Few would disagree with the notion that in-ear monitoring has made huge improvements in live sound: lower stage volumes, improved hearing protection, less stage clutter, cleaner front-of-house mixes, and better performances. One of its primary drawbacks of using IEM’s is the lack of physical sensation from bass frequencies. Some in-ear monitor companies add transducers for extended low-frequency response, but they'll never thump your chest the way a subwoofer can. Ask any bass player who had to give up his 18-inch speaker rig.
Enter the tactile transducer. Basically it’s a woofer minus the cone; a tactile transducer physically vibrates a chair or platform (or section of the stage) to induce the sensation of a subwoofer moving air. It's bass without sound, a pretty convincing illusion.
Being a long-time leader in personal monitor mixing, Aviom takes these bottom few octaves very seriously. Their new BOOM-1 Tactile Transducer Processor is designed to help generate a full-range sound experience, including sub-frequencies from a range of different transducers and monitoring setups. BOOM-1 joins a family of other tactile products from Aviom that shake your backside (PFS-1 performance stool, KBS-1 keyboard seat, etc.) or your feet (PLF-1 performance platform). The CTT-1 Clamp-On Tactile Transducer can be attached to your own platform, chair or stool.
At its heart, BOOM-1 is a mono crossover, compressor, processor and power amp. It uses special processing to extract and optimize the lowest frequencies from the music, and it's this DSP layer that sets BOOM-1 apart from other systems. The resulting low frequencies go into a power amp, out a locking speaker connector and on to the tactile transducer via a standard locking speaker cable. BOOM-1 adds a few important controls along the way, but the overall concept is really that simple.
BOOM-1 is designed to intercept low-frequency signals and pass them on through, and it does so with a generous complement of connectors. BOOM-1's front panel has 1/4-inch headphone input and outputs, and these connectors are repeated on the back panel. The 1/4-inch pass-through jacks allow BOOM-1 to integrate with most in-ear monitoring systems, but Aviom wisely added a line-level XLR input and output as well (the latter with level control) for even more flexibility.
BOOM-1's front panel has a Strength knob that essentially functions like a level or volume control. You set your in-ears to a good level, then bring up the Strength knob until the amount of rumble or low-frequency sensation from the transducer blends with the higher frequencies hitting your ears from your ear buds. Signal and Clip LEDs let you keep an eye on the strength and health of the signal, and an Amp Clip/Protect LED glows when the amp has overheated or there's a problem with the speaker cable or transducer.
Next up is that button that sets the BOOM-1 apart from basic amp-plus-transducer systems: Feel. The Feel button cycles through three settings that affect the range and processing of frequencies sent to the transducer. Apart from a power switch, BOOM-1 has just one more front-mounted control: Mute. Finally, BOOM-1 has a bank of DIP switches on the back panel. Six of these allow you to match BOOM-1's processing to the specific transducer type you're using. The last two change the high-pass filter cutoff point and invert phase.
Rumble Down Under
Having used tactile systems ranging from bare-bones (power amp only) to fancier systems with a crossover and other processing, I was keenly interested in how BOOM-1's Feel control affected its output. In use, the "Tight" setting responds to only the lowest frequencies with stronger compression, and the onset and decay of the vibrations is abrupt. Though it has the most impact, I found this setting can feel disconnected (even delayed) from the music. It reminded me of an effect you'd feel on an amusement park ride. However, I've worked with drummers who prefer that feel.
The "Loose" setting adds higher bass frequencies and reduces the compression for a smoother overall feel. I found this to be a much more musical setting, better serving my needs as a bass player (on the PLF-1 platform). The third middle setting is a compromise between the two, and I sometimes preferred it. Your results will vary based on many factors: the instrument you play, transducer type/mounting, musical style, etc. I just appreciate how easy the Feel control makes it to dial in an optimum setting.
To reiterate an important point, BOOM-1 is all about feel. It's about how those low frequencies help you feel your instrument. How feeling your instrument improves how you feel about your playing. How feeling better about your playing improves how you actually sound. It's a low-frequency "feedback loop" of the best kind. BOOM-1 can help restore some of the feel we've lost with in-ear monitors and hermetically-sealed drum cages. If you don't buy into this concept, compare watching your favorite epic sci-fi or war movie with and without a subwoofer. I think you'll agree those bottom octaves really do need to be felt.
BOOM-1's design and build quality are top-notch, and it's made right here in America. It takes up two rack spaces and is quite light. My only concern is its output power, which is about 120 watts into 8 ohms or just over 200 watts into 4 ohms. I found this to be just adequate with Aviom's own transducer products, but I did see the clip LED flashing on occasion. For other transducers or less-than-optimum mounting schemes, BOOM-1 may not have enough power to satisfy someone who’s used to bone-rattling output. For situations like those, BOOM-1 has a processed line output to feed a larger power amp.
Anything that helps a musician feel more confident will help them contribute more fully to a worship experience. But, like most churches on a budget, I always weigh the benefit against the cost. In terms of value, BOOM-1 ($799 list) gave me pause at first. Then I considered that BOOM-1 is crossover, processing and amp in one, with flexible I/O to boot. Throw in excellent build quality, and I’m more than satisfied. Nothing else out there makes it this easy to dial in the feel you want from a tactile transducer. If you're not needing to drive a particularly power-hungry setup, BOOM-1 could be a great addition to your church's in-ear monitoring system.
