How would I integrate transducers (butt shakers) into my system

[jtvang125]

I have a Denon 2310ci in a 5.1 setup fed by my HTPC over HDMI. I want full power going to all my speakers so I do not want to tap into any of those channels. I do have a JVC 5.1 receiver laying around but I'm not sure how to pass a stereo signal to it to power the butt shakers. Any ideas?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Split the subwoofer pre-out on the denon.

How many transducers do you want to power? Depending on the number of transducers and the impedence rating, you might want to drive them with either one or two channels (or more I suppose) on the JVC.

What you might want to do is split the Denon subwoofer preout so one goes to the subwoofer and the other line gets split again. You now have two additional subwoofer signals coming out of the receiver. Attach those to a stereo input on the JVC. Set the JVC to large speakers (full range signal sent out to amps) and attach the bass shakers (keeping in mind presenting an 8-ohm load) to the Front Right and Front Left speaker outputs.

You may want to give the transducers just the lowest frequencies if they're too active with the crossover you set for the pre-out optimized for the subwoofer. I use a couple of 50Hz low pass filters in line with the signals going to my bass shakers.

 

[sivart]

Like was said above. I tried with an old Sony 5.1 receiver and it didn't do the job. I ended up buying a 2 channel dedicated amp for the "bass shakers" I have 2 stereo TES-100's under the couch. Nice that the couch just sits directly on them.

 

[3chordcharlie]

I set mine up with an amp out of a damaged subwoofer.

It has a built in crossover, auto on/off, level control, all for about $30 on Craigslist/kijiji/ebay (I actually got mine in a real store though).

Edit - I'd imagine some of the better subs don't have nicely sealed 'amplifier units' that come out with six screws and remains intact, and even somewhat 'presentable'. Some of the really cheap ones don't have crossovers, and you definitely want one of those.

 

[sdifox]

I set mine up with an amp out of a damaged subwoofer.

It has a built in crossover, auto on/off, level control, all for about $30 on Craigslist/kijiji/ebay (I actually got mine in a real store though).

Edit - I'd imagine some of the better subs don't have nicely sealed 'amplifier units' that come out with six screws and remains intact, and even somewhat 'presentable'. Some of the really cheap ones don't have crossovers, and you definitely want one of those.

plate amps are fairly common on subs

 

[alfa147x]

plate amps are fairly common on subs

why is that?

 

[ericlp]

Yup, transducers are passive and if you want that 500lbs of lift, your gonna need another amp to power it. Just go to ebay and buy a pile or gold whatever car rack mount amp, usually they all have frequency pots that can adjust. So... just hook the receivers low effect rca jack into the amp and your good to go, I'd suggest like 200+ amp. maybe find a good 500 watt tho, if you can find 1000 watt cheap enough that's a good option to go with and quality doesn't really matter it's not like your listening to this thing.

If you want the full effect of your transducer, go with I higher watt amp.

http://www.amazon.com/Pyramid-XPA36...?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1260726388&sr=1-16

Maybe go with something like that... Just don't burn them up... If your couch is bouncing a few feet off the ground turn it down a little! Try to put the amp close to the transducer less speaker wire. If it were me I'd probably put the amp behind the couch, then you only have to run one long sub RCA cable to it. Make sure you run at least 12 and preferably 10 gauge wire. It doesn't have to be speaker wire, just copper wire.

 

[sivart]

I have a 300W RMS amp hooked up to mine and it works well. I can set the Harmony 880 (with a built in tilt sensor on the backlight) next to me on the couch and when something explodes, it move the couch enough to "tilt the sensor" and turn on the remote's backlight

 

[3chordcharlie]

why is that?

Because it makes them modular, the manufacturer just builds an amp with a hole the size of the pre-made amp.

I'm not too up on my high-end subs, so I assumed better ones would have different amps, but maybe I'm wrong. Like I said, a lot of really cheap subs have no crossover built in (or maybe a fixed one), and I found the shakers terribly distracting without a crossover set to 50-60hz. Since the crossover on my system is more like 80-90hz, which is the usual setting f you have decent bookshelf speakers, I needed another one. Otherwise every time Morgan Freeman talks, I feel it in my ass, and really, he's a little old to be doing that to me.

My shakers are little Aura units, and don't need (or even accept) much power; I think 25 or 50 watts each.

Now that I see the system the OP is talking about, he needs a bigger amp than what a cheap sub is going to have.