Adding transducers to my VR cockpit.

[VR] Frank_G

[VR] Frank_G
Today the last parts for my new transducer setup arrived. After hearing so much good about them, adding a whole new level to the VR experience and such things, i couldn´t resist.
The whole collection of parts came under 150,- €. I have two 4 ohm tactile transducers with 50 watts each, an audio amplifier and a PCI-E 5-1 soundcard.

I guess i will have it up and running during this week. Looking forward to test it.
Any advice by people already using such equipment is welcome of course.

FZYwdd8.jpg
 

VR Mr Teatime

VR Mr Teatime
I got mine working this weekend so can't give too much advice other than:

  • Make sure everything is turned right down before you power it up and tune it - scared the biowaste out of me when I finally got it to work
  • Dependant on the wiring of the sub/centre output you may need to swap the channels in software
  • I needed to use VoiceMeeter to get the Rift headphones working at the same time as the Sub output from the soundcard, which is a bit of a chore to configure but once you get your head around it, its easy enough (there's a link somewhere to the software and a config walkthrough on this forum)
 

Flimley

Flimley
Very nice Frank. I really want to do this. A quick question if I may..... Are you using headphones? And if so how do you split the audio signal from the PC to both headphones and amp ?
.....will you be using the subwoofer output? Let me know how you get on :)
Just read Mr teatimes post. I have read about Voicemeeter so guessing software is the answer. Wow what a load of rambling nonesense I just wrote.

Flimley
 
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[VR] Frank_G

[VR] Frank_G
Flimley said:
Very nice Frank. I really want to do this. A quick question if I may..... Are you using headphones? And if so how do you split the audio signal from the PC to both headphones and amp ?
.....will you be using the subwoofer output? Let me know how you get on :)
Just read Mr teatimes post. I have read about Voicemeeter so guessing software is the answer. Wow what a load of rambling nonesense I just wrote.

Flimley
Click to expand...

Yes, i am using the Rift headphones. To split the audio signal, you need an additional soundcard (i come from a Mac, so there might be other ways, but that is what i learned from the mighty web), like the one shown above (ASUS PCI-E card for 30,- €). You can then use the standard windows system settings to duplicate the output onto the soundcard, like explained in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV46UXLsVW4

I use Rift headphones as main audio device (my PC is VR exclusively) and duplicate them onto the cards speaker/headphone output. This is my first attempt though, so i might switch to the subwoofer output later and might have to fiddle with that VoiceMeeter stuff myself. I guess, i will have everything in place by tomorrow an be ready for testing. Just need to pick up some cable extensions to get some juice to the amplifier.
 

[VR] Frank_G

[VR] Frank_G
Mr Teatime said:
I got mine working this weekend so can't give too much advice other than:

  • Make sure everything is turned right down before you power it up and tune it - scared the biowaste out of me when I finally got it to work
  • Dependant on the wiring of the sub/centre output you may need to swap the channels in software
  • I needed to use VoiceMeeter to get the Rift headphones working at the same time as the Sub output from the soundcard, which is a bit of a chore to configure but once you get your head around it, its easy enough (there's a link somewhere to the software and a config walkthrough on this forum)
Click to expand...

Thank you, this will definitely help. I have used the windows audio config to duplicate the signal, but the cable of the amplifier is too short, so i couldnt test, if the signal is received properly. Will report back tomorrow.
 

TorTorden_VR

T
I don't see where you would need the pci-e soundcard (other than the fact it's probably a fair bit better than onboard).

You can use the "free"ish voicemeter banana plugin to split output between any two soundcard devices.
Rift or other USB headphones.
 

[VR] Frank_G

[VR] Frank_G
Thank you @TorTorden and @Max Factor.

Interesting info. I looked up several tutorials on hifi and home cinema / gaming use of transducers before buying and everyone recommended usage of a seperate soundcard. I guess it has to do with either quality or performance. I will test it with your recommended way though, to check for any differences.

Great feedback so far. Keep it coming :)
 

VR andysonofbob

VR andysonofbob
Stupid question. How loud are these things? If I were on the ground floor. Would the misses complain upstairs. Neighbours if the rig was close to but not touching the wall?
Are they good for racers?

Thanks!
 

[VR] Frank_G

[VR] Frank_G
andysonofbob said:
Stupid question. How loud are these things? If I were on the ground floor. Would the misses complain upstairs. Neighbours if the rig was close to but not touching the wall?
Are they good for racers?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

They only produce vibration, so the sound you hear is the chair vibrating, but nothing more. I bought rubber sheets and will put it under my carpet, so the vibration is not transfered into the floor. I have checked some YouTube vids about transducers in action before bying and the sound definitely is under the regular volume for a radio or so. Just search for transducer on YouTube.
 

TorTorden_VR

T
Main problem with noise and transducers are not necessarily sound itself but rattling caused by shoddy/loose construction.

Haven't tried them with pc gaming yet but I had a few cheap ones for my home cinema.
And if I cranked those up, my recliner could practically rattle across the floor like an old Nokia cell phone over a table.
With me in it...
That's a 40kg chair with 105kg of nerd in it.
Certainly an experience I recommend for the lulz.
Will most likely break your chair though.

Also they don't replace subwoofers, imo, they simply do different things adding to the immersional experience.
One major problem though for home cinema use would be integration and timing.
Especially with normal subs in use, you would have to have a separate delay setting on the transducers and EQ tuned for the chair used to not trigger resonances.

The most important being the delay cause the vibration before you hear the subwoofers or speakers,
When wearing a headset this should not be an issue.
 

[VR] Frank_G

[VR] Frank_G
Okay, i had to use the Voice Meeter Software, but the setup was pretty easy and took less than 5 minutes. It is quite logical too. If anyone needs help, i can at least lead through the basic setup process.
Oh... and the setup is working... the transducers are currently crawling all over my sofa... now they only need some screws and the testing fun can start.

Thanks again to Mr. Teatime... turning down everything on start really helped :D
 

TorTorden_VR

T
Full_Ninja said:
Does rift not have something like this https://www.google.com/search?q=ste...AUIFCgE&biw=360&bih=560#imgrc=m6f1565j9-s2yM:
Click to expand...
Nothing as detailed.
You can select between the Rift audio output, windows default. That's it.
Not two other options, the steamvr allow you to select between any connected audio device.

For me who uses my regular set for both VR and regular desktop use, would have to use banana and set some convoluted scheme of audio device outputs and mirroring.
 

VR Mr Teatime

VR Mr Teatime
TorTorden said:
Nothing as detailed.
You can select between the Rift audio output, windows default. That's it.
Not two other options, the steamvr allow you to select between any connected audio device.

For me who uses my regular set for both VR and regular desktop use, would have to use banana and set some convoluted scheme of audio device outputs and mirroring.
Click to expand...

There is a mirroring option in the Oculus setup now, but I couldn't get it to work - it seems it only outputs 2 channel (Left/Right) via the Rift and the Onboard Soundcard and not the 2.1 with sub channel needed to drive the bass shaker. Thinking about it you might be able to plug the sub/bass shaker into the left/right output, but that might cause issues, by not getting the bass separation needed to drive the shaker....
 

Hadarmil

Hadarmil
Two exremely important things -

If you can get bass filters on the cheap then you should. I use three of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/APS-Univers...-Amplifier-Amp-Car-Audio-SGC200-/201296040560

Cheap and gets the job done - you don't need audiophile equipment for low level bass shake.


Second, make sure to play around in with the equalizer in VMB. You want to cancel out completely anything over 80Hz - I set it so that 80 and down is at maximum and a line going down to 200 at the bottom. This way there's very little of the higher frequencies left for the cheapo filter to kick out. My setup of course fits my specific hardware - 8 dayton pucks in pairs(R/L-F/R) and 2 50W shakers center back and bottom. Play around till you're happy.

And have fun! o7


Edit: It looks like that amp has a filter...just make sure you set it to the shakers' frequency.
 
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Wasp0

Wasp0
Full_Ninja said:
Does rift not have something like this https://www.google.com/search?q=ste...AUIFCgE&biw=360&bih=560#imgrc=m6f1565j9-s2yM:
Click to expand...

TorTorden said:
Nothing as detailed.
You can select between the Rift audio output, windows default. That's it.
Not two other options, the steamvr allow you to select between any connected audio device.

For me who uses my regular set for both VR and regular desktop use, would have to use banana and set some convoluted scheme of audio device outputs and mirroring.
Click to expand...

Mr Teatime said:
There is a mirroring option in the Oculus setup now, but I couldn't get it to work - it seems it only outputs 2 channel (Left/Right) via the Rift and the Onboard Soundcard and not the 2.1 with sub channel needed to drive the bass shaker. Thinking about it you might be able to plug the sub/bass shaker into the left/right output, but that might cause issues, by not getting the bass separation needed to drive the shaker....
Click to expand...

I had a thread on this section regarding something very similar the Buttkicker Gamer2. so i can now answer some of these questions.

Yes Rift now has a Audio Mirroring option in the Audio section of the headset, and it does work if setup correctly, you need to make some tweaks to the Rift Mic setting in the windows audio section to stop your hearing yourself over the rift headset.
I opted to continue to use Voicemeeter software, after i was instructed on how it works, and once setup it works brilliantly and the software is FREE, so a no brainer really. It has it's peculiarities, like it HAS to be first thing to start on your PC, and if Rift home starts first, voicemeeter throws a hissy fit, but you can just restart home. As long as it comes on first and that includes the hardware amp of the Buttkicker, then the sensation is the NEXT STEP in VR. Man those Canon and Railgun hits on your hull sure give you a kick (In the Bottom).

One more point i found that by going back into the Rift headset audio settings and selection 'Windows Default' option help settle down Voicemeeter, as VM is the windows default playback device.

Anyone want some help setting this up, please feel free to contact me. I am by no means an expert on this now, but for 3 days i struggled to get this working in ED with the Rift and Voice Attack, so even if i don't know all the answers, i can tell you what won't work to save you the struggle.
 
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