Ok, Ive read several different posts but still not found a good answer to this, so lets try to just put it plain and simple.

Should I build an IB for my theater or use butt thumpers? Or would both together be even better or plain overkill.

Let me hear your opinions.

thanks,
Chad

Those are two COMPLETELY different animals. I don't understand the comparison you are making.

An IB is a complete subwoofer system. People that go to the trouble of building an IB subwoofer usually end up with something that can outperform many of the available standard in-room subwoofers.

Buttkickers CAN be used alone but they are usually used along with a subwoofer to provide an additional tactile stimulus.

Buttkickers alone are not really any comparison at all to an IB subwoofer. That's like comparing a roller skate to a Mack truck.

I have an IB, it doesn't rattle your seat like a shaker/kicker. I've also tried a few shakers like the Clarkson and buttkicker. Personally I just find them distracting and kinda the same vibration for everything.

If this is for music and movies, IB all the way. If it were me, I'd probably go with IB anyways. "Butt thumpers" seem too gimmicky to me.

a real buttkicker tuned to only below 20Hz....IB array with 30 Liters of displacement and 2000Watts. One amazing experience!!

I have the IB array, I do not have the buttkicker. The IB array just gives you incredible SQ, SPL and you can FEEL the compression during heavy bass scenes...it does not shake your chair....it will shake your whole house. You will hear it everywhere, your whole neighborhood will hear it, your dog will hide in the shower....should I go on?