why are tactile transducers ignored here?

[VietnamRadioEnjoyer]

basically the title. stuff like subpac, woojer vest, bass-shakers are not talked about in this forum as much.

Is there some kind of inherent flaw to the technology or are they ignored because of their gimmicky nature?

 

[Vincent Kars]

This forum is about audio, not about massage.

 

[jhwalker]

This forum is about audio, not about massage.

I like the idea of transducers, but don't have them. Also, not sure how they'd be MEASURED, which is key to this site.

 

[Jimbob54]

This forum is about audio, not about massage.

Audio Sex Toy Review

 

[Rednaxela]

Have you used the search function? I get 20 pages of hits on shaker.

That's not what I would call 'ignoring'.

 

[DVDdoug]

They are probably more common with gamers & car "audio" but if you have a comment or question it should be OK to discuss it here.

...They aren't "high fidelity" because high-fidelity is about accurately reproducing the recording. But they can be an "enhancement", or a substitute for a woofer/subwoofer if you don't want to bother other people.

 

[fpitas]

They are probably more common with gamers & car "audio" but if you have a comment or question it should be OK to discuss it here.

I don't think the concept of high fidelity bass shakers even exists.

 

[ryanosaur]

A lot of folk in the HT crowd are all about them. ...For the TR that is difficult to get without big Subs taking up space.

Thing is, if you look at the poll that just ran, metrics indicate quite clearly that a very strong majority of users here are 2-channelists (with or without Sub(s)).

I've never heard of a Stereo setup with Crowsons!

 

[mhardy6647]

Not quite the same thing, but y'all probably know there is (or was?) a fad of sorts in using similar gizmos to 'build' loudspeakers using things like suspension ceiling "tiles". I guess they call them exciters*. Those might be interesting to evaluate.

This sort of thing, you know?

Home

Discover concealable, universal speaker solutions with tactile exciters that reproduce sound through almost any rigid surface you can apply them to.

www.parts-express.com

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* which makes them sound like something that are kept behind the counter at one's local pharmacy (or chemist, depending on your locale).

 

[fpitas]

Not quite the same thing, but y'all probably know there is (or was?) a fad of sorts in using similar gizmos to 'build' loudspeakers using things like suspension ceiling "tiles". I guess they call them exciters*. Those might be interesting to evaluate.

This sort of thing, you know?

Home

Discover concealable, universal speaker solutions with tactile exciters that reproduce sound through almost any rigid surface you can apply them to.

www.parts-express.com

_______________
* which makes them sound like something that are kept behind the counter at one's local pharmacy (or chemist, depending on your locale).

I'll admit I didn't keep up, but from what I recall the panel break-up modes were...significant.

 

[CedarX]

There are these Headphones / IEMs with "haptic" drivers that have been around for quite some time: the OG Skullcandy Crusher had one of these "80Hz generator". On the IEM side, TRN and CVJ (sister brands?) have recently introduced models with these "vibrating units": I have a $15-20 CVJ Konoka IEM with one of these drivers. It for sure rattles (even in its box, you can hear it when you shake it gently!!!). It has a micro-switch where you can engage/disengage the "vibrator"... With the vibrator, it's absolutely unlistenable IMO... but EQ'ed, this might be something to explore! (Yes, I'm talking about audio...).

I think I recall reading reviews about a "neck haptic" device from ??? Another way to "complement" headphones?

 

[Kvalsvoll]

basically the title. stuff like subpac, woojer vest, bass-shakers are not talked about in this forum as much.

Is there some kind of inherent flaw to the technology or are they ignored because of their gimmicky nature?

Don't believe they are ignored, just not relevant for music.

Especially for music, vibration from floor, seating is negative to the experience, it is not the same as tactile feel from sound waves.

 

[JeffS7444]

There's no handy way to conceal the transducers or wiring on furniture like my knockoff Eames lounge chair.

 

[VietnamRadioEnjoyer]

Don't believe they are ignored, just not relevant for music.

Especially for music, vibration from floor, seating is negative to the experience, it is not the same as tactile feel from sound waves.

so all the claims about using them for music production & monitoring is nonsense? subpac even advertises it for that purpose and has a list of music producers that they claim use subpac

 

[nerdemoji]

Found this amazing invention on Discord. “Body Jewelry”

 

[JPA]

I had Buttkickers in my last home theater. I started with the normal subwoofer-out -> amp -> Buttkicker connections and found them to be very distracting and annoying. There were a few problems:
1) Running them up to 80Hz is a mistake. At that frequency it's more of a vibration than a shake. I had to lower the crossover to, I think, 30Hz.
2) There's not much content below 30Hz, so I used a subharmonic synthesizer to create some. I used only its output, and none of the original. Using only frequencies from 5Hz-15Hz was a big improvement.
3) Then of course there's futzing with the levels and timing without any tools but your butt to guide you.

So, I consider them to be pretty gimmicky without a lot of tuning and adjustments. I won't be putting them into my next theater. Other people would probably disagree with me.

 

[Rednaxela]

View attachment 341223
Found this amazing invention on Discord. “Body Jewelry”

I take it we can’t send one in for @amirm to test?

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I think with headphones they make sense. As for accuracy, IDK what that even means in this context. I use a Subpac, turn it low enough that it barely registers, and, I think, it at least approximates what a room with a powerful subwoofer does, which is to say, add some tactile feel to the bass.

 

[Rick Sykora]

Our recent ASR survey indicates members are predominantly stereo listeners.

Aside from maybe gamers, pretty sure not many are willing to split off signal and add amplification for tactile transducers. Certainly unlikely to just slap them on as additional speaker load.

 

[ryanosaur]

so all the claims about using them for music production & monitoring is nonsense? subpac even advertises it for that purpose and has a list of music producers that they claim use subpac

This would surprise me. A lot. Not saying it isn't done... it's been probably 25 years since I was in a Studio, recording. But what would be the purpose when most of the time, like Subs, the frequencies they reproduce are often overdone and abused.
The best engineers are looking at accuracy, first, I would hope... and not using tools that most people don't have access to in bass shakers that don't actually affect the SQ. Taken to another extreme, it's been speculated by some that a lot of low frequency content such as the EOT 10Hz square wave is accidental.
For Pop recordings like the old Cowboy Junkies Trinity Sessions where there is some really interesting ambient effect that is revealed with a good Subwoofer, again... that certainly wasn't the intent of the engineer: hell, I'd be surprised if they knew that LF information was there!