“Hey, mambo! Mambo Italiano!…” Oops, karaoke has finished, but it did sound great. What am I going on about? Well… I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to be the first DJ in the world [probably] to road test the brand new Vertus CS1000 from FBT! ’s MD, Mark Parkhouse, invited me up to the company’s HQ, which is just down the road from me since their recent relocation, to pick up the sample CS1000 system back in September.

It had been showcased at the BPM | PRO show a few weeks before, so had already attracted a great deal of interest among many mobile DJs. This meant that when I arrived to collect the system I felt both lucky and excited to be the first DJ to have a chance to try out the CS1000s in a real gig environment. My first impression of the system was that it is very compact and portable. The two sets fit in the boot of my estate car just perfectly.

I took them away wrapped in black towels [LOL] as there were no official covers made just yet, but I am informed that these are on their way along with a few other accessory options for transportation. For anyone who doesn’t already know, the CS1000 is a very well thought out and designed compact 2-way speaker system squarely aimed at professional mobile DJs. It comprises a custom-designed 12” subwoofer with a 2.5” voice coil in one enclosure, alongside an array cabinet loaded with six full-range 3” neodymium high efficiency custom drivers with 0.75” voice coils.

The whole system has clearly been carefully designed to be both compact and manageable for regular transport and setup. The top array part packs down to be stored inside the rear of the subwoofer cabinet along with the pole mount and cables. The pole comes in three parts, which slot together, the top one of which is telescopic allowing for variable height adjustment. The build quality of the system, both satellite and sub, is quite impressive with solid birch plywood construction.

A sleek design and choice of either black or white finishes mean the system is also very pleasing to the eye. With an impressive maximum SPL of 129dB, the CS1000 also packs a significant punch! It is an active system powered by a Class-D, bi-amplified, two-channel amp located in the sub enclosure. The amplifier has a light-weight switch mode power supply and delivers an output of 1000 Watts RMS, which is split to provide 600W for the sub and 400W for the satellite.

The top array is passive and connects to the subwoofer via a speakON cable. THE AFRBTT O VFE ARTDUVSE RCTSI1S0IN0G0 The weight of the CS1000 is quite access to the astonishing for what it comprises DSP presets, – around 28kg all in – so it is very Live, Vocal, DJ, easy to transport. The subwoofer Monitor and has two handles, one on either tus lights show side, which are perfectly balanced connected, and completed by a rubber insert being received for a most comfortable grip.

You inbuilt Limiter can carry the subwoofer on its Finally, there side using both handles or, if you switches. One are strong enough and of a bigbetween Line ger build, you could manage two the other activates of them at once with one in each (for use when hand! The CS1000 also fit perfectly linked, covered on my Rock-N-Roller R12 Cart for even easier transportation. Another great tem is that it Setting up the CS1000 is a breeze in that two and it takes less than a minute or so in a dual to complete from the moment you even more power place the unit in position.

There is For this you a quick-release on top of the subwoofers on top woofer which frees the satellite the XLR Link from its storage compartment in the audio signal, the rear of the unit, where you will two satellites also find a custom bag containing [via optional the satellite poles and, underneath a single pole. that, the speakON lead. only is the the vertical It’s then just a case of fitting tofrom 30 degrees gether the poles and setting the -20 degrees) telescopic section to your desired degrees / -20 height and then clipping into of whether you place the satellite array.

This can double configuration, be tilted to a choice of different angles, for correct coverage of the room/dancefloor, and locked into place using a quick-release pin system. Finally, all that’s left to do is connect up the IEC power supply to the subwoofer, link the sub and satellite with the speakON cable, connect the audio signal with an XLR lead, and you’re good to go! On the rear of the subwoofer there is a recessed panel for the controls and connections.

There are two rotary controls, one for the overall level and one dedicated to the sub (allowing for custom bass and mid/high balancing). A further rotary selection control allows easy FBT VERTUS CS1000 FBT Vertus CS1000 unit’s eight built-in vides a wide horizontal dispersion which are Original, of 110 degrees, perfect for filling a Loudness, DJ Boost, function venue with evenly spread Wall. Three LED stasound. when power is when a Peak signal is Now then, let’s get down to the and when the unit’s nitty gritty… the road test!

I took has been triggered. the CS1000 out over a weekend to are two push button switches the input and Mic level, while the Array mode two systems are below). thing about this sysis modular in design, systems can be used configuration giving you for larger events. simply stack the subof each other, use socket to connect and then lock the together end-to-end hardware] on top of This means that not output increased, but dispersion is extended (+10 degrees / to 40 degrees (+20 degrees).

Regardless go for a single or the array pro- THE EARLY DAYS ertus CS1000 three very different events, which Unfortunately, my really put the system through it's the weekend fell paces, and, I have to say, the results tacted one of my were quite impressive! Jack, to see if he system at a wedding On the Friday evening I used the was booked to play system at a local Smokehouse BBQ Mill in Maidstone. In restaurant for a country-themed our other DJ friends karaoke night.

The load-in went us, Andy and Ryan, very smoothly and I had the system wedding disco set-up up and running in no time at all. I at all! The other use high quality karaoke media and impressed with how I must say that the sound quality easily the CS1000 produced through the CS1000 was much so that we amazing and truly crystal clear. a short video which You could hear the music and voon my YouTube page cals very clearly at the back of the few other videos about restaurant and I received many (). compliments during the evening, including from the management The function suite (as a result, I have now been Mill is a fair size and booked for two more events!).

So event was catering I’d say that this system is ideal for guests, so it was a karaoke and vocal use. CS1000’s ability. the DJ, Ryan controlled Moving onto the second event, for ing and Andy and the Saturday evening I was booked our services providing to perform at one of my larger local tography for the public houses for a staff member’s around the room as leaving party. This venue is quite large and designed in an L-shaped layout. The dancefloor was packed all night and again guests specifically commented on the sound and were quite impressed with the quality and output of the system, especially considering its size!

During the evening I walked around the venue and, even with the L- shaped design, and I could still hear the sound very clearly throughout. The bass was very responsive and not at all ‘boomy’, just how I like it. On the dancefloor, the sound was very clear and pleasing on the ear, unlike some other systems that I find can hurt my ears when the volume is high. The CS1000 handled dance music superbly and, despite filling the venue completely, it still had plenty of headroom to go further.

72 final booking of got to hear the system in full swing through, so I conas a punter out the front, and I local DJ friends, must say that the dispersion into wanted to use the the room was quite impressive and party that he the sound could be heard clearly at the Turkey absolutely everywhere. There was the end two of no distortion or clipping and the decided to join dancefloor was rammed all night so we had the long, with music covering all genin no time res, but particularly bass-heavy DJs were quite R&B and House/Dance music. quickly and can be setup, so I can honestly say that, overall, decided to record I was very impressed with the can be found CS1000 and, as an owner of the along with a original FBT Vertus system, I actuthe CS1000 ally prefer the sound and quality offered by this new more-compact alternative.

I will definitely be lookat the Turkey ing to invest in a white system in this wedding the New Year! for around 200 good test of the Would I recommend the system? While Jack was Damn straight I would… Especially the lightfor those looking for a compact line myself offered array setup capable of delivering a candid phohigh fidelity sound at an affordable event. Walking price catering easily for 150 / took photos, I people. FBT TVHEER TEUASR LCYS D10A0Y0S