GEARREVIEW
BY MITCH BOHANNON
Fender Fortis Powered Speakers
Just in unboxing the Fortis system, I was For me, the real test came when I exchanged
KEY FEATURES impressed with the build. The boxes are the youth sound system for the Fender Fortis.
Wood Construction constructed out of wood (not plastic) and We own 15” powered speakers and the Fortis
BlueTooth Friendly have the same textured paint that my brand system has 12” powered speakers. How do
M10 Rigging Points new FOH array speakers have. The boxes are you say absolutely no comparison? The clarity
Punch and Clarity shaped to function as dual-angle floor monitors and response… my goodness! For the other
and have M10 rigging points and dual angle system, I had repurposed our old sanctuary
pole mount sockets. These are ready to use Subwoofer (about 4 years old and still high-
When I learned that I would be reviewing the in any application. The week that the system end), but I had to employ a crossover and
new Fender Fortis system, I was excited to arrived, our church had just begun a 6-week an old amp to power it in order to supply the
give it a test run. While waiting for it, honestly, I set of Sunday night “town hall” vision meetings proper signal. The Fortis system is setup with
started to get cold feet worrying that it would be in our coffee shop/foyer. The first week had a built-in crossover that is ready to feed the
too similar to a system I’m currently using and gone really well, but I figured it would be a great Fortis Subwoofer, so I was able to just send
I would not have much to say. Writing product place to start testing the Fortis. I set it up on its main signal from the board and roll with it.
reviews like this is fueled by that product’s Saturday and it just so happened that one of Wow! Actually, the whole Fortis system costs
differences that set it apart from other options. our teenagers was having a sixteenth birthday less than that one subwoofer I was using!
Turns out, I am absolutely blown away by this party in the same space shortly after I set up. I system. I can’t wait to get to writing! offered the system to the family to play music I asked Caleb Moss, my youth pastor, to write
for the party. The built in Bluetooth channel was about his experience with the Fortis. Here’s
Here’s a little background. Last November, we actually easier to sync than the Bluetooth in my what he sent me: “I currently have a great
finished building a new church and moved in. car, and the clarity and punch from the Fortis system in my youth room. We’ve been using it
I was over all of the audio/video/lights for the was extremely impressive. Later, the birthday for a while now. Recently, we swapped it out for
main sanctuary, the children’s church area, the girl’s father told me that they were able to walk two 12” 1300w Fender Fortis speakers and an
youth stage venue, and a small preschool stage downstairs and around a corner before the 18” 1000w Fortis Sub. The 12’’ Fender Fortis
area. Truly, I wish this Fortis system had been Bluetooth dropped sync! The Bluetooth feature system is simply better in every way. I couldn’t
on my radar a year ago. It would have been was super handy for the town hall meeting be happier. I could hear a significant difference
a perfect option for the youth and preschool Sunday night as well, and needless to say, the the moment I started singing and playing a
venues where I set up powered speakers for town hall was heard quite clearly. guitar through it. The clarity of the Fortis is great
the mains. That way, they were portable if need- and the thump is real. Anything I’ve put through
be and if we opted to install a more permanent it is crisp and clean. These speakers are more
system for the youth, the powered speakers compact than my previous ones by about 2”
would be easily repurposed into the gym or on all sides. They’re more visually appealing as
a ready-to-use outdoor system. I purchased well; they really look sharp. Even my students
some of the best equipment that I was familiar commented on how “savage” they look (that’s
with and had trusted in the past. teenager for “awesome”). I never want to go
back to my previous system!”
STREET PRICE
$650 each - 12” 1300W
$900 each - 18” sub 1000W
CONTACT
www.Fender.com
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May Jun 2017
WorshipMusician.com