Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 6-10 of 24
 You need a receiver with a subwoofer channel April 4, 2009
Chad Herrella (Los Angeles, CA)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
If you want to enjoy this product you need a multichannel receiver. You have to connect it to the subwoofer output or else it will start humming during dialogue (if you use only left and right channels).
Pros:
-Powerful
-Fast response
-Perfect add-on to an existing subwoofer instead of buying a more expensive sub
-can really play audio at low levels and maintain the deep low vibrations
-Wireless works perfectly, no disadvantages with wireless.
-Big transducer
-Has a standby mode which switches off the amp until it receive a signal.
-Remote control
-Includes adapters
Cons
-No display on amp that shows the volume level.
-Bottoms out if you set the amp level too high (when set very high the vibrations are almost always happening during the movie and become more of an annoyance). It is also a good thing because it tells you the transducer is reaching it's limit. (early warning).
-Any frequency above subwoofer frequency should be avoided(which is why you need a multichannel receiver with subwoofer output). The preset EQs like "music" and "game" won't help.
-parents made me transfer the buttkicker kit to the family room. I should have not let them try it. Now they are watching their movie collection all over again.
UPDATE: After using it for 3 days, I noticed static coming from within the transducer. I only noticed it when I was using it during the night. I lowered the volume of my receiver and I can hear that noise. I emailed guitammer and sent them a wav file of the noise I'm hearing. I hope they can fix it. If they can it would be perfect. It really transformed my HT setup.
UPDATE #2:
called amazon representative. told them that my problem and that i did some troubleshooting with the guitammer technician but was told it was defective.
amazon rep immediately sent me a replacement. Awesome!!! He told me to print out the RMA form and return shipping label and drop the defective unit at my nearest ups store within 30 days. Never thought it would be that easy. The best online service I have ever experienced!
My new unit was excellent. No more loose metal parts or internal rattling.
I am now more careful and feel that it is crucial to NEVER EVER bottom out the buttkicker.
UPDATE #3: deleted
UPDATE #4: better method to prevent damaging buttkicker
make sure buttkicker amp is at its lowest level. (everytime you unplug buttkicker amp it will reset its volume level. so before you play anything, lower the level). also make sure you pressed the "movie" mode on the buttkicker remote.
also make sure subwoofer is turned off/disconnected.
You can use the test tone that is built-in to your receiver. it should be found in the receiver's setup.
You can also use the AVIA home theater guide DVD. go to advanced avia section. choose subwoofer setup. play subwoofer level, left-front. (if you can disconnect the left speaker it would be better because this test will alternate between left front speaker and subwoofer). Also make sure your speaker size are set as "SMALL" in your receiver's setup.
With your hand on the buttkicker transducer, play the test tone for the subwoofer, adjust the buttkicker amp level until the transducer stops vibrating. If you don't feel any vibrations, increase the buttkickers amp level until the transducer starts vibrating and use the remote to decrease the level step by step until the vibrations disappear. (you may have to wait a few seconds to make sure there are no more vibrations)
With your hand on the transducer, you will feel faint vibrations...lower the level at the point where the vibrations dissappear.
(don't forget to turn your subwoofer back on)
Now back to some buttkicking sessions with the rest of my movie collections
 ButtKicker BKA300 Wireless??? March 29, 2009
Loveguitar (Georgia, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I am not super-thrilled with the buttkicker. Set-up was difficult because the instructions are not as clear as they should be and are very different from the instructions given on the buttkicker website. A simple parts list is not included. Setting it up underneath the couch was fairly painless, but getting the amplifier to get a signal from the processor would not occur unless it was hard-wired. The wireless set-up would not work. The red light flashed but would not go out after 10 seconds. It should have worked, the processor was definitely sending a signal.
Wireless problems:
1.) Instructions with unit said there did not need to be a "line of sight" between the transmitter and the receiver, but the instructions on the website said there had to be a direct line of sight between them.
2.) The website instructions talked about adjusting the "potentiometer" on the back of the transmitter, but there is no potentiometer on the back of it to adjust.
3.) The website offered very little in the way of trouble-shooting this problem. I will have to call them directly tomorrow to try and resolve this problem.
As far as the "buttkicking" goes, we (husband and myself) did not find it a particularly wonderful addition to the home-theater experience. We put in "Polar Express" to test it out and found that it was interesting, but not something we could not live without while watching movies. It was literally the same experience we had when watching the movie, "Earthquake" in the 70's. The couch and floor vibrated on varying levels depending upon the intensity of what was happening in the movie, and loud low frequencies were heard, but I guess we might have been expecting too much. When the train in Polar Express was powering up, the shaking and low frequencies were tremendous, but did not necessarily course through our bodies like others have written about.
I think the buttkicking experience would have been much better if we were able to mount it in the center of our couch instead of at one end. Our couch does not have center support leg so we had to place the buttkicker on one far end of it. Much of the vibration was wasted by going away from the couch. Possibly "buttkicker" could have included an inexpensive substitute adapter in order to place it in the center of couches that don't have a center support. That would have been great.
We will continue to work on the wireless problem, and if we are able to fix it, that will increase our happiness with the buttkicker. Otherwise, we will still use the buttkicker, but not as often as we would if it worked wirelessly. Having to manually connect the amplifier to the processor via wiring every time we want to watch a movie is a pain in the.......butt.
Who needs buttkickers? YOU DO!!! March 23, 2009
M. Ralston (Dallas, TX , USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Many years ago when 5.1 home theater systems starting becoming available to mainstream consumers the subwoofer channel really created a new dimension to watching movies at home. Well, now if you want to extend that dimension, the buttkicker is what you're looking for! The rumble really adds to the movie & gaming watching experience (and even watching TV).
Like other reviewers I tried out the customer service for Buttkicker, and they were very helpful and quick to respond. They really do take their customer service seriously! I feel like a bought a quality product at a great price from a great company that will honor any warranty issues I may have.
The setup is pretty easy. The wireless setup IS in the instructions, just make sure to read all the booklets that come in the various "mini boxes" within the shipment. Or read them online while you're waiting for the shipment to arrive (which was extremely fast! It showed up 2 business days later with super savers shipping!) [...]
Are there improvements that could be done? Sure. It would be nice to see what the volume level is somewhere. The IR sensor on the RF transmitter (what you plug into your main receiver) could be a little better.
But these are minor complaints that are completely forgotten when watching Return of the King, Band of Brothers, or playing Call of Duty 4. The experience goes from watching a movie to being on a ride! We've had family and friends come over asking for a buttkicking...
Bottom line....for the price there is no single item that you can add to your home theater that will make as dramatic of an impact as the buttkicker. Highly recommend!
 excellent March 22, 2009
Andrew Pense
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I am a musician and have had a long relationship with guitamer tech support rooted with a bk gamer (two of them actually) that actually caught fire, and then the second one failed. Even with all their help and hookups they couldn't beat amazon's price on this bka.
Install is easy, except for the wireless. this isn't covered in the quick start guide, so listen up: if the rf transmitter and receiver don't handshake, take these steps. plug in the usb style receiver, get a paper clip and push tiny button near light, and then do the same for the underneath button on the transmitter. They should then start talking to one another.
PROS: very stable, 300w amp runs much cooler and quieter than the gamer. I currently have it mounted to my couch and it kicks butt. great with blurays and ps3. I had to mod the drum throne mount (opt bk accessory) for it to work as a monitor for electronic drums.
cons: rf transmitter a little too space agey egg shaped, certain apps will make you nauseus.
I would recommend this accesory way before high end home theatre upgrades.
Add another dimension to your viewing/gaming experienes! March 19, 2009
@homemom (Jersey Shore, United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Let's preface this by saying I'm pretty clueless when it comes to home audio components, but after purchasing a PS3 for my husband for the holidays and seeing how much the whole family is enjoying not only the gaming aspect but the bluray player I wanted to surprise him with this to add a punch to both experiences.
I was a bit intimidated once I had everything unpacked, there are numerous instructions included and even being so unfamiliar with this type of equipment it was only a short while before I had it working. You should check your sofa to see how many Isolators you will need, I attached it to our Ikea sectional and I needed to purchase another set (sold in sets of 4) to fit under three additional legs. I went with the wirless option which is simply awesome. The only component you see is a small black circular piece which is easily tucked with your cable box, gaming system, etc. My husband didn't even notice it. I turned it on and put on a movie for us (Dark Knight if you're curious) and he about jumped off the sofa (that alone was worth the price). My little girl even asks me to turn it on (who knew that noggin shows thumped). The only downfall is the remote, it's terrible. It isn't very responsive and it's also tiny and very VERY easy to lose. However after a few pushes it does work well and who doesn't love another remote.
We watch a lot of movies in bed, I'm ever so tempted to see how this would work on a king size bed :D
Showing reviews 6-10 of 24
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