If they are no plans to use bigger shakers you should be alright. Just pointing out that if you wanted to go to bigger shakers and use that amp you could have problems.
Yes but the example given for its usage is ideal, nobody mentioned or recommended using them for anything else. It does not make sense to buy 4x £22 exciters to then power them with say a £300 amp. So we need a decent 4 channel amp thats affordable to get people interested and into tactile with an easy approach.
Specs Are Clear
The EPQ304 has a paltry 75 WPC, this is nearly double of the (exciters) so more than plenty for them but it's rather obvious for tactile transducers which can peak around 100W it is insufficient and would need to be driven hard constantly. That scenario for any amplifier is not a good combination when powering tactile. This before even accounting for wasted energy from installations. Sim based tactile has much more consistent usage of low frequencies than music or movies when multiple effects are being used. It can be VERY demanding on amplifiers.
The perception given of a user upgrading from a multi-exciter installation to then use the amp for larger units brings many disadvantages for the potential or perceived additional power/depth benefits of the larger unit. Even recent posts on these forums by members seeking to modify units for additional output gains fail to see that better tactile performance and detail can be had with the multi-exciter implementation with additional controls Shakeit offers and going beyond relying on a single unit often overloaded with multiple effects and maybe still via Simvibe CM type configuration.
Recently....
The problem I see, it appears a current trend or interest is with people focused on the (thump/whack) or depth potential of the unit and this as a
primary goal to achieve. Rather than achieving the ability to have more effects operating at once with greater detail, increased stereo perception and smoother transitions of the effects over the user's body.
We now have more confusion and uncertainty for some in what to buy or do due to this...
Restricted Wattage / Using Pre-Amplification & Additional Options?
Here I will share some more on previous things I have done.
As it is possible to use a pre-amp to boost the gain which is applied after the soundcard and prior to the main amp. A user then can use the pre-amp to control (signal gain) volumes for convenience. It also can be a method to help ensure an amp is not operating close to its max output constantly.
Like this compact example I tried:
Excellent for 4 channel volume control beside the seat.
These can be used to help increase the dB gain of the input signal to the amp so that the amp then needs less actual amplification. It's also a good way to balance the output volumes of different makes/models of soundcards (Shakeit) However care needs to be taken not to have distortion with too much additional gain as this increases the whole dynamic range of frequencies.
Understanding What Is Happening With Tactile Audio
I showed an example of this and presume it does similar to what modifying units with leverage/weights do (potentially increasing the dB over the dynamic range). Yet this is still to be confirmed. At least with this hardware approach, we can monitor any applied bass/treble and dB output to see what differences it is making over the dynamic range. Its important to note that we cant do this with modding tactile units.
This was shown before but its an example of boosting the dB with a 40Hz test tone. You can clearly see how it affects the output intensity of the whole range when set to a 100Hz crossover. Not just boosting 40Hz alone as this is not how audio works.
Note: @ Top:
See 20Hz is 0dB & upto 80Hz is 0dB (from the 40Hz tone used) These are the surrounding frequencies generated from the 40Hz (fundamental frequency being used).
The 40Hz tone/curve is peaking at @+1.5dB
Note 2: @ Bottom:
See @10Hz is now 0dB & upto 95Hz is 0dB (from the 40Hz tone used)
The 40Hz tone/curve is peaking now at @+3.2dB
Compare the curves above the yellow 0dB line.
Example of applying additional bass via HA6000
What does this do?
It will give a fuller felt sensation from the unit as we have expanded the frequency dynamic range at the 0dB level. We also get a higher dB peak output as well, in fact double of the original signal input. Folks are you paying attention?
All this with no additional amplification from an amplifier. Using the same 40Hz test-tone. So with this method, (via Behringer HA6000), applied changes (bass/treble tone control and output dB) are controllable, but also can be monitored if desired.
This can not be said for (hope and see) type weight modifications others are pursuing which will fix the output of the unit to whatever way the additional modification alters it and no way to monitor how it is affecting the output exactly.
Now personally, I would much rather be able to adjust the bass/treble and input gain at will and leave it off if not wanted for whatever effects/roles the tactile unit is being used. Choice and control are good things to have without applying additional operating strain on an amplifier or making a tactile transducer operate in ways it was never designed. These are valid reasons I have no interest in modifying tactile.
Oh look its this thing again....
As an advanced user of tactile and experimentation of it I can say that Mixer/Splitter type hardware are good case examples to bring additional control or preference options to how the tactile may feel. Yet something few people have bought into or experimented with.
The Behringer PowerPlay models became favorites for me as they have bass/treble control as well as detailed meters and clip indicators. These are available in 4,6,8 channel offerings with even mono/stereo control as well. Certainly one of my favorite bits of audio hardware for its affordable price.
I speak only from the position of having tried, learned and sharing. Others will do what they want to do, follow their own path and continue to ignore the recommendations being offered...
