Seems like there will be a new ButtKicker that will be released this year.

looks the fan has been removed and a remote control added, i may get one.

click here for info

Just got a reply from Buttkicker:

"The ButtKicker Gamer2 is expected to be shipping around the end of Nov. / beginning of Dec.

The ButtKicker Gamer unit itself is unchanged - it's the amplifier that is completely new. The new digital amplifier is much smaller than the original, comes with a wired remote control and is built rock-solid.

Utilizing the existing bass is really the optimal way to reproduce the tactile sensations in a sim or game because it's completely musically accurate. Force feedback devices can only produce a sensation in one frequency since they are just offset motors. Also, they must rely on preprogrammed queues from the game to operate. The only potential down-side of using the existing low frequency audio signal is that for some games where the audio engineers didn't put the time and effort into creating full-range audio effects, the ButtKicker has very little to respond to and therefor doesn't do what is expected.

If a stronger tactile experience is required you can try a few things, including boosting the volume of the low frequency audio, or adding a second ButtKicker system.

Thanks again - let me know if there's anything else I can help you with."

This sounds interesting. Any games it is actually useful with?

Any game thats has sound one would guess.

Haha... seriously though. I mean, I know if you're playing a race sim, it would "kick" your butt depending on the car's RPM, but how does it work on shooter games? It vibrates when you fire your gun? How about RPG games? RTS games?

Only problem will be to actually get one. Here in Europe, you can't use the US version, as we have 220 Volts here. The EU Version is so rare that getting one is like winning the lottery.

Ice read this "This is a “must have” tool for all avid gamers and PC users. Superb for Flight Sim, car racing, platform, fighting and shoot 'em up games.

The ButtKicker Gamer is a chair-mounted (single post type) bass shaker that lets you really “live the game”.

Feel explosions, gun-shots, car crashes, rumble strips, engine vibration, aeroplane landings etc when playing a computer game or watching a movie - and Feel the bass frequencies when listening to music!

The ButtKicker is a small linear motor that reacts to an audio signal sent by an amplifier (the ButtKicker Gamer comes with its own 100-watt amplifier). It is similar to a loudspeaker, but instead of a moving a cone and transferring sound waves through the air, the ButtKicker Gamer is attached to your seat and sends a low frequency directly into your body. The effect is amazing."


VF-2 John Banks you can buy it from the UK we also use the same A/C like you www.shakecentre.co.uk

Thanks for the link pal!

I have one and rarely bother turning it on. Part of the issue is the loud fan, which it seems they have improved in 2.0.
Also, even though it isn't a speaker, it makes a lot of noise shaking the chair, which others near you will may find annoying.

But for me the 'tactile' response is wrong for everything except 'shooters'.
It's really just a bass speaker unit that shakes more while making less noise, so it is very dependent on amount of bass in the game sounds. In sims this is usually pretty low.

In a racing game, unless you are driving a low rpm v8, there isn't enough vibration from the engine revolutions. There are no road noise effects on gravel, etc because they are also too high pitched to trigger the buttkicker.

In flying games there is no shudder due to stall. you might get a few thumps from your guns, if they are cannons, but not much from your MGs. you will get thumps from flak, but not from bullet hits.

On the plus side, the company that makes them has good customer service and quickly replaced a defective amplifier I had.

pakfront feed back yours is very important to us becuase you have actualy used the older unit.
I am only interested in some sort of feed back device for Black Shark FFB does not work for BS unless you use it for trim. Then you have the Ivibewhich is not very obtainable this only leaves ButtKicker gamer2 so there is very limited choice of what to use for some kind of feed back from BS.