Backbeat

[Elfrasho]

My mate got one so I've had a go. Loved it. And with more bands going towards iems I think there's a definite growing market for it. Too expensive for me, but as others have said, if it was more around 150, then I'd definitely consider it. 

[stewblack]

As I had built my own vibrating chair with four relatively inexpensive tactile transducers or "bass shakers" I also decided that the price of the Backbeat was too high.

However, I now have one and can happily confirm that the effect is very similar to my homemade device. So is it over priced?

Well, let's see, my 4 speakers were about £15 each. But then I also needed a chair. Lots of wiring. Oh and an amp. Which needs power, so either a speaker cable runs to my chair or a mains cable does and the amp has somehow to attach to the chair. Only the Elf has the appropriate dimensions.

So time, effort, a chair, an amp and I have built a system which surrounds me with throbbing bass. Oh I forgot my R&D costs - there was an early prototype which overheated and melted.

The Backbeat still comes out a little more expensive. But here's the thing - it produces as big an effect as my cumbersome 4 speaker loaded chair  while being small enough to fit on my strap. With no external amp, and no external power.

In fact, turn it up and the effect is way more powerful. 

The cost of designing and producing something so portable and yet so effective, then shipping it around the world and making money for yourself and the retailer, does, I believe, make this a fair price.

Of course something is only worth what it's worth to each individual customer. I have yet to use it live but I can immediately see how it will transform my rehearsal regime. With aux in and headphones out I can enjoy playing at any time without disturbing those I share a house with. And it's already attached to the bass. Nothing to set up.

 

[Woodinblack]

OK, got mine now. Fairly heavy thing. So I tried it and wasn't impressed. Then I turned the volume up! It goes actually pretty loud doesn't it! I mean just to the air even without it being on your back. I had a quick noodle with it and it certainly vibrates on the B-D strings, really strongly on the b, which is good as obviously by then the sound is dissapearing in IEMs.

 

Obviously not enough to form a big opinion on, and a bit dissapointing that it didn't come on saturday so I could have gigged it, but there is another gig next saturday and as I am not doing the sound for that, should be useful.

[stewblack]

My locking jack sockets have arrived. Need to get to Next for the pink hair band.

[Woodinblack]

OK, took mine to a practice, from fully charged (I think, the charging light doesn't work) it lasted an hour, most of which was just feedbacking.

It doesn't work with an aux in.

 

So far not impressed!

 

[ped]

3 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

OK, took mine to a practice, from fully charged (I think, the charging light doesn't work) it lasted an hour, most of which was just feedbacking.

It doesn't work with an aux in.

 

So far not impressed!

 

 

Doesn't sound right... make sure the charger is working, because I found mine didn't like some US/UK adapters. The light should go green when charging and go out when full. Full charge I think should be around 3.5hrs of rumbling and it should definitely rumble the aux in. I wonder if you got a dodgy one?

[Woodinblack]

11 minutes ago, ped said:

 

Doesn't sound right... make sure the charger is working, because I found mine didn't like some US/UK adapters. The light should go green when charging and go out when full. Full charge I think should be around 3.5hrs of rumbling and it should definitely rumble the aux in. I wonder if you got a dodgy one?

 

Yep, 14V on the charger (came with an adapter, using that). Light doesn't go green and I left it charging all day. Light only seems to do blue, although once I am convinced it did flash green at me. 

Doesn't sound promising.

[ped]

3 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Yep, 14V on the charger (came with an adapter, using that). Light doesn't go green and I left it charging all day. Light only seems to do blue, although once I am convinced it did flash green at me. 

Doesn't sound promising.

 

Hm try another adapter. Mine came with one and it was really flimsy, kind of made the plug itself hang a bit loose. I couldn't get the light to go green. Replaced that with a decent one which really 'snaps' onto the US plug and all fine. 

[Higgie]

It sounds weird but try pulling the US plug out of the UK adaptor just a touch, I find with mine that if I push it all the way in, it doesn’t make the connection properly.

[Woodinblack]

Indeed - could be any of those issues, but seeing as the unit also doesn't work with the input signal from the 3.5mm jack, it has to go back anyway.

If that gets sorted out, and it is something I can use, I will replace the power supply with one with a UK plug, can't be doing with adapters.

[Woodinblack]

And when packing it up for replacement, yes, moving the plug around caused the green light to come on. Still have the no 3.5mm jack issue though

[Higgie]

59 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

And when packing it up for replacement, yes, moving the plug around caused the green light to come on. Still have the no 3.5mm jack issue though

You don’t hear any signal with the aux in? Or it doesn’t rumble?

[Woodinblack]

6 hours ago, Higgie said:

You don’t hear any signal with the aux in? Or it doesn’t rumble?

doesnt rumble but I hear it fine out of the headphone socket

[Higgie]

4 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

doesnt rumble but I hear it fine out of the headphone socket

Then it sounds to me like you have a V1 unit from the initial Kickstarter campaign. These didn’t rumble from the aux in. 

[Woodinblack]

On 09/08/2021 at 01:15, Higgie said:

Then it sounds to me like you have a V1 unit from the initial Kickstarter campaign. These didn’t rumble from the aux in. 

 

No, it was new from bassdirect. Its working now, I used an iPhone lead and I guess it didn't like it, or it was because it was almost out of power.

Considering the cost, it is a very poor power arrangement, taken the shine off it a bit. I will see if I can pick up a uk supply, I don't want some wobbly mains device kicking around with my gig stuff! Also last adapter I took on stage got destroyed by the singer jumping on it!

 

So it works, now I have to get used to it!

[stewblack]

Those looking askance at bulky adaptors, a possible solution is an international multi socket.

Looks like a normal 4 gang but accepts US plugs.

 

[ped]

I can't remember where I got mine from but it's a decent, solid single adapter that fits really tightly. Much better than the one that comes with, and than the cheap ones you se eon eBay. I think it was from Sainsburys actually. 

 

Thinking about it, it's a 2 pin to UK adapter, nit a US plug

[Woodinblack]

I can't be doing with adapters, or frankly, american plugs (lived in the states long enough to hate them) - easy point of failure so I will get a UK 14v supply.

 

I wrote to them to tell them it was poor - they said that they were looking to make the next model powered by USB. I replied saying it would be better if it could be powered by a normal 9V adapter that effects pedals use, as they are a lot more common on a gig.

[Woodinblack]

ok, so now I have charged it, most of the other troubles seem to go. Sadly missed those two gigs, have some others at the end of the month.

 

So my thoughts now:

It really feeds back a lot. Do I have it up too high? If I let go of the strings, it will start in a few seconds on my 1605 and my shuker.

Its a bit of a pain to adjust the levels isn't it? Especially as I have a rotator cuff issue which means I can reach round. You have to take it off, adjust it and put it back.

it works better on some straps than others. Problem with a few straps is it needs to go where the adjuster is, but it can't go near that. Works well on the thick strap on the 1605, not so well on the thin one of the shuker, but the shuker strap is turquoise, and matches the bass, so I can't change it!

 

Beyond that, I can see its value. I have had it on for practices and I like it. It really helps you feel where you are, even when you can't really hear it. I have had a few gigs when I haven't been able to have monitoring (normally set up by someone else) where i couldn't really make out the note once you get to the lower strings, and one occasion where i was a semitone out and hadn't noticed. This would cure that straight away.

 

Is it worth the money? Not sure, its quite expensive for what it is, but I have bought many things that ended up not being used much, so I guess time will tell. If not, I am not going to lose as much as I have on some basses, so seems like a good deal.

[ped]

10 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

ok, so now I have charged it, most of the other troubles seem to go. Sadly missed those two gigs, have some others at the end of the month.

 

So my thoughts now:

It really feeds back a lot. Do I have it up too high? If I let go of the strings, it will start in a few seconds on my 1605 and my shuker.

Its a bit of a pain to adjust the levels isn't it? Especially as I have a rotator cuff issue which means I can reach round. You have to take it off, adjust it and put it back.

it works better on some straps than others. Problem with a few straps is it needs to go where the adjuster is, but it can't go near that. Works well on the thick strap on the 1605, not so well on the thin one of the shuker, but the shuker strap is turquoise, and matches the bass, so I can't change it!

 

Beyond that, I can see its value. I have had it on for practices and I like it. It really helps you feel where you are, even when you can't really hear it. I have had a few gigs when I haven't been able to have monitoring (normally set up by someone else) where i couldn't really make out the note once you get to the lower strings, and one occasion where i was a semitone out and hadn't noticed. This would cure that straight away.

 

Is it worth the money? Not sure, its quite expensive for what it is, but I have bought many things that ended up not being used much, so I guess time will tell. If not, I am not going to lose as much as I have on some basses, so seems like a good deal.

 

Yes it works best on a fixed length strap or one without an adjuster in the way, for sure. 

 

 

I have my volume about half way. I only get a bit of feedback with my SB1 which is the loudest bass ever, but I often play that with the volume on the bass down slightly which stops it entirely - even so, I don't find it an issue.

 

Yep the controls are hard to reach and adjust once you 'strap up' - but I find the controls seldom need changing, and in fact the thing helps me keep my bass volumes consistent.

 

All these things will be addressed in the next version 

[Woodinblack]

9 minutes ago, ped said:

I have my volume about half way. I only get a bit of feedback with my SB1 which is the loudest bass ever, but I often play that with the volume on the bass down slightly which stops it entirely - even so, I don't find it an issue.

 

Maybe I have it set too high then. My SR and Shuker aren't the loudest basses, so maybe i need to turn it from Stun to Massage.

 

9 minutes ago, ped said:

Yep the controls are hard to reach and adjust once you 'strap up' - but I find the controls seldom need changing, and in fact the thing helps me keep my bass volumes consistent.

 

Well, another thing, the volumes could be a bit stiffer, they have moved when I have moved the unit a bit.

 

However, I think it really does do what it says it does, and of all of the complaints about it (apart from the power), most are just functions of what it does, like it is a pain it is so heavy but wouldn't work if it wasn't, etc.

Wish I didn't have two weeks until the next gig (or practice) now, so I could try it out more.

[Higgie]

4 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

ok, so now I have charged it, most of the other troubles seem to go. Sadly missed those two gigs, have some others at the end of the month.

 

So my thoughts now:

It really feeds back a lot. Do I have it up too high? If I let go of the strings, it will start in a few seconds on my 1605 and my shuker.

Its a bit of a pain to adjust the levels isn't it? Especially as I have a rotator cuff issue which means I can reach round. You have to take it off, adjust it and put it back.

it works better on some straps than others. Problem with a few straps is it needs to go where the adjuster is, but it can't go near that. Works well on the thick strap on the 1605, not so well on the thin one of the shuker, but the shuker strap is turquoise, and matches the bass, so I can't change it!

 

Beyond that, I can see its value. I have had it on for practices and I like it. It really helps you feel where you are, even when you can't really hear it. I have had a few gigs when I haven't been able to have monitoring (normally set up by someone else) where i couldn't really make out the note once you get to the lower strings, and one occasion where i was a semitone out and hadn't noticed. This would cure that straight away.

 

Is it worth the money? Not sure, its quite expensive for what it is, but I have bought many things that ended up not being used much, so I guess time will tell. If not, I am not going to lose as much as I have on some basses, so seems like a good deal.

The easiest way for me to adjust it when its on, is to just tip the headstock of the bass towards the floor, that brings the backbeat up and over your shoulder, then your fretting hand can turn it up or down.

 

The feedback issue is definitely having too much rumble. The second version is even more sensitive, I find mine sits roughly at 30% for optimum rumble without feedback, and thats with my Sadowskys which are also stupidly powerful. Having said that, it’s a useful practice to roll the volume of the bass off in between songs/quiet passages
 

 

[Woodinblack]

Problems sorted!

 

Still a shame you have to buy something else for something this price, but at least I have reliable power now.

 

[ped]

3 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Problems sorted!

 

Still a shame you have to buy something else for something this price, but at least I have reliable power now.

 

Got a link? I might get one as a spare

[Woodinblack]

2 hours ago, ped said:

Got a link? I might get one as a spare

 

I got it from here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154468393553

The guy didn't have great feedback but it was the only 14V 3Amp one I could find, other than Dell power supplies, so under a tenner. And if you have trouble eBay refund you. But I didn't have any trouble and it turned up when it said it would, and it works fine.

 

Lead is shorter than the original, but not an issue for me.