EDIT - PEER TESTING COMPLETE.
RESULTS STARTING ON POST 50
I purchased a ButtKicker mini LFE and a Clark Synthesis TST209. They should arrive next week. I'm going to demo them out using a Inuke DSP 3000 amp and see which style I prefer.
The Inuke DSP3000 amp should be ideal for this job for several reasons:
1) voltage signal limitations -- I can set through the DSP the max 'volume' if you will or max voltage output by the amp regardless of the input - this will help prevent over driving the transducers
2) I can set a HPF and a LPF both respectively to ensure I get the feel I"m looking for. At the current I'm thinking 20hz bottom through 50hz top --- but of course I'll play with these settings and see what I like best.
Why did I pick these two units to demo?
I recently experienced a Clark Synthesis TST209 at nebrunner's home in the Omaha home theater tour and liked it. I've spend the last couple weeks casually researching these transducers and thought I'd like to compare a couple models to see what I'd like to implement in my own theater.
After reading multiple articles and google searching for all things transducer related. I found a knowledgable expert on another forum by the handle of Mr. Latte.
According to Mr. Latte - these are the two best transducers for the money (buttkicker mini LFE, and Clark Synthesis TST209) at least for a single chair solution.
http://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=198159
Mr. Latte appears to have some pretty solid experience with transducers, and has written many reviews for the simulation gaming crowd, including teardowns with pictures. Here is one example
http://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=266268
I purchased some rubber isolation feet from parts express for stupid cheap.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=260-772
These feet are a direct alternative to these clark feet - and are the same size and look but at 1/5 the price.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=300-876
Here is another alternative set of isolation feet that a friend, avsforum member carp, found:
http://www.amazon.com/Auralex-UBFF-Acoustic-U-Boat-Floater/dp/B0002IL6ZS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8
I was considering throwing a $50 Aura bass shaker unit in the comparison - but in reality I probably won't be very interested in it when compared to these two more expensive models. I'm looking to potentially add some tactile feel on my basement concrete slab without gunning the captivator pair towards reference volumes. What I don't want to experience with these shakers is unnatural, out of time, one note bass feel, or ridiculous visual impairing shaking. I am looking for a natural complimentary effect to my already quite tactile Captivator Pros.
Stay tuned for feedback...
If you have any other transducers you think I should definitely add to the mix - please let me know.
RESULTS STARTING ON POST 50
I purchased a ButtKicker mini LFE and a Clark Synthesis TST209. They should arrive next week. I'm going to demo them out using a Inuke DSP 3000 amp and see which style I prefer.
The Inuke DSP3000 amp should be ideal for this job for several reasons:
1) voltage signal limitations -- I can set through the DSP the max 'volume' if you will or max voltage output by the amp regardless of the input - this will help prevent over driving the transducers
2) I can set a HPF and a LPF both respectively to ensure I get the feel I"m looking for. At the current I'm thinking 20hz bottom through 50hz top --- but of course I'll play with these settings and see what I like best.
Why did I pick these two units to demo?
I recently experienced a Clark Synthesis TST209 at nebrunner's home in the Omaha home theater tour and liked it. I've spend the last couple weeks casually researching these transducers and thought I'd like to compare a couple models to see what I'd like to implement in my own theater.
After reading multiple articles and google searching for all things transducer related. I found a knowledgable expert on another forum by the handle of Mr. Latte.
According to Mr. Latte - these are the two best transducers for the money (buttkicker mini LFE, and Clark Synthesis TST209) at least for a single chair solution.
http://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=198159
Mr. Latte appears to have some pretty solid experience with transducers, and has written many reviews for the simulation gaming crowd, including teardowns with pictures. Here is one example
http://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=266268
I purchased some rubber isolation feet from parts express for stupid cheap.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=260-772
These feet are a direct alternative to these clark feet - and are the same size and look but at 1/5 the price.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=300-876
Here is another alternative set of isolation feet that a friend, avsforum member carp, found:
http://www.amazon.com/Auralex-UBFF-Acoustic-U-Boat-Floater/dp/B0002IL6ZS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8
I was considering throwing a $50 Aura bass shaker unit in the comparison - but in reality I probably won't be very interested in it when compared to these two more expensive models. I'm looking to potentially add some tactile feel on my basement concrete slab without gunning the captivator pair towards reference volumes. What I don't want to experience with these shakers is unnatural, out of time, one note bass feel, or ridiculous visual impairing shaking. I am looking for a natural complimentary effect to my already quite tactile Captivator Pros.
Stay tuned for feedback...
If you have any other transducers you think I should definitely add to the mix - please let me know.