Anyone invested in the Porter & Davies stuff?

[Gunsfreddy2003]

A couple of drummer friends of mine swear by their products (the drum seat where you feel the bass drum through your body) has anyone bought the bass platform and Gigster? I tried it out at the LBGS a couple of years ago and was very impressed but it is a big investment and would be keen to know if anyone has some "real world" feedback and experience?

[Lee-Man]

I just have. It's ace, properly good. Brings back the low end thump when using in ears.
https://instagram.com/p/BJWp3MKB5Vq/

Edited August 21, 2016 by Lee-Man

[Lee-Man]

Just to note, I brought the Bc2 and KT platform. I felt the extra line in for kick drums etc was worth it.

[Gunsfreddy2003]

Do you use it when not using in ears or is it really designed purely for that purpose?

I was looking at the Gigster but assume you can't put the kick into that which could be a pain - out of interest did you look at the Tecamp version at all?

[quote name='Lee-Man' timestamp='1471791784' post='3115887']
I just have. It's ace, properly good. Brings back the low end thump when using in ears.
[url="https://instagram.com/p/BJWp3MKB5Vq/"]https://instagram.com/p/BJWp3MKB5Vq/[/url]
[/quote]

[EBS_freak]

These feedback devices do cause me to ask a lot of questions - I truly don't believe that they put any feeling "back" into playing when playing with IEMs. I believe that for most setups, these devices are adding something that was never there in the first place - and that something that for most is quite pleasurable - it's the feedback that we want to feel when we are playing.

"The trouser flapping" effect in my opinion is a myth - even if you crank up a load of bass on your bass rig, you have to be going somewhat to get any sort of feeling of air moving. You really need to be pushing some sub bass through some hefty subs to get anywhere near even trouser tingling. I would wager that for most users, the ear ragging, tinnitus inducing volumes that make you know that you are playing loud are swapped out for mechanical feedback from the board.

Edited February 21, 2019 by EBS_freak

[Gunsfreddy2003]

I think you are right Russ, you would need serious volume to create the same effect!

Where I am coming from by looking at this is about trying to get the ulitmate enjoyment when I play live, invariably I find that so much of what I am trying to play live is lost in the mix that you end up playing straighter because you figure that no-one can actually hear what you are doing anyway! If you can feel everyrthing that you are doing then to hell with everyone else!

I never have been the biggest mover on stage, and for most function work they don't really watch the band anyway (well apart from the singer) so I don't see that as being a problem. Yes, it's another thing to carry but if you end up enjoying the gig more then it's got to be worth it.

[EBS_freak]

Absolutely - I think they will add to the playing experience no end... especially when you hit that open B string.

I guess it kind of irritates me that these are sold with the underlying context that they bring back something that was lost with IEMs. They don't! If you want ambient with your IEMs, then use ambient mics. If you aren't getting the low end in your inears, it's the in ears that are at fault. No inears are ever going to do the same as what a board like this does - because as stated before, it puts something into play that was never there to begin with.

If you are a bass junkie, then yes, kick drum through a board combined with a feed from your bass is going to be pretty smile inducing! What you are saying about enjoying the gig is so true - I play with inears as you know - and there have been loads of gigs, the worst being a marble floored and walled room. The sound was horrible out front - but pretty stunning in my ears. FOH was somebody else responsibility but I loved the gig anyway.

[Lee-Man]

[quote name='Gunsfreddy2003' timestamp='1471854131' post='3116288']
Do you use it when not using in ears or is it really designed purely for that purpose?

I was looking at the Gigster but assume you can't put the kick into that which could be a pain - out of interest did you look at the Tecamp version at all?
[/quote]

I almost always use in ears these days. Quite a few of my dates are with bands that have no backline on stage. What I felt I was lacking in my CIEM (6 Driver Cosmic Ears) has been made up by using the KT Platform. It adds a weight to the low end that was missing my IEM's. I found that I was cranking my IEM quite loud over the gig and now with the KT Platform thats less of an issue. The gigs I've used it on I felt more solid and planted. Personally (your milage might vary) I have always liked to feel the bass and relied on that as much as hearing it. The last few years I've moved away from big bass rigs to a small combo and letting the PA do the work. Part of this transition also included switching to in ears (partly in a attempt to save my hearing) with my combo largely being a monitor for the rest of the band. However, I miss my 8x10 (often I used to tour with 2 of them, we were loud!) and the purchase of the KT Platform was also to get a little of that feeling back.

Running the kick into it is fun as well, makes you feel like your super tight with the drummer;)

I'm super happy with it and if any would like to try it out you'd be more than welcome.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='Lee-Man' timestamp='1471879902' post='3116644']
I almost always use in ears these days. Quite a few of my dates are with bands that have no backline on stage. What I felt I was lacking in my CIEM (6 Driver Cosmic Ears) has been made up by using the KT Platform. It adds a weight to the low end that was missing my IEM's. I found that I was cranking my IEM quite loud over the gig and now with the KT Platform thats less of an issue. The gigs I've used it on I felt more solid and planted. Personally (your milage might vary) I have always liked to feel the bass and relied on that as much as hearing it. The last few years I've moved away from big bass rigs to a small combo and letting the PA do the work. Part of this transition also included switching to in ears (partly in a attempt to save my hearing) with my combo largely being a monitor for the rest of the band. However, I miss my 8x10 (often I used to tour with 2 of them, we were loud!) and the purchase of the KT Platform was also to get a little of that feeling back.

Running the kick into it is fun as well, makes you feel like your super tight with the drummer;)

I'm super happy with it and if any would like to try it out you'd be more than welcome.
[/quote]

I'm sold on this approach - like yourself, I've invested very heavily in going without an amp and everything has sounded much better - both for me and for out front. A decent PA can reproduce bass much better than any standard backline - and with less happening on stage, everything is cleaner and tighter out front. Spend the time getting your inears mix right and the whole thing is a dream. My setup is pretty comprehensive now - completely different EQs for my bass in my ears and out front, same with vocals and the like (nobody like the top end frequencies of female vocals in their inears all night!)

Of course, you are swapping moving a bass rig around for a PA, which granted, isn't everybody's cup of tea. And lets face it, a lot of PAs of yesterday would have imploded running a kick through them, let a lone a bass. We are lucky we've got some kick ass subs and tops (which a lot of them can almost do without subs for smaller setups) to play with - which don't cost the earth.

I must admit, I would like the kinetic feedback one of these boards give. When I was toying with the idea of having a band with mad stage wear, I did look into the Subpac.... but you would look like a complete goon if you turned up in one to play a standard function!

[Gunsfreddy2003]

I spoke to Dil over at P&D and he reckons you can just run a mixer with bass and kick drum going into it and then feed into the Gigster to still achieve the same result.

I'm really tempted to go for it!


[quote name='Lee-Man' timestamp='1471791864' post='3115888']
Just to note, I brought the Bc2 and KT platform. I felt the extra line in for kick drums etc was worth it.
[/quote]

[Lee-Man]

Yeah you could do that. But it's an extra piece of gear to carry/set up etc. As nearly everyone I play with uses digital mixers I decided that bass di into PD out to the Foh mixer would provide a more immediate response through the KT platform. In reality I doubt it makes any real difference, but you know........

A drummer I work with has just purchased th gigster and loves it.