Shakers - Simple/Cheap Hookup - Visual Guide - Page 28

What are you using to generate a tone for the LFE? Do you have a pic for that amp with the weird connections? (or is a pic available on the PE site?) The quiet noise could just be ...noise (not the actual signal), tough to tell. If you send it an 80Hz signal, the shaker should work... what about the crossover on your receiver?

The last time someone had this problem, he had tightened down the Tactiles so tight, they could not resonate. It could be that simple, and probably is since with one test a tone of some type was received.

Just a thought---He said he used the "R" input on the amp. If you run a mono cable from the sub out on your AVR dont some amps/subs have you use the left input for mono?

Ok, so I decided to pull the amp back out and try it again. Well I used those funny connectors on the back...they are called "insulated .250" female slip on connectors"...and this is supposed to be for the subwoofer connection. Well I just shoved the speaker wire in between the plastic surround the connectors and the metal and lo and behold it worked.

So the shaker does work, so then it has to be something about the way I have it setup. And I did try it both with a Y connector from my #1 sub pre out and the sub 2 pre out as well. I just dont understand what I am doing wrong.

Here is a link to the amp that I used:
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=300-784

So let me go over the way I had it hooked up again and somebody tell me where the kink is.

Subwoofer cable out to a Receiver's DVD R in. Then speaker wire out from the FR speaker terminals to the shaker. I have even tried two different receivers, on multiple inputs, and both L and R. I just dont see the problem.

Also my crossover is set at 60hz. I dont know if that matters, but somebody asked. My front speakers are also set to Large. Does that matter?

I just thought of something. Could the problem be that the shakers are 4 ohms and both my receivers only output 8ohms (honestly I have no idea what ohms are, but I think this is the problem). And if it is, do I just need to buy another one and run them in series to get it at 8 ohms?

A few more thoughts I had (I am in no way trying to insult your intelligence.. just trying to exhaust the possibilities I can think of):
- Subwoofer set to "On" in receiver (large shouldn't matter)
- Receiver is set to DVD (instead of Tuner, CD, Tape, etc)
- Use a Y-splitter if possible, just to eliminate that possibility (two RCAs into the old receiver), one into the sub out
- Adjust balance... (maybe it's all the way to the left?)

Your old receiver may have a circuit/switch built-in that won't drive a 4 ohm load, yes. Hook two in series and you'll get 8 ohms, just as you said. Another good troubleshooting thing to try.

Subwoofer is on, because I did get it to work, and also my sub is still working.

My receiver has only 2 inputs, and I kept switching back and forth, made sure it was on 2 channel stereo, switched between FR and FL speaker terminals as well as the DVD input.

I also tried the Y splitter in the first place. Why it would matter when the signal is mono and only going to one speaker output is past me? But I will try it again tonight.

We are moving and I just unhooked one of the receivers I was trying to use with the shakers anyway. I will check the balance, but I am pretty sure its ok.

Im still thinking it might have something to do with the ohms...any ideas about that?

Oh, and when you guys are asking what my Crossover is set at, are you talking about my Rotel receiver or my HTIB receiver (which I dont even think has a xover setting....it didnt even have a powered sub)?

so is there no way to make it into 8ohms? Could I take a satelite speaker that I know wont be able to play the low freq and just wire them in series (explain to me how to do that again) and then both will have 4 ohms and then the shaker will work, and as long as the sat doesnt make some crazy noise. I will buy another one...I just wanted to test it out. I will probably end up buying three, but thats crazy that you have to have atleast 2 to use with an 8ohm impedence receiver...

Hi,

I need some advise.

I'm building a home theatre and i was wondering ... what cables do i need going between the 7.1 amp to the Bass amp. Do i need to put the bass amp close to the "Shaken" area ?

So far i put a single RCA cable between the onlyo amp to the wall that would be adjacent to to coaches.


I saw some of the bass amps have a remote control.... do i need another cable going back from the bass amp to the console ?



HELP Sheet rockin very soon.

Yes, you can wire the other speaker in series to test things out. As you said, depending on the slope of your crossover, it may not make much sound at all.

All you need is an RCA from the 7.1 amp to the shaker amp. Then you need speaker wire to each shaker from the shaker amp (ideally, so you can hook them up whatever way you want later). The only advantage of the shaker amp close to the shakers is being able to use less speaker wire.

Did i understand correctnly from this thread that i can Y split the pre amp bass output to the stock bass speaker and to the shaker amp ?

If by stock bass speaker you mean a powered subwoofer, then yes. That is what most people are doing with their setups (including me).

Awesome,


Thanks a bunch :-p

Hmm sowwy another ques...

Which one of these should i use for the Aura Bass shaker?

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=300-794

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=300-796

Or this

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=300-793


Between the first 2 .. what exactly is a bass booster? Do i need it ?


Thanks.

I've got a stupid question. I just picked up 3 pair of shakers (1 for each set, total 6) & a PE 250W plate amp. With an odd number, will I be at 6 or 12 ohms at the Amp? Which is preferable, and how can I do it? On another note, should I mount the plate amp in some sort of box? I got the model with the remote.

I have a similar setup from Parts Express. You wire a pair of shakers in series for 8 ohms . . . do this three times. Then wire each of the three series in parallel, for a total of 2.667 ohms (8/3).

I'm not sure if your plate amp will handle a 2 ohm load, but Parts Express sells the AUdioSource AMP One/A which does. This was what their tech support recommended to me.

Lee

If it can't handle 2 ohms, then wire each pair of three in series (4+4+4 = 12 ohms), then wire them together in parallel, to get 6 ohms. That is probably how I would do it in this situation.

Once you do the math, that makes more sense . . . wonder why Parts Express advised the 2.667 ohm setup. I suppose it has to do with what wattage the amp will put out at 2.67 ohms versus 6 ohms.
Lee

Yes, it will put out more power at 2.67 ohms than 6 ohms, and is thus why they suggested it. If it can handle 2 ohms, then do the 2.67 ohms method, otherwise the 6 ohm method. Either way though, there will be plenty of power for 6 shakers.

Thanks for the reply's! I'm going the 6 ohm route. I need to build one of these as well.

Amp box

I posted this in a new thread in the Subwoofer forum but only got one response so I thought I would try here also. Sorry in advance if that is frowned upon but my shakers are coming today

I want to mount two Aura 25 watt shakers in a recliner.
I want to wire them in series(8 ohms) and run them to one channel of my old prologic receiver.

Here's the thing...there is nowhere to mount a cross member to mount the shakers to so they will be parallel to the ground.

There is however room to mount them on the inside of the sides of the recliner.(Perpendicular to the ground but opposing each other)
But...if my thinking is correct they may mechanically cancel each other out like two subwoofers in an IB cube manifold.

Could I reverse the positive and negative connections on one of the shakers so this pistons would be travelling in the same direction? (basically one going up as the other goes down instead of opposing each other)

edit: To clarify further, I would wire as follows:
Positive from amp to positive on shaker1, negative on shaker1 to NEGATIVE on shaker2, positive on shaker2 to negative on amp.
I am hoping this will be an 8 ohm load and cause the shaker pistons to move in opposite directions(inside the shakers).
Will this work like I am thinking? Would this damage the shakers?

I have read the entire sticky shaker thread and I don' t think this was covered.
Thanks for any input!

Dont think you can damage them its AC current anyway.

The only thing that would change is the phase.



But i'm not an expert :-p

I'm not sure if that would work.. it'd be interesting to try, though. I'd mount it and wire both ways and see which you like more. Possibly use an ohmmeter to ensure the correct load, etc.

Can you actually use a oem meter for those ?


I thought that since its AC the Z factor comes into play since its a solenoid.

Yes... you can do exactly as you said. There is no "positive" and "negative" on any speaker (or shaker), but instead a "polarity" that will move the cone/shaker in a specific direction. If you mount and wire the shakers are you described, no harm will come to them, they will shake in unison with their internal pistons moving in opposite directions, and the shaking forces will add rather than possibly cancel each other out. (because they are facing in opposite directions)

You will as you said get an 8 ohm load when connecting two 4 ohm shakers in series so your receiver will be happy too. (As happy as receivers can get, that is...)

Joe L.

All right!
Sounds like my evil plan for the bass shakers is going to work out.
Now if UPS just hasn't lost them...they were supposed to come yesterday.
I tracked them...the last time they were scanned was yesterday at 6am.
Maybe they are on the truck Dale Jarrett is driving!

Thanks for the input!
Now if I can get this IB decision worked out...but that's another thread...

and in the end...

Dale delivered my shakers while I was at work yesterday!

I unpacked and installed them while my girl was making dinner(somedays are diamonds!) and of course it was trickier than I expected due to a slight underestimating of the size of the shakers on my part and all the fun recliner mechanisms. Not to mention I have two different recliners so I had to have two different plans

But finally I have two recliners with two 25W Auras each...I pop in Jurassic Park...skip to the obligatory T. Rex chapter...the first step happens...the water in the glass on the screen shakes...but my chair doesn't.
Pause the DVD...turn up the shaker amp to 3/4 power...unpause...second step happens...

Felt like the dang thing stepped next to me!

These things are a blast! Thanks for all the input!
Oh, I did wire them up in series with one shaker's polarity reversed to avoid mechanical cancelling as discussed a couple of posts up. Works great.