[launche]

Well I somewhat toasted my Buttkicker amp.  All my fault due to improper ventilation.  In my excitement to test this sucker out, I put it in an apparently tighter than necessary slot.  I guess it runs/ran hot over a few days and stating to slowly burn the paint of the shelf above it, thus some of the residue fell back into the unit. Then once while watching a movie, I was trying to track down this burning smell.  It was the amp, I cleaned it up but still one of the coils has the burning smell.  I was hoping it was just burning the left over residue but I tried to watch a movie tonight and the smell was too much.

Anybody have one of these I'm curious to know if where the coils are, is their a burned/soldered appearance where it meets the circuit board?

Anyway looks like I gotta buy a new amp, damn 
I was really enjoying the buttkicker effect, i don't even want to watch a movie without it anymore. I was watching "Lucky # Slevin" and it was shaking me pretty good.

[launche]

I contacted the Buttkicker company today and they are sending me a new replacement amp in about 3 business days. The rep. stated that the newly designed amps runs cooler in that the coils don't get as hot etc...  So I am a very happy camper even though I probably should have taken better precautions.

For those who don't have one of these or feel you don't get enough tactile sensation at your listening position it really works and is worth an audition.  When setup correctly with a subwoofer(s) it just adds an additional level of "feeling" to the movie experience and helps pull you into the movie more IMO. When I first got it I watched The Matrix:Revolutions? and I had no idea the bass in the last fight scene was so intense.  Watched Jurassic Park  and the dinosaurs really shake things up.  I mean I had some shaking before but the extra effect of the buttkicker just adds to the illusion that the ground is really shaking, I mean I was physically shaking.  In my room I estimate I would need another sub or maybe two to get the tactile sensation I get with the buttkicker.  I heard a number of people's HT setups and I would say that 80% could benefit from a buttkicker.  Even my wife likes it, alot...  Since I've had it she's jumped out of her skin a few times  .  I honestly feel like I'm missing something when I watch a movie without it.  So kudos to the Buttkicker company on such good customer service and I can't wait to get my butt kicked again 

[nathanm]

These things are tons 'o fun.  Or as Exodus says, "Good friendly violent fun"  I had mine mounted to my couch but I realized an unpleasant truth: they simply cannot substitute for a subwoofer.  So if you thought you could listen\watch at lower volumes with the buttkicker acting as SUBstitute, well it ain't happenin' IMO.  Your mind tells you something is not right when your ass is shaking but your ears aren't hearing it.  There has to be an acoustic\tactile balance.  They are really great for playing bass guitar or drums with headphones on, the sensation is so powerful.  (especially when you run the signal through a pitch shifter and really get the infrasonics going!)  But like I said, I had no luck with movies or music when the acoustics were not matching the tactile level.  Although I did crack the wood on my couch during a certain horse galloping scene in LOTR when I had it mounted on the front.  You could hurt somebody with enough gain!   Unfortunately I haven't smacked my lungs together and caused internal bleeding quite yet.

That's cool that they replaced it even though it was "all your fault".  I am not sure what version mine is.  I haven't noticed that it got very hot.

[launche]

Yes, Nathanm the buttkicker is NOT a subwoofer replacement and to my knowledge is not marketed as such.  They are tactile transducers more or less and designed to work WITH your subwoofer(s) as I noted in my post.  When it is integrated with the sub it should be relatively seemless and more or less appear as an entension of the sub for the lowest octaves.

I have heard a few setup well and have always enjoyed them and each owner REALLY liked what they did.  When they don't seemed to work for an owner I've found it's mostly improper setup.  I tried a few mounting alternatives such as to the couch as you stated and it worked but as you said too much butt shaking and my intestines took a beating.  I've since built a riser type platform that my couch sits on and it works extremely well, much more realistic and blends with the sub.  Many of the other setups were in a riser as well and a few under the floor joists which was the best application I heard (depending on the effect you want.)

Nathanm, if you don't want to build a riser you may want to try a more simplistic method that I believe will work well for you.  Go to the lumber store and get a piece of MDF, plywood etc... cut to the size of your couch (or maybe a little bigger so your feet can rest on the board if your setup can accomodate that.)  Rest the board on the rubber feet to isolate it from the floor then mount the buttkicker to the top of board (in an area where the underside of your couch has space) Rest the couch on the board and I am sure you with enjoy the buttkicker a great deal as the whole couch will have the tactile sensation and not your butt. I used this method myself and it worked well. I have my xover set to only the buttkicker signals below 40hz.

It's very much like an audio product, if not setup properly you won't realise it's potential...same as with subwoofer setup.



OR

[Russell Dawkins]

or, if you own a house and don't mind cutting up the floor, you could do what my father and I did in his living room, lo, those many years ago.

After indulging a little in recreational inhalants, the subject came around to bass in the living room. He was always supportive of my speaker designing experiments, so when I said "if you REALLY want great bass, you could cut two holes in the floor and mount these 12" woofers in them" he said "well, what are you waiting for?" (this was 9:30 PM).

So we (I) did.

The results were all we could have hoped for - the cleanest, deepest bass (should have heard EL&P's synth!) plus, being under the couch, there was the additional bonus of the couch shaking on the big stuff.

A guy visited who worked in the Dayton Wright factory (a very respected electrostatic at the time). He said our set up was the best thing he had heard outside of the factory. I was running open baffle satellites (hung from the ceiling!) in an MTM configuration with one of the two 5" mids firing backwards, polarity reversed, of course.

[nathanm]

Yeah, actually that is what I did, Launche.  I ripped out the hide-a-bed and replaced it with 2x4s boards and a sheet of plywood more or less like what your photo shows.  Luckily the cushions are cushy enough for it to still be comfortable to sit on without the springiness.  The only step I didn't take was the rubber feet.  I did get some tractor tire inner tubes and sat the couch on those, but it didn't seem to help much. There's a definite art to finding the right combination. 

Yes, Nathanm the buttkicker is NOT a subwoofer replacement and to my knowledge is not marketed as such.

Well, looking at their website's copy I'd say they are pushing that angle to an extent:

"The Buttkicker lets you feel the low end without making the room loud.  You can decrease the sound pressure level from your subwoofer and still feel all the bass you want"

"It makes an average factory audio system sound premium.  It makes a premium system breathtaking...with or without a subwoofer"

That IS true you CAN have the sub down from the kicker; I'm just saying that subjectively, your butt is saying "Wow, it's loud" and your ears are saying "Dude, that ain't loud" and thus your mind thinks, "This ain't right..."  Of course, if one is fortunate enough to not have to worry about bothering anyone else with their bass you can throw my argument out and good riddance!

[launche]

Well Mr. Dawkins, if you are talking infinite Baffle bass that another ballgame entirely and one I hope to be able to do in my next home.

Nathanm, yes you HAVE to isolate the couch, platform etc... from the floor, otherwise the effect is not optimal.  And you also have to get a good blend as far as the buttkicker volume in relationship to the rest of your system.  It can be easy to run it too hot and have it be more of a distraction.  Again like any other audio product. Get some rubber feet nathanm and get the platform dialed in, it was EASY to me and the results rewarding.  The product may not suit everyone but as I said anyone I know who's setup it up right (which is not hard) has really enjoyed them to the point (like me) where they don't want to watch a movie without them.  Now if one has an optimal sub setup that offers premium tactile sensation at the listening position then the buttkicker may or may not appeal to them.  I know people with good sub setups who still enjoy the buttkickers.

With respect to the website quotes, just be sure which product they are talking about and for what application as they have a few different products for slightly different purposes.

But Nathanm if it's not working for you I may be interested in taking it off your hands 

[nathanm]

First quote is from clicking the "Home Theater" link and the second is the one for the car.
http://www.thebuttkicker.com/Home%20Theater%20Products.html
http://www.thebuttkicker.com/SSW_home.html

But Nathanm if it's not working for you I may be interested in taking it off your hands.

Oh it works, it works with a vengeance!  It's not that I can't get the couch moving, it's that I can't turn up the sub to match because I live in an apartment where footfalls, urination and phone conversation are transmitted in stunningly clear high fidelity surround sound.  It was built during the Great Drywall and Resilient Channel Famine of aught eight.  Grim times...contractors had to make do you know...

[launche]

Too bad about the Apt. construction but a buttkicker is helpful in your situation, I get you'll just have to turn it down to match the sub and get less rumble, although I have listened to movies at a lowe volume and things synced pretty well.  Don't forget to get those rubber feet, they're essential.  Also if you arleady have a platform type setup, maybe moving the butt kicker around on the platform might help.

Yeah their silent subwoofer for the car is another product and that unit I believe can replace a car sub. I want to try that one myself. But that quote doesn't apply to the buttkicker LFE.

[Rob Babcock]

Eventually I'd like to try a Buttkicker, too.  But it's a ways down the list behind finishing acoustic treatments, getting a new PJ, etc.

[launche]

We all can understand about the audio priorities, I also need to finish with my room treatments before buying anything else.  I saw some buttkicker unit on sale and I was tempted even though one is plenty for my three seat couch.

I got my replacement buttkicker amp from the company on Monday, watched Lucky #Sleven and The Sentinal the last two nights. Sleven has some nice bass if not a bit overblown by design.  I usually have the buttkicker xover set at 40 hz but moved it up to 70 hz and it worked very well, subjectively, it seems to blend even better with the sub and the mains, I think I'll leave it there for awhile.

For the money, if you need additional bass impact at the listening position and can't afford or accomodate bigger or more subs, the buttkicker or a similiar product is well worth an audition.  I'm very happy and as I started before, I prefer it "IN" my system for movies over the sub alone. 

[Rob Babcock]

Well, I'm not "done" with acoustics (will I ever truly be done? ), but I've got a great start.  I probably won't buy any more for a couple months, then probably start with some GIK/RealTraps.  I am starting to think more seriously about the Buttkicker.  Amazon & Musicians Friend both have good prices on the shaker + amp packages.