Silent Subwoofer Debuts

By Amy Gilroy On Jun 6 2005 - 6:00am

The Guitammer Company is introducing a Silent Subwoofer for the car, based on its ButtKicker home audio and professional bass transducers.

The Silent Subwoofer produces bass vibrations but no audible noise, said the company. Like the ButtKicker — which is used in iMax and Disney venues and by 80 professional bands including The Who, Creed and Pink, according to Guitammer — the Silent Subwoofer produces a tactile sensation of bass. “Most people don't understand that it takes two senses to perceive full-range sound. You hear it and feel it,” said company founder Ken McCaw. The Silent Subwoofer is “like having two 18-inch subwoofers in your trunk;” however, no noise can be heard outside the vehicle, he added. McCaw claims the Silent Subwoofer is “more pure musically. It's not just a toy or special effect. We're putting pure sine waves inside people's bodies. You can perceive pitch better with these transducers than with loudspeakers because, in the car, there's not enough room for a real low tone to become true pitch.”

The Silent Subwoofer must be installed on a part of the car that attaches to the frame of the vehicle in order to get the proper vibration — usually on the center console or hump, said Guitammer. But the company is also experimenting with mounting the product on the outside of the car, it said.

The unit may be used with any mono amplifier rated at a minimum of 700 watts into two ohms. The Silent Subwoofer is expected to carry a suggested retail price in the range of $200, although pricing has not been finalized. The company will also sell a matching amplifier at approximately the same price.

Guitammer is currently signing up 12-volt specialists and said about 50 shops “have expressed an interest,” according to McCaw. Guitammer is also in OEM discussions with Toyota, Ford and General Motors as well as other suppliers, he said.