Michael P Clark Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 For those that have Thumpers in their equipment package, what brand, size, watts, or type are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afewmoreyears Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 In my case I take either a playback package I have, any of them, or simply a powered 400 watt speaker, and use the EQ on my 01V96 to roll off everything above 30, 40 or 50 cycles... pick one... There is your thumper.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael P Clark Posted January 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 You're not using a dedicated subwoofer? All the shows I've been on that had thumpers being played always had a dedicated sub for the thumper and a normal PA for playback music before fading out. I'll look into that as an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 I bought the Berringer 18" sub for only $600. Works great. When I rent a "thumper" to production, I use LSC book rate of $200/day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael P Clark Posted January 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Must be this one. It does look like it has the most boom for it's buck! http://www.guitarcenter.com/Behringer-EUROLIVE-B1800D-PRO-Active-18--Subwoofer-106731276-i1843075.gc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 There are a lot of sub-woofer systems out there, as they are popular in the Music industry... (I'm sure there will be plenty at NAMM next week)... a key component of a specialized "thumper" system is that a generator puts out a LF "thump" corresponding to every click on a click track, (or the ticks from a metronome). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 a key component of a specialized "thumper" system is that a generator puts out a LF "thump" corresponding to every click on a click track, (or the ticks from a metronome). This is why I bill for a "Thumper System" and not a "subwoofer". My "Thumper System" includes my creation of 40Hz thump track in ProTools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 " bill for a "Thumper System" and not a "subwoofer"." exactly, and a separate feed, etc, allowing the Thumper to keep thumping when the PA system, with, or without a sub-woofer, is cut off for dialog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DjGo Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 I'm not really familiar with using a 'thumper'.. Would anyone care to explain the typical application for these kind of speakers? Thumper thumping during dialog? wow, just as a tempo-reference for music that'll be added in post? Thanks in advance, Diego Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael P Clark Posted January 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 I'm not really familiar with using a 'thumper'.. Would anyone care to explain the typical application for these kind of speakers? Thumper thumping during dialog? wow, just as a tempo-reference for music that'll be added in post? Thanks in advance, Diego Yes, Diego. For instance, when doing dialog in a club scene, or any scene where backgrounds or actors need to keep a tempo to the music and deliver lines, a thumper and PA speakers are used. Start the scene playing a playback music track, and thumper track. As dialog gets close to starting, the playback op turns off the playback, but leaves the thumper track, a click track at 40hz, playing while dialog is being recorded. The 40hz gets rolled off in post and music is laid over the dialog that has that same "click" or beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 I will add that usually this is for scenes with music that is already cleared and ballroom-style dancing, or instruments playing for a scene featuring a band which needs to mime when the dialog starts, both of which require close adhesion to a beat. Most scenes we do with music have neither, and anything we play for party or club scenes is replaced with music with a different beat. The music is there to help actors get there level up to club level and to help the extras keep up the energy. On my show, we have a deaf drummer (character is played by a deaf actor). When we do the band stuff, we use the Thumper (which is set directly behind him) so he can feel the beat and keep time. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DjGo Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 Thanks for clearing this up Michael and Robert.. The type of scenes Michael desribes I've done a few times, a thumper would have been very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Smith Posted January 16, 2012 Report Share Posted January 16, 2012 This is the one I am using. Driving it with a 400 watt amplifier. --S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Reilly Posted January 16, 2012 Report Share Posted January 16, 2012 Heh.. http://www.thebuttkicker.com/Peal_Throne_Thumper/Pearl_Throne_Thumper.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael P Clark Posted January 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2012 This is the one I am using. Driving it with a 400 watt amplifier. --S Wow Scott, that's monsterous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Sorensen Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 From the Senator~ " a key component of a specialized "thumper" system is that a generator puts out a LF "thump" corresponding to every click on a click track, (or the ticks from a metronome) " Some metronomes come with a drum machine. Would there be a problem with running a drum track ( say a 4/4 back beat ) through a thumper ? Kev~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Well, the reason the thumper used to be expensive was the processing of a click into a 40Hz thump and feeding it into a big sub-woofer. These days you can create a 40Hz thump in ProTools and duplicate it on any beat. Pretty easy. And play it through a powered sub-woofer. Mine cost $600. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Smith Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Well, actually the "real-deal" thumper generator is variable from about 15 hz to 200 hz. 40 Hz a pretty high frequency to run at, but much depends on the room and the tempo of the track. The biggest issue is that to work properly, you need to tune the frequency to the cabinet and room combination, and avoid exciting things that wil rattle and vibrate. Obviously, this can only be done when you get there, so trying to use a pre-determined frequency doesn't fly too well. As best as I recall the Sensurround M and W cabinets designed by W.O Watson at Universal are good down to about 18 Hz or so, I would have to try and find the original design on them. They use a custom designed Cerwin-Vega driver, which was rated for heavy-duty operation (and is virtually impossible to find.) I have used all the other subs out there (including the big Meyers, Velodyne, Bag End and JBL commercial systems. The only system that could hold a candle to the Sensurround cabinets was the old BassTech ServoDrive subwoofer. Those things were truly scary-could rip your face off at 100 yards... Of course, nothing compares to the Matterhorn http://www.danleysoundlabs.com/matterhorn.htm. --S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jabour Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 We've had a couple of people rent our QSC Ksub as a thumper. When I tested it in house here I thought I was going to bring the building down. Though it's roll off is a little high, when it puts out sound it does so very well. If I remember correctly the lowest it does well was around 35hz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 " Thumper thumping during dialog? wow, just as a tempo-reference for music that'll be added in post? " you answewred your own question... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DjGo Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 " Thumper thumping during dialog? wow, just as a tempo-reference for music that'll be added in post? " you answewred your own question... sometimes I need confirmation for my own assumptions. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAB414 Posted October 15, 2021 Report Share Posted October 15, 2021 What are folks using nowadays in 2021? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebi Posted October 15, 2021 Report Share Posted October 15, 2021 Can't really answer to your question in general but I just read Simon Hayes' articles in Production Sound & Video about the new Bond movie. In part 2 he writes about a club scene where they where using a thumper track. https://www.local695.com/magazine/bond-25-no-time-to-die-part-2/ Here's also part 1 if you want to read the full story: https://www.local695.com/magazine/no-time-to-die/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Posted October 15, 2021 Report Share Posted October 15, 2021 This will get it done and fits nicely under the drum risers: https://meyersound.com/product/900-lfc/ If you want to use something to make them feel like they are in a volcano, there is always this: https://meyersound.com/product/vlfc/. These things have an amazing low end extension but only run on 208v. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalton Patterson Posted October 18, 2021 Report Share Posted October 18, 2021 I use an REL, not sure of the model. I also have a KRK Rockit 18, but it requires a DBX band pass filter to sound any good. Anything with real steep LPF will work. Remember Subs take more AC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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