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Anybody use bass shakers here. My review.


t-man

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Well I won a cheap bid on a pair of bass shakers which I thought I might want prior to my decision to go with SVS sub. Since I got my SVS, I felt I wouldn't want them anymore. OH well, for curiousity sake I hooked them up the other day.

They were easy to install on my wood frame futon. No problem finding lumber to mount there! I put one on each side, and hooked the shakers up to the same amp my SVS is hooked up to. Since I had a single SVS, I had one channel free. I wired the Shakers in series to get a 8 ohm load, and hooked it into the left speaker output (the signal was already cut with Denon's bass management at 80 hz). I use the balance knob to control the amount of power going to the shakers since they can only take 25 watts RMS. Finally! A use for the balance control knob.

I threw in a couple movie demos at mod and low volumes. I wasn't planning to be at all impressed, but I liked it! I think my futon does a good job of distributing the shakers' effect. I thought I would just get cheap video game type vibrations, but the intensity and accuracy of the vibrations are in good relation to the bass dynamics of the source. It didn't fell artificial at the volumes I was testing. These shakers are really cheap fun. I will definitely be using them for most of my HT listening, since I can't play my movies too loud. I'll turn them off for Reference level bass, since my SVS does such a good job of making my seat move by itself!

By the way, music is sort of cool this way, too. You just have to adjust the balance to control the effect you want.

Does anybody else have any experience with bass shakers?

T-man

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T - I have a pair fastened to the bottom of our couch. I noticed the same things you did - if you set the level right, it's a nice addition to the effect without feeling like "somebody bolted some vibrators to this couch." However, since adding the SVS to the mix, I don't use them. The SVS vibrates the couch just fine without them, and I guess I'm still enough in the honeymoon phase with the SVS that I just want to see what it can do on its own. Maybe I'll add them back in when the SVS-newness wears off Smile.gif

Doug

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My System

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Doug,

I thought you were using a Vel. What SVS system did you get? You are right about SVS shaking the couch just fine. When I want it loud, I turn the Shakers off, and let the SVS 20-39+ do it's magic. My pant legs shake, and my hair litterally stands up and dances during Toy Story 2 intro at reference level.

T-man

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KG 5.5 (mains)

KLF-C7 (center)

KG 1 (rears)

SVS 20-39CS+ (sub)

Aura Bass Shakers (pair)

Kenwood amp for sub and shakers

Denon AVR 681/1601

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Unfortunately, you're not a true home theater/AV enthusiast. Youd know that you are supposed to HEAR the bass and not feel the vibrations. If you read any articles on high end systems and especially bass, you'll always find that fact to be true. Bass shakers are ghetto and from the lack of responses on your thread, you can see nobody else has them either.

You're probably one of those people with boxes and boxes of speakers in your car trunk. All it does is make it sound like you have a monkey in the trunk beating a drum. You do it purely for shock and attention, not really caring about the quality of your music.

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User Name...You're such a nice guy.

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Outlaw 1050 A/V Receiver

Rega P3 Turntable

AMC CD8b CD Player

Toshiba 3108 DVD Player

Klipsch KG 4.2s(main)

2 Dynaco A-10/V IIs(centers)

Cerwin Vega E-706s(rears)

Cerwin Vega LW-12(sub)

Parasound PPH-100 Phono Preamp

Vampire Wire Digital Interconnects & Speaker Wire

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User - All are welcome here! Can't wait to read some more of your enlightening, uplifting posts!!!

IMHO, opinions can be rendered without resorting to personal attacks.

"If you read any articles on high end systems and especially bass, you'll always find that fact to be true. Bass shakers are ghetto and from the lack of responses on your thread, you can see nobody else has them either." I believe Stereophile Guide to Home Theater did a very serious review on bass shaker-type devices in the past year or two. You better alert them to their ghetto tendencies.

Doug (and his monkey)

BTW - I'd be interested in reading about your experiences in hearing 20hz bass without feeling it. How'd you accomplish that?

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My System

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T-Man -

I have 2 self powered 25W bass shakers mounted in my couch (purchased for $5 each from eBay :-). I personally love them. I like the extra punch they give to the effects.

FWIW I am also running a single 20-39CS and dual 20-39 CS+ (yes 3 SVS woofers) so I am not under woofed. I still use the shakers.

Laters,cwm9.gif

------------------

...wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world...

My Home Theater Page

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Well, eq and t-man, I guess the three of us make the three customers that bought these crazy things! $5 each?? Sheesh, and I thought I got a good buy at $25 each (self-powered).

TTK - The monkey came as a purchase incentive with my SVS sub. In fact, that's where he lives. He's gets kind of cranky during the depth charge scene in U571, but he's pretty well behaved the rest of the time. Now, if I could just keep him out of the trunk of my car -- keeps making an awful racket back there, but the rest of the folks in the 'hood seem to like it.

Doug

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My System

This message has been edited by dougdrake2 on 02-13-2002 at 06:56 PM

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Doug,

Yea, it's too bad we are not audiophiles. I'm not sure I would ever want to consider myself one, personally. You, EQ and myself must also be purchasing SVS subwoofers b/c they are so crappy at low frequency output, that we actually believe we "need" bass shakers.

T-mancwm2.gif

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KG 5.5 (mains)

KLF-C7 (center)

KG 1 (rears)

SVS 20-39CS+ (sub)

Aura Bass Shakers (pair)

Kenwood amp for sub and shakers

Denon AVR 681/1601

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quote:

Originally posted by User Name:

Unfortunately, you're not a true home theater/AV enthusiast. Youd know that you are supposed to HEAR the bass and not feel the vibrations. If you read any articles on high end systems and especially bass, you'll always find that fact to be true. Bass shakers are ghetto and from the lack of responses on your thread, you can see nobody else has them either.

Huh?? Ok this makes no sense. Of course you are supposed to feel the bass. Have you ever been to a rock concert or action movie where you can't feel the bass? Trust me my system puts out tons of low clean bass that can both be heard and felt. The bass shakers just add to the effect (that would be the E in LFE). I mean what is more thrilling then seeing a huge explosion on the screen, hearing the 110dB of clean bass my system puts out, and feeling the couch or chair vibrate like heck?

I don't think anyone here said that the bass shakers are our only form of bass reproduction. We just use them to re-enforce the effects.

Don't knock it until you try it.

Laters,cwm9.gif

------------------

...wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world...

My Home Theater Page

This message has been edited by eq_shadimar on 02-14-2002 at 11:11 AM

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Personally,I would love to try bass shakers with my system. I am one of the odd movie watchers that would rather feel the LFE during a movie. That is why I have never bought a powered sub. Hearing the walls rumbling doesn't impress me unless I can feel it. I mean,be honest, a home theater is all about putting us into the action. What good is it if we can't feel the explosions or the footsteps of the t-rex?

Lately,I've been toying with the idea of actually installing subs under couch. Already,one coffin is sitting right against back of couch and other is in middle of room. So already I'm getting enough bass!

Some of you have mentioned the cheaper bass shakers, but has anybody tried Clark's Tactile Transducers? I was wondering if they are worth the high price?

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Jerry

CP RULZ

------------

Mains: KG 5.5

Rears: KG 3.5

Center: KLF-C7

Subs: (2) Antique wooden coffins with (3) 12" Advents in each

Receiver: HK AVR-80

DD Processor: HK ADP-303

DTS Processor: Rotel RDA 985

AudioControl Phase Coupled Activator Series Three

DVD: Toshiba 4109X

Laserdisc: Yamaha CDV-W901

5 CH Amp(for subs): Rotel RB-985

Single Cass Deck: HK TD-420

Dual Cass Deck: HK DC-520

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MagnumMan - Another non-audiophile rears his head! Hooray!!! I think we might need a dedicated Forum for Bass Shakers, just like the tube guys cwm2.gif.

My thinking on the Aura purchase was "hey, it's a toy -- let's experiment" so I was unwilling to invest much money in it. For their purpose, which is just infrequent couch-rumbling, I'd hesitate to spend any more. I'd rather buy a second SVS sub, or a new bigger one, and go that route.

Doug

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My System

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If you like get your butt kicked, try THIS.

I'm having a hard time getting the wife to let me upgrade the sub. A bass shake would be out of the question, but I really wouldn't want a bass shaker to attached to one of my good sofas. Maybe installation in a dedicated HT room might be kinda cool, maybe.

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A/V AMP: Yamaha DSP-A1

TV: 29" Sony Trinitron

DVD: Toshiba SD9200

CDP: Denon DCM-370

MAIN: Klipsch Heresey II

CTR: Klipsch KSF-C5

REAR: Infinity SM-65

(crap)

SUB: Infinity BU-1 (crap)

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Please stop cwm27.gif This whole bass shaker story is funny.

First deep bass has to be felt as well as heard.Second no bass shaker(I call these ghetto demolition hoe shakers)will replace a good subwoofer or full range speaker system.

The so called bass shaker will vibrate your couch and your bed(if wife likes it LOL)...cwm1.gif

The wife can also use them cwm3.gif

Bottom line "bass shakers" are fun but not needed with proper subwoofing.

I bet my subwoofer army that I dont need no "butt shaker",my four Sunfire subs and three monster subs will shake the foundation and curl the walls like no "arse shaker" can,plus they deliver real punch and impact most have never felt.

So just leave the "shakers" to the significant other...cwm1.gif

Dont hate me for the truth I speak

TheEAR(s) knows true sub bass power,tried the Clark Synthesis pads,fun experiment but removed them the next day.

TheEAR(s) Now theears

This message has been edited by TheEAR on 02-17-2002 at 07:46 PM

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hehe you always have something funny to say Ears.cwm2.gif

t-man Im glad you finally got your SVS. I guess that means you found a buyer for your KSW.

Can you paste the ebay page where you bought the shakers? I would like to see them.

btw I just picked these up today for $200....what do you think? http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1333458734 perfect match for my 5.2's!

Monty

This message has been edited by montigue on 02-17-2002 at 07:57 PM

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Monty,

4.2s are NICE speakers, baby. Are you going to use these to replace your 2.2s as rears? Still waiting on your comparison review on the Samson vs Pioneer with your SVS. Please tell.

I got my Bass Shakers on Ubid.

T-man

------------------

KG 5.5 (mains)

KLF-C7 (center)

KG 1 (rears)

SVS 20-39CS+ (sub)

Aura Bass Shakers (pair)

Kenwood amp for sub and shakers

Denon AVR 681/1601

This message has been edited by t-man on 02-18-2002 at 09:25 AM

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