Mini Buttkicker Vs LFE

I have.

While the buttkicker LFEs are more powerful, I found that the mini buttkickers are quite efficient and could literally move the chair

Everything is relative though...

Agreed. I find the Minis to be every bit as responsive and "punchy". They just don't quite shake the paint off my walls like my full-sized LFEs. The Minis are definitely worth the money!

Roman,

How would you rate the mini LFE vs. the mini Concert? Is there an appreciable difference? I'm leaning towards the LFE since my theater is mainly used for movies, but I do throw on the odd music track now and then.

Thanks,
Jeff

Jeff,

Mini and mini concerts are the same transducers. The only difference is in impedance - the minis are 4 Ohms, and the mini Concerts are 2 ohm (were designed for the drummer's seats).

Roman,

Maybe I am misunderstanding. According to this picture, there are two varieties of mini.. the LFE and the Concert.

http://www.thebuttkicker.com/MINI_home.html

Does that help clarify my question any more?

Regs,
Jeff

Yes, there are, and the differences I described - IMPEDANCE - that is the only difference.

Oh, there is another one - the color. Sometimes they paint them blue, sometimes red

LOL. Fair enough. Thanks!

Regs,
Jeff

What type of buttkicker is installed in the Berkline #45003?
The mini or the LFE?

BK-LFEs

Roman,

What do you recommend for the 45004's? I was thinking of going with the Minis, but would consider the LFE as well if you think its worthwhile. I know where the LFE would likely mount in my chairs, but where does the mini go? Same place?

Craig,

The Berkline uses mini buttkickers. They say that there is not enough space for the BK-LFEs, but I know some AVSForum folks were able to install the BK-LFEs in their 088s, so I do not think there should be a problem with the 45004 either. You want to make sure that there is anough clearance for the reclining mechanism, so it is not hitting the buttkicker .

The mini-buttkickers are usually mounted on the back wooden rail - just screwed into that.

Anyone have any links or photos of the full-size LFE's installed in one of the smaller Berkline chairs? Or for that matter, any non-Berkline chair? I, too, have heard of some AVS'ers that have made it happen.

bump!

I would also like to get more info.
I got 45004 and 090 and would like to go with only one flavor of BK.... I was told from a very knowledge source that mixing of mini and LFE BK will cause trouble, due to the difference electrical characteristics.
____
Axel

Axel,

I will not cause trouble, but the load will not be equal, so tuning would be hard, and it will almost be impossible to make it even bewtween different style chairs.

Roman;
Thanks for your clarification. Appreciated!


So the questions remains how well LFEs fit in smaller chairs, e.g. 45004. Anybody tried it yet??
____
Axel

Axel,

I have seen some folks retrofitted the BK-LFEs into the 088s, so I would assume you could do it with the 45004s as well. Try searching the forum...

Another option is using mini-buttkickers in all of the chairs. While they called mini they are pretty effective.

Yep mixing and matching full sized LFEs and the minis off of the same Buttkicker amplifier will not necessarily yield problems, the minis would run at their full potential but given the power load running off of the same amp, the full sized Buttkickers will not be running at their max potential. So mixing and matching will work, the minis will run full power, the full sized kickers will be hardly breaking a sweat.

Either upgrading the 086, 088 and 45004 to full sized LFEs has been done but this would be DIY, not a factory option available from Berkline directly. Same goes for downgrading the full sized chairs to mini Buttkickers, this can also be done but again DIY. Hope this helps.

I wish Berkline would make the minis available on all their chairs, more than enough power to add that extra dimension members are seeking to the theatre experience and much cheaper to boot.

Hate to dig up old threads, but would these be just as good as subwoofers? Like if I attached one each to a seat in a car? Just wondering, was thinking it would be nice to get some effect like a subwoofer, but without taking up space in the trunk or anywhere else. Thanks for any info, I've kind of read around a little, but I haven't gotten to personally "feel" these things in action. I was looking at the minis though.

Bass shakers and other transducers are used all the time in cars for this very purpose.

For HT applications, they should be used in addition to a sub woofer... I would never use them instead of.

I agree. While BK or transducers add nicely to the overall LFE experience, they are no substitution when in comes to feeling the low frequencies and the compressed air pounding against chest and forehead .
____
Axel

Bump for additional feedback? Anyone compared the Buttkicker mini LFE to say the Clark Synthesis 209?

As an aside, I called Buttkicker the other day and asked the OPs question straight out. They said that the Minis are recommended over the LFEs for single chair installations as the Minis have more than enough juice to move the chairs.

My 4 Minis arrive today.

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Cool thanks Rob.


My clencher to buy my four was 1) price -- they are only $65 at amazon right now through a partner vendor, and 2) I found out that the mini lfe is what Berkline used in their recliners for tactile transducers and that they install real easy.

Just to be sure I'm getting something I like though I'm buying a single Clark Synthesis TST209 to compare the Buttkicker mini lfe's to, and also a buddy is going to bring over his aura bass shaker units as a third comparison.

Mine should arrive this week!

Here is our thread.
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1438696/a-comparison-of-two-transducers-buttkicker-mini-lfe-vs-clark-synthesis-tst209/0_20

Just to clarify - the Berkline used the mini-buttkickers only on their small footprint models like 45004. On the rest they used BK-LFEs, which IMHO were an overkill, and the best application for those would be "in-riser/platform installation". I find that the advanced BK4-4s are probably the best solution for "in-chair" installation. The mini-buttkickers are quite effective as well. The main difference would be - they go down to 10 Hz, while the advanced BK4-4s and BK-LFEs are able to reproduce the frequencies up to 5 Hz, and the advanced ones will give a bit better impact since they are more powerful.