated to their clients, to customer service and everything that goes along with it. As for FBT, when you’re a small or medium-sized company, you have to maximize your return on investment or you’re going to be out of business. Their speakers are in the middle in terms of price range, but offer performance rivaling more expensive boutique brands. Other brands in that range just don’t offer the same high quality sound. The Italians have been making loudspeakers since the advent of radio. You hear that in FBT products, every time you use them.”
Italian Speaker Imports (I.S.I. / FBT USA) announced its move to a new location in Bedford Hills, N.Y. this week. The larger facility brings all of its administrative offices and inventory together under one roof, solidifying an even stronger customer experience than the company had already developed a reputation for. I.S.I. is the exclusive distributor of FBT, JTS and Bespeco, and is a partner with APE Labs.
John Krupa, President and owner of I.S.I., mentioned consolidation and productivity as the drivers behind the move into their new 3,000 square-foot space. Growth was cited as the catalyst behind it all.
“With our sales growing every day, we needed a larger space to not just house our inventory, but also to ensure that we could have a bird’s eye view of that inventory, at a moment’s notice, on our own,” said Krupa. “Our administrative offices and warehouses were previously situated in completely different locations. While we’re maintaining one warehouse in New Jersey for some larger products, most of our inventory is now in one convenient space, located right off of a major highway, on an industrial road which allows for larger and more frequent truck shipments and deliveries. Ultimately, all of this means we’re able to give our clients even faster answers – and results – when they need our products and assistance.”
I.S.I. was established in 2014, and has been growing, annually. Office Manager, Amber Miller credits the company’s commitment to distributing quality, Italian-made products and Krupa’s unusual commitment to personalized customer service as the reason. Clients seem to agree.
“When we’re talking about competitors in our market,” said Mike Brown, President and CEO of M & M Productions USA, “I tell people all the time: Anybody can go buy audio visual equipment and do a show for you. The difference between one company and another is the people ‘in’ that company, and the customer service they’ll provide to you. M&M Productions is all about quality and service. We love dealing with everyone at Italian Speaker Imports because they have the same philosophy we do. John Krupa, the owner, has an incredible reputation in our industry and when you work with him you see why pretty fast. The ongoing level of personal attention and the desire to make sure you have everything you need for an event to be successful is pretty amazing. You’re dealing with an outstanding Italian product, but because you have someone so dedicated here in the states, everything runs that much more smoothly. FBT, John and his company have just blown us away compared to other big name brands we’ve used prior to this. You can have the best speaker product in the world, but you’ve got to have the people to sell it, support it and stand by the product – At Italian Speaker Imports, they do.”
For more information, please contact:
LisaMarie DeSanto 845. 674. 2927 or [email protected]
When Dave Bartholomew says it’s not his first time at the rodeo, he really means it. In fact, after renting a system to the Isanti County Firefighter’s PRCA Rodeo last year and installing one this year, he’s now become their “go-to guy” for sound engineering. An event that’s attended by over 5,000 people annually, it’s one of the largest annual rodeos in the Midwest. Bartholomew, the Sales Manager and Project Manager of Allied Productions & Sales, says the importance of clear, quality sound is crucial, and that he’s chosen FBT to meet the challenges of this unique venue.
“The three-day rodeo takes place in a large oval-shaped arena, which presents a few challenges,” said Bartholomew. “For one thing when supporting an announcer, intelligibility is the most important factor. Second, there’s a covered ‘preferred seating’ area along one of the longer sides and the rest of the area is wide open with bleacher seats. The speakers needed to be raised high enough above the covered area to reach the rest of the arena to make sure the sound would be evenly dispersed and to not overpower the 70-volt speaker sound system that delivers sound to the attendees under the covering. We had some metal smiths who are associated with the rodeo custom build a system with extended poles and yokes to raise four all-weather FBT Shadow 112CTs – each a 12 inch full-range coax – up above. To be strategic, we also added two Subline 15As to round out the system. FBT was a deliberate part of that strategy, because their boxes are crystal clear when people are speaking, but they’re also very musical, very well tuned. We needed a speaker that would sound equally great when covering both the announcer and the music that’s often played as part of the event.”
“I also have to tell you,” he added, “I think FBT has been making plastic speakers longer than just about anybody else. Usually plastic boxes don’t usually resonate like wood does, they’ll even howl at certain frequency ranges. That’s just not the case with these speakers, though. There’s something about FBT’s internal design. The sound is absolutely incredible. You just have to hear it to believe it.”
The Shadows are also rated for all-weather use, rounding out the 30-year audio veteran’s reasons for choosing the brand.
Allied Productions & Sales was originally one of Bartholomew’s clients before they hired him to spearhead the sales and installation portion of their business 12 years ago. The company has grown since then, adding video and lighting divisions to their already successful audio and production services, and moving to a larger, newer facility in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. They’re now a leading player in both production and installation work in the Twin Cities area. In addition to being responsible for all Microsoft store grand openings in the U.S. and Canada, they’re also responsible for providing audio to the Minnesota State Fair, annually, which is the second largest state fair in the country. Bartholomew has developed expertise with various niche groups including houses of worship and live music venues. He also co-designs installations for military bases around the world, in addition to systems that support live performances for our troops.
For immediate release
For more information contact: LisaMarie DeSanto
Sought After Sound Designer Turns to FBT to Meet High Standards
July 16, 2017 – Portland, Oregon – Nick Moon is as passionate about sound quality as he is good music. As the owner of three companies – a studio (Tone Proper Mastering), an AV company (Tone Proper AV) and an acoustics business (Tone Proper Acoustics) – he’s spent countless hours working with professional musicians and sound technicians. His days are spent listening to the tiniest details of every note, on projects ranging from recording to live performances. And when it comes to his clients, he’s not willing to give them anything less than the very best a sound system can offer. Not all of his clients have big names or big budgets, though, so Moon used to struggle with the ability to recommend speakers in a lower price range that met his high standards on sound. Thanks to FBT, he says, he no longer faces this challenge.
Moon got his start in 1999 working in studios in Chicago and Texas before settling in Portland and starting his own businesses. Since then, he’s grown to work with heavy-hitting artists like Liv Warfield and Gino Vanelli, record labels like Universal and on well-known television programs such as the Arsenio Hall show. But he also works with musicians, sound engineers, companies and venues who want high quality, and don’t, he says, “have six figures to spend on a sound system.” Moon explained why FBT has become his “go to” brand for clients in these scenarios.
“Every speaker manufacturer ‘voices’ their speakers in a certain way,” said Moon, “and very few really get it right. I prefer brands where what you put into them is what you get out of them. FBT sounds natural and doesn’t require a lot of tweaking. They use B&C drivers and, maybe because they’re an Italian company, they’re as dedicated to design and manufacturing quality as they are to their sound. They’re also the only one of the brands in the lower to mid price range that have a winning combination of strong voicing, construction and customer service. Not every one of my clients can afford a top-of-the-line sound system, but they still deserve state-of-the-art sound. FBT lets me provide that to them, in a price range that they can manage.”
Moon has installed several Mitus 206LA’s in a few local churches, purchased a rig for his own personal use, and has plans to use the brand in several of concerts, festivals and live performances he’ll be doing this summer.
“One of the best parts about working with FBT as a brand is working with John Krupa and Italian Speaker Imports (I.S.I.), which is the distributor for the brand here in the states,” Moon continued. Saying that he prides himself on giving the best to his own clients, he explained why I.S.I.’s customer service is so crucial to his own business.
“If I want to give the best I can to my own clients, it’s important for me to be able to get answers, fill orders quickly, and have access to and a relationship with someone representing the equipment I’m suggesting,” said Moon. “With John and FBT, not only am I dealing with great equipment, I also have the added benefit of being able to actually talk to him directly – and that’s a big deal to me. He takes a personal interest in our business relationship and really bends over backwards to make sure that we have what we need when we need it. Other companies just don’t do that. As far as I’m concerned, if you have a brand that sounds fantastic and the company backing it backs you as a customer – well, that’s just a winning combination.”
Located just outside of Portland, Oregon, Tone Proper Mastering, AV and Acoustics were built from the ground up with a love for all things music. Dedicated to quality, they tout providing “old school ideas” with a “new school approach,” and desire to earn business “the old-fashioned way: by doing a great job.”
For more information, please contact:
LisaMarie DeSanto 845. 674. 2927 or [email protected]
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For immediate release
For more information contact: LisaMarie DeSanto
Everything Old is New Again
New York State’s Oldest Surviving Theater Restored and Retrofitted with FBT
July 6, 2017 (Hudson, NY) – When Hudson Hall at the Hudson Opera House decided to renovate their historic building, they were faced with a challenge common to any historic space: retrofitting it with modern amenities and equipment while maintaining its authenticity. There was one challenge, however, that proved to be unique to the performance hall – its sound system. Thanks to FBT, those challenges have been met and expectations exceeded, resulting in quality sound that supports performances by professional artists of the highest caliber, in styles ranging from contemporary and cultural to classical.
The opera house was built in 1855, abandoned in 1962 and, from 1996 until April, was operating at a fraction of its capacity –utilizing just a center hall art gallery and small performance space on the first floor. Fundraising efforts raised the $8.5 million necessary for renovations, including state historic preservation funds, which supported pulling up and reinforcing the original wood floor with steel before relaying it; supporting the truss, roof and foundation; and cleaning up thirty years’ worth of evidence that pigeons had taken up a tenancy in the rafters. Next steps included fully modernizing the electricity and plumbing, no small feat when considering that maintaining the integrity of the building and its overall structure was a requirement by historical preservation standards.
A significant portion of the renovation funds were, necessarily, dedicated to the building’s historic nature, so by the time the organization was ready to consider their sound equipment, they had to be mindful of the budget they had left. Still, they refused to settle for anything less than a state-of-the-art system. They also knew that they’d need that system to be flexible enough to support musical performances on the stage, dance performances in the round on the hall floor, and everything in between. The round shape of the room was also a major concern, since the sound there had always been muddy before.
Simon Nathan, owner of Audio Production Services and a consultant at Italian Speaker Imports with a wealth of professional theater sound installation experience, stepped in to analyze the organization’s needs. He recommended FBT. Lighter than most, the boxes could be easily reconfigured on a performance-to-performance basis, and positioned to resolve the many issues raised by the room’s curved corners and ceiling. Boasting a price far lower than speakers in a higher price bracket, Nathan assured the staff at Hudson Opera House that not only would the speakers be an affordable solution, the sound quality would rival that of other brands. The decision proved to be ideal.
“With Simon’s guidance, we started by flying two line arrays – three Mitus 206la’s flown on each side of the proscenium.” said Sage Marie Carter, General Manager of Hudson Opera House. “They have a wide cone that covers most of the hall. As for the rest of the system, though, we purposefully kept it very reconfigurable to accommodate the wide variety of performances we present. In total, we have two 118FSA subs, two Stage Maxx 12MA’s and eight Ventis 112a’s that can also serve as wedges when we need more monitors. Sometimes we hang them from the truss or on side pipes when we’re doing performances in the round or on the floor. At others, we use them as center fills when our seating is close to the stage and some audience members aren’t in the path of the line array. We don’t always have a crew to help alter the set up from show to show, but the best part is, the speakers are so light and flexible that I can easily set everything up myself.”
Smaller and lighter doesn’t mean the speakers are any less powerful, though.
Carter added, “Because the room is such a challenge, architecturally, we were really concerned that we’d never be able to tame it. As soon as we turned the system on, though, I was immediately impressed by its reach and how subtle and true the sound is. This new system allows us to project the sound to every seat in the house, and regardless of where you’re sitting it’s clean, crisp and clear. You can hear and appreciate every nuance – all of the details of a performance; it’s a pleasant concert experience now. We’ve only been open a short time, but the system has really exceeded our expectations. I have no doubt that it will continue to do everything we ask it to going forward.”
Hudson Hall’s mission is to inspire and promote the arts, and to play a pivotal role in the cultural and economic advancement of the Hudson Valley region. Ongoing programs include concerts, readings, lectures, exhibitions, theater and dance presentations, after-school programs, workshops, classes, and large-scale community arts events. For more information about the organization, visit: http://hudsonhall.org.
For more information, please contact:
LisaMarie DeSanto 845. 674. 2927 or [email protected]
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Isidore Newman School’s athletic program has a long history of excellence, but the facilities surrounding its storied football field needed a substantial upgrade. The school wanted to give a better viewing experience to spectators at Friday night football games, soccer, and lacrosse matches. That’s when Peyton Manning, along with his father and brother, Eli, decided to step in, spearheading fundraising efforts for a new practice field, sky deck, press box, and entrance plaza, all of which included a state-of-the-art FBT sound system. Now dubbed the Manning Family Athletic Complex, the total overhaul represents a $3 million project. The centerpiece of the new facilities is Reginelli Way, a fan plaza that honors the Manning’s now-retired high school coach, Tony Reginelli, and will support countless young athletes in New Orleans.
The Mannings led the fundraising and were joined by numerous generous donors from the Newman community, whose assistance was greatly appreciated. In addition to aesthetic improvements, the practicality of a new sound system was evident.
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