ButtkickerAdvance BK4-4 4-Ohms Low Frequency Transducer

I just did a comprehensive test on BK transducers for a sim rig setup. I tested the Gamer 2, mini LFE, Advance, and full size LFE. The gamer and minis give good feedback and add a lot of immersion, and the LFE really puts out the low end, but these are by far my overall favorite for feedback. These just give more of everything than the minis, and the larger LFE actually struggled with providing detail over 50hz.I ended up going with these for a 4-corners setup, plus an LFE for filling out the low end. Nothing compares to the LFE at 45hz and under, it's like comparing an 8 inch subwoofer to an 18 inch one. These did have a 5db peak in the 55-60hz range on my rig, and removing it with eq made them so much better. I used quite a bit of eq evening out the low end below 30hz as well, but fixing that 55-60hz peak was a game changer.I'd highly recommend getting a miniDSP unit for the parametric eq, it's *very* worthwhile to smooth out frequency response. I got the 10x10 HD since I needed 5 outs, but a miniDSP 2x4 HD should work for a single or dual transducer setup and runs around $200. 100% worth it. I'm pretty sure you could use the digital ins to get a 4 channel setup working on the 2x4 HD as well since it has 4 analog outs, but am not sure on that. Their manuals are good so it should be easy to figure out.These are power-hungry. I needed to use class D amps since I only have a single 20AMP breaker feeding electricity to the room where they are installed, and ended up needing 500 watts RMS per channel to get the most out of them. I started with 350 watts and it wasn't enough for what I wanted out of them. I'm guessing you could get by with less power with a class AB amp though.Update: I had some important findings with mounts that are worth mentioning. I found a lot of advice online saying that a mount that has some flex adds efficiency, but found the complete opposite to be the case with an 80/20 rig. The firmer the better. I used 3/8” aluminum plate to mount these and 1” plate for the LFE. With a rock-solid mount I could really turn up the volume without clipping.I tried cantilevering one end of mounts to leave some flex as an experiment. It makes them bottom out at low volume and not perform well at all. Even with a firm mount some locations just didn’t work great. If the performance doesn’t impress, then make sure to experiment with mounting. Also make sure they are in a vertical orientation (so the top of the unit is either facing directly up or down). I’m convinced that most people who complain about these bottoming out and/or feeling underwhelming have them mounted incorrectly.One more update on integrating an LFE with these. Running the LFE in parallel led to some phase problems where it would cancel out the feedback at times. It was really inconsistent, sometimes ok and sometimes a problem. Running the LFE at half the frequency of the corners worked like a charm. So for example if tire slide was at 50hz on the corners and at 25hz on the LFE it made everything come together.

After trying a butt kicker mini and being very disappointed with its performance (it can not in fact handle anywhere near 200 watts at 5hz) this step up was just what I was looking for. Can handle the lower hz more easily though it still bottoms out at around 100 watts at 10hz or so.

I went to my friend’s house and experienced the BK Advanced. I loved it so much that I started researching tactile transducers to see if there are other options that maybe cheaper and provide similar experience.My research started with the AuraSound AST-2B-4 Pro Bass Shaker, Reckhorn Bs-200 Bass Shaker, and Buttkicker (BK) Mini Tactile Transducers. I settled with the Reckhorn because it is twice the power of the AuraSound and it was the same price as the AuraSound. Also the Reckhorn was less than half the price of the BK Minis. I installed 2 Reckhorns on the bottom of my theater chairs. It was ok, but it wasn’t impressive. Then I ordered 2 BK Minis and did the same. I initially used a Crown XLS1000 Amp, but it did not do the trick. I ended up getting the ButtKicker BKA1000-N Power Amplifier and wired in the BK minis and Reckhorns. I had it for 1 week to test them out. Both transducers gave decent shakes, but it was nowhere close to the power of the Advanced. The Minis provided a more powerful shake when it hits the real low frequencies then the Reckhorn (shake only at low frequency), but the Reckhorn provided a more smoother shake transition from mid to low frequencies (shakes varies between frequencies). Neither one was comparable to by Friend's Advance experience. I ended up returning the Minis and went for the BK Advanced. They are a lot more powerful and provide a whole body shake compare to the Reckhorns and Minis, which provide more of a butt shake.If you are new to tactile transducers and want to try a good unit, I would recommend the Reckhorn because it is a good bang for the buck. BUT, if you have the money, and want the ultimate 4D experience, there is no doubt that the Advance BK4-4-4 is going to be the best. I have bought 2 and I plan to buy 2 more in the months to come.

This is great as-is, but would definitely benefit from EQ fine-tuning based on case-by-case usage. Meaning, you might want a different gaming profile from your music/movie listening profile. The amp I use this with has a LPF, so I just adjust that for my preferences, and that's enough for me. More discerning ears might want to get (probably already have) a quality EQ program to dial in the performance.On a technical note, it's worth mentioning that the claimed frequency response for this goes down to 5hz, and while that's below hearing range, you will feel the difference with this device. Most amps (including the one I'm using) only go down to 20hz, which is probably enough for most people, but again, discerning ears might want to spend a little more on an amp that accommodates the extended frequency response. An example where this difference would be felt would be in explosions/action scenes, engine notes, and gaming impacts.