etc6849 Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I saw an older thread on the topic from 2011, but I thought I'd start another as I had an impulse buy moment yesterday and bought two of these kits: http://www.thebuttkicker.com/lfe-kit I would have never bought them, but I got to reading online about them the other day. Then, I came across a closeout deal where a vendor was no longer going to carry the buttkicker LFE kit, so they sold me two for $233 for shipping?!? Seemed like a great price for the amp alone, so I bit. I really don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth...but... Unfortunately, they only had the two available that they shipped to me as I later tried to order more for other seats the same day. Their website let me order, but I was told they will not back order these as they are discontinuing them (the vendor, not buttkicker). Of course, I'm delighted to be getting two kits at that price. I know it won't be a roller-coaster ride, but what should I expect?Will it get annoying once the newness wears off? How accurate and flat are these? How should I attach these to my seats? I have one seat pictured in the profile picture, but with missing arms. It's part of a larger palliser theater sectional that slips together using metal pins (the rest of the set has arms as I removed one seat from the middle). My set is very similar to this set, but with two wedge shaped arms for the middle chair. I do plan to order some arms for my lonely chair (thanks la scala's for taking up so much space!). I planned on adding a 3/4" plywood to the bottom of each chair, but these's only clearance for this big actuator at the very back bottom due to the recliner's motion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 They need to be calibrated just like a speaker. It's easy to overdo it with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etc6849 Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 How do you properly calibrate them? E.G. what level of vibration (inches/second? or newton meters?) is equal to what level of SPL? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Seat of your pants. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappydue Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ady5fjbbMgI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappydue Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 on a real note this is a very good friend of mine off the ave forum. he does a very good demo on a few different models. talks quite a bit about them. he also wrote a very detailed thread comparing what he liked and didn't like about these. i know he has four of them but rarely turns them on. more of a demo gimmicky kind of thing. i bet once he moves soon and goes to different sub setup he will probably get rid of these. they are fun in my experience, but they are not very natural. can't beat 4 18's actually shaking the couch vs a couple 12's and something simulating 10 hz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etc6849 Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 (edited) Good video comparison. I agree on bigger subs to hit below 19 Hz, but don't have the room right now Edited February 28, 2014 by etc6849 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heritage_Head Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Good video comparison. I agree on bigger subs to hit below 19 Hz, but don't have the room right now Lol you found room for 4 LSii Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etc6849 Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Just barely! The sound is absolutely awesome on multi-channel music, but it's kind of lonely setting by myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heritage_Head Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I bet it does. very nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etc6849 Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 I finally watched Gravity. It was a great movie to test out my new buttkicker LFE kit that came today! Once I got the buttkicker amp set right for movies, it really added to the movie. I can see why there're so many fans. The BKA 1000n amp is very powerful too. The amp and buttkicker really does go down to 5 Hz, and output didn't seem to drop off until 7 Hz. It'd make a great subwoofer amp for the price I paid. Using one BK LFE, I ended up only having the volume 1/4 of the way and the high pass set to 110 Hz. Setting the high pass to 40 Hz resulted in unrealistic motion. I did have to add a 2x6 on the inside of my Palliser seat to mount the BK LFE, but it really worked well as the Palliser has a 3/4" plywood frame so I just used sheet rock screws into the 2x6. I definitely only need one of these per seat, and one amp can easily run two or more. The kits are well worth the $233 I paid (one time deal ), one of the cheapest and most worth while upgrades I've made. Not sure I'd pay the $599 retail, but used one's pop up on ebay for under $300. I don't think I'd recommend it for music, but for movie watching it can't be beat. It really does immerse you in the movie. 110% worth looking into if you have concrete floors where a sub can't shake your seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappydue Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 110% worth looking into if you have concrete floors where a sub can't shake your seat. MORE SUBWOOFERS!! lol glad you like them. they can be fun for sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 A sub can still shake your seat on concrete . You just need a little more spl. I do think there is a place for ButtKickers, especially if you don't want to use up more foot space and you want to feel the movie at lower volumes . Congrats on on the upgrade ect6849. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etc6849 Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Thanks guys! You're both right. I meant that you won't get as much shaking with a concrete floor (I know I worded this wrong). Sure the air's pressure wave from large subs will hit your chest and chair and provide vibration, especially with multiple 18" drivers. However, I think we can all agree you'd get even more tactile affect with wood floor joists that will flex versus cement (which is what I meant to say). I'm installing the second BK and amp tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 ect 6849, I believe that wood floor are huge advantage over concrete floors, I had the SS 18.1 upstairs for a short time. Once I told the wife that the SS 18.2 was a thought, she kicked me to the basement, lol. I would love to put a large vented sub on anothe SS 18.2 in the theater but, it will definetly be overkill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etc6849 Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 (edited) They don't have basements here, so my floors have joists which is probably why dual 12" RT-12d Klipsch subs works so well for me. They sound amazing and have two 12" passives on each which helps efficiency. I really can't fathom one putting that many 18" subs in my theater/FROG. I don't listen above 100 dB, so it would only be for tactile response if I did, but the BK kit really delivers and included an amp capable of 1000 watt/4 ohms or 2000 watt/2 ohms. I don't think a lot of amps do that down to 5 Hz, so the kit seems like a good deal (until the amp breaks or something). Edited March 7, 2014 by etc6849 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 That is a great amp. You know us Klipsch forumer's, not exceeds like excess, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etc6849 Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 Don't get me wrong, I'd so have four 18" subs too if I had the space Here's a review of the older amp version (BKA 1000-4). The -4 version had some issue where a bad batch of caps were used. The new version is 1000-n. http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_10_3/buttkicker-bka-1000-amplifier-9-2003.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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