Kick Port

[Marc Alan Goodman]

Anybody try one of these things out yet? I just got one today so I should have some opinions by mid week. Saw it on the NAMM oddities page (of course). Looked like such a ridiculous idea that I had to try it out.

Next I'll order a Jam Kat. Then stab myself in the face.

http://kickport.com

[Snarl 12/8]

Damn. I can hear the difference even on YouTube. Or am I having expectation bias?

Anyway, I asked this about speaker tubes on a different thread. Can someone explain to me how that thing works as if I was a fifth grader? I've seen pages and pages of mathematical formulas for speaker design, but I'm not getting the basic physics there.

Thanks,

[oldguitars]

I have lived for this long with out it, so I am good. Plus, they need to do a better sample video! They don't really convey any huge improvement....

[Marc Alan Goodman]

I have lived for this long with out it, so I am good. Plus, they need to do a better sample video! They don't really convey any huge improvement....

Hell man recording isn't about huge improvements! It's about little touches. Millions of little touches.

Anyway I'm not expecting it to revolutionize kick drum recording or anything. Just wondering if it'll be a cool toy sometimes. And personally I love the videos. Those guys REALLY LOVE BASS. I'm serious.

[Liv Pooleside]

Not a bad idea at all. It definitely will change the sound of the drum, under the right conditions. Tuned ports are real physics, after all. But I don't know if this would be a plus or not- I think it depends on the sound you're after.

The only thing that looks a little odd is that the port should probably have the same size radiused edge on both ends.

[David_Kessler]

Saw this at summer namm last year, and even on that noisy floor this made quite a difference. Kinda like listening to a pretty much flat mic on kick (RE20) compared to an eq'd mic on kick (D6).

[Brett Siler]

Seems pretty cool. I'm sure it makes the kick louder too which is awesome. If this thing sells better 20 and 50 bucks I'd buy it. Less work in the mixing stage is always worth it to me.

[Marc Alan Goodman]

Well I got to throw it in there and try it out for a minute on our Cake custom kick drum. It DEFINITELY added some low end extension but seemed to step on the attack a little bit. Mind you that drum also has a whole packing blanket stuffed in it and I didn't have the time to really give it a good listen. I'll record some samples when the snow clears up and I get a minute and post them here. I bet it sounds better with less in the drum (giving it more of an opportunity to resonate)

[mrclean]

Here is a review of the device from last year:

http://recordinghacks.com/2009/03/16/kickport-review/

[@?,*???&?]

Ever notice how the bass drum tone changes if the edge of the hole in the kick drum resonant head gets ripped? Ever tape that edge and notice the tone change for the better?

This is real.

I need to grab one of these asap.