ButtKicker BK-GR Gamer
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Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours (as of 6:16 PM CT - detail)
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- 90 watts at 4 ohms
- Wired remote control
- Mounting flanges for use with home theater seating
- Digital; fanless; 120v ONLY
- Pass-through outlet to daisy-chain multiple units
Product Description
For PC & Console Gaming and Digital Music-attaches to most center post chairs. Includes gamer, Gamer Amplifier and all wiring. 120V version, for North American use only.
Spotlight Customer Reviews:
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Summary:
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Buttkicker 2...Increase the realism
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Comment:
The Buttkicker Gamer 2 is an amazing product that took my flight simming to an all time high. This is a must have...Simply awesome.
Comment:
I got this as an early Fathers Day gift (one of the things I asked for), and I love it. Once I got it hooked up so that it works in all games. I have a Creative Sound Blaster | X-Fi Titanium Fatality Champion Series PCI Express sound card with 5.1 speakers and that seamed to give me problems at first when trying to connect to the sound card in the rear, so what I did was connect it to the Creative Front panel with the Headphones jack and everything seems to be working great. Now my son wants one after playing BF Bad Company 2 he has started to save his paychecks. I use it mainly for Racing Simulators so the ButtKicker combined with my G25 wheel it makes for a awesome experience.
One thing I did not like was the way that the Main output connected to the Amp, it really seamed like it was not the correct cable, but I read elsewhere that others had the same issue. Once plugging in no problems.
Also make sure that use the correct settings on the amp, so not to blow it up.
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Summary:
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Hopefully this is better than the original Gamer
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Comment:
This is more of a review of the original Buttkicker Gamer and the Guitammer company.
I purchased the original Buttkicker Gamer for my Roland VDrums (TDW-20) and connected it to the kick drum out. All I needed was a tiny tap when I played the kick drum. Even at this low level the amp started smoking after several uses.
I was sent a replacement promptly, but had moved on and couldn't try it out until the unit was out of warranty. When I finally set it up again I got several uses out of it, but it then smoked. Again.
I called Guitammer today and was offered a replacement amp of the Buttkicker II design for $100 - $9 less than the price for a complete new system! And $11 more than the cost when I purchased my system!
Looks like Guitammer knew about the problems with the original amp so designed a new one. There are lots of stories on the web about these original amps burning up.
Maybe the new amp doesn't have these problems, but this is just a little more background on the Guitammer company...
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Summary:
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Amplifier cable incorrect - company advised me to force it in...
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Comment:
Although I unpacked and inspected the ButtKicker soon after getting it in December 2009, I didn't setup it up until after the Amazon return window expired. While setting the unit up I noticed the male cable connector that leads from the solenoid shaker to the amplifier/power supply did not fit. The two male banana jack type prongs where closer together than the female receptor on the amp. The difference in span is about a quarter inch. I contacted the company about this and was told the cable was the correct design and that I was expected to force the connection. Well I know from experience spreading the two prongs that distance would likely result in a failure in the long run. I was also advised that using an adapter would void the warranty. The email exchange follows - take from it what you will:
Me:
I recently unpacked and installed the device and the cable connecting the "thumper attached to the chair" to the amplifier is incorrect.
The two male "banana" plugs that plug into the female receptor on the amplifier are too close together to fit into the amplifier.
How may I obtain the correct cable?
Reply:
That is the intended connector.
You may go ahead and safely insert the pins spreading them to go into the binding post.
Me:
Thank you for the prompt reply.
Frankly I find it difficult to believe this is the "intended" connector.
Forcing the connector will cause it to fail prematurely.
I have already made an appropriate adapter for my own use.
Reply:
We have many thousands of that product in use around the world and the only problem has been when a customer made his own 'adaptor' and blew the amplifier. We cannot warranty the product when 'adaptors' are made rather than using as intended and instructed.
Me:
Thank you.
My adapter consists of a pair each of male and female banana plugs from Radio Shack and two short lengths of 12 gauge wire. It cost me $8, works well, but looks homemade.
The ButtKicker is attached to the bottom of my Playseat Evolution racing seat and plugged into my Xbox 360. Combined with a Turtle Beach X31 headset and the Forza 3 racing game it's a fun setup. While I wasn't thrilled with the response from the company I'm still happy with way the product works. However when the times arrives to replace and upgrade I'll be looking elsewhere, and I would not recommend the ButtKicker to a friend.
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Summary:
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It does what they say it does...but probably not to the extent that you would think
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Comment:
Bought this for two reasons.
1. Add immersion to games and movies...feeling explosions and the "rumble" sounded cool and it seemed like it would add some depth to game play and watching movies.
2. Because I have a Creative Megaworks S-750 7.1 surround system, the sub can get quite loud and make a lot of vibration in its own right...which is OK if its early in the day and no one is home and I can play the system loudly. However, when at night and there are people home this isnt an option. So, thinking that this thing basically makes it feel like your sitting on a high powered subwoofer I figured that I could use this with headphones or with my subwoofer turned all the way down and still get that "thump" from my games, movies, music, etc.
For these two reason it works...to an extent. First thing to mention is that this product, although works as explained, will not shake your socks off. It has a good impact but nothing like what is described in reviews here and elsewhere...it just doesn't have it in it. And if you do turn it up to the point that it could shake your socks off your office chair and the device itself make so much noise that its impossible to use unless you have the best noise canceling headphones out there and no one around that would be bugged by it...and when I say it gets loud it gets LOUD...so much that I actually returned it and got a new one thinking it was broken...sadly it wasnt and the new one does it as well. Like I said, it works, but not as well as you would expect based on reviews, I honestly dont know what these people are talking about.
Also, because the amp that comes with it is essentially a subwoofer amp I find myself constantly adjusting the settings for the different media that I play on my computer (games, music, movies). This is because what settings work for music doesnt produce the impact that you need for games...what settings you have for games may be too strong for movies and has to be adjusted again or the unit makes noise (like a speaker bottoming out...metal on metal). Because of this, and the fact that I change media sources a lot, like playing a game, then listening to music, then watching some TV on my PC it feels like Im always having to adjust the frequency response, cut-off, volume, etc...it gets quite old and tedious and I have found myself not even using the device because of this...too much work for too little payout!
Another problem and a WARNING TO ALL!!! is to make sure once you have it attached that you make sure not to turn your chair more than 180 degrees...meaning that if you get up a lot and all make sure the wire doesnt get wrapped around the post of your chair...mine did this and sadly it went unnoticed for about a day and after fixing it the wire was VERY BADLY FRAYED and had about a 2 inch length of exposed wire. This of course is completely my fault but I cant see it being a uncommon problem among those that may do this accidently.
The actual hardware is very well built however. The actual "buttkicking" device is nothing but solid aluminum and steel. I did notice, with my unit at least, is that the knob for tightening the screw is loose and can only be tightened so much before the knob "slips" and cant be made tighter...I feel this is a problem and not normal as the unit I had before (that I returned thinking it was broken) did not have this issue and was able to get quite a bit more tightness from it. The amp is solid and completely silent...definitely acceptable and well built, actually amazing they can sell this for so cheap.
Over all I would say that if you are looking for a good bit of kick...but not BUTTKICKING kick...and you don't mind constantly having to adjust settings and can watch the cable and make sure you don't tear it, then this is for you. If you are looking for something to rock your socks (as I feel this product has been described as being capable of) and dont like having to constantly adjust settings, LOOK ELSEWHERE! I mean, if you read anything I wrote above as negatives and didnt like what you read you most likely will not be happy with this device...well I wouldnt say UNHAPPY...but definitely not fulfilled and may feel like you didnt get your moneys worth.
TO WRAP IT UP AND SUMMARIZE...Over all its a good product, just OVER HYPED in my opinion. It does what it supposed to although not at the level of awesomeness you would think and would come to expect from reading reviews. You have to constantly make adjustments to the amp for each media type: music, games, movies, etc. Believe me this is necessary! Turning it up to the point of "buttkicking" makes the unit VERY loud and unusable without headphones, plus annoying everyone around you cause of the noise it makes (and believe me, its NOT my chair). Make sure to be careful with the main cord...it is thick and strong but appears, at least in my case, to be very easy to damage if not strapped to the chair leg.
I dont know, I want to leave a good review cause it works...but just all the problems Im having with it and all the work needed to make it "work" just isn't worth it to me...like I said, currently I'm not even using it anymore because of the problems above. BUY AT YOUR OWN RISK!!! And believe me, if you were to ship it back because you dont like it, expect to spend about $25 even for the slowest cheapest way possible to send.
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