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Thumper


Phil Palmer

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Been using a Thumper quite regularly on a show I'm just now completing.  After so many rentals, I'm thinking of purchasing or building my own.  The PCS unit that LSC rents out is not for sale...it's a build only for LSC and it stays in rental.

Anyone have any suggestions or a possible line on an existing thumper system?  Thanks.

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Hi Phil,

LSC's Thumpers were built just for them.  I had made a thumper for them about 20 years ago while I worked for them.  The unit survived in rental for about 15 years before someone finally did it in.  I should have asked for a percentage of the rentals it generated over those 15 years :)  I also built their newer thumpers, but they are based on LSC owned engineering designs.  As far as I know,there are no commercially available "thumpers" as it is such a specific use device.  You could probably find a programable function generator (piece of test gear) and get it to work, but it might be a bit clumsy to use.

Ron Meyer

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If you need a subsonic thump and have something like 20 grand (USD) to spend, take a look at the TRW-17.

It is probably way overkill, but it is available at http://www.rotarywoofer.com/.

The concept is fairly simple: A fan operates like a speaker: The blades change pitch to create high/low pressure waves, just like a speaker cone would create waves.

I've never heard/felt one in person, but I know they've got an install base in very high end home theater systems and in some museum exhibits.

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though i'd say the subs that blue sky and genelec make probably put out some kind of good low end, they would most likely only fair well indoors...well, actually probably wouldn't be rugged enough anyways.

what about a car stereo type enclosed sub?  that or a pa system sub.  couldn't recommend anything in particular, but thinking out loud i suppose.

i've never heard/seen one of the LSC thumpers.  are they huge?

-greg-

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" are they huge ? "

not really, but large and heavy;  requires 2 persons and a van!

Basically "thumpers" are professional PA system sub-woofer speakers, and they are available in road rugged models. Some, like the ones LSC rents out include a built-in powerful amplifier and low-pass filtering.

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What would this consist of other than a crossover and a power amp?

Something to generate a steady beat at a very exact tempo.  A specialized metronome, in other words, and in a more sophisticated setting one that could change tempos in real time in response to programming (ie score following).

Philip Perkins

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I've used a basic signal generator to feed line-level to all sorts of things. You can often pick them up on ebay or surplus from all sorts of places for well under $75. I used mine to test fix parts of a Moog. It develops a sine wave, triangle wave, and positive-only square wave. It is possible to change Hz in a matter of seconds, but not instantaneously. For that, you need a signal generator with memory functions...But if you need tempo lock, thath is a whole issue itself.

I would endorse the Roland Drum Machine, depending on how fast it is to switch songs (tempos).

I guess I would wonder what system is being used to display the score, and if there is a way to output the tempo. If there is a digital score, you are lucky.

My quick-and-dirty solution would be to take a metronome track from the digital score as a MIDI output, and use it to drive a synth or drum machine that accepts MIDI. This should work with both Sibelius and Finale, and would require no attention after plugging in. Pro Tools, Digital Performer and most DAWs I've ever seen used for scoring should be able to do the same thing.

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Call me crazy, but usually I'll just run the music through the sub.  It provides enough info for the musicians/dancers to perform to.  It's the actual music so you have all the tempo changes and it disappears under the music they will lay in during post so you can still record dialog.  Usually I'll run the full music until the dialog starts and then duck everything except the sub to catch the dialog.

Best,

Billy Sarokin

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