Now at Berkline: The ButtKicker
Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, September 15, 2003
Indianapolis — Upholstery major Berkline has a new option for its home theater seats — a factory installed low-frequency sound device called The ButtKicker.
The device allows users to "feel" bass sounds resonating from their big-screen televisions or home theaters without cranking up the sound to unacceptable levels.
"The partnership with Berkline is opening up a whole new realm of business for us," said Ken McCaw, director of product development for Guitammer Co., which makes the ButtKicker device. "It has enormous potential."
Four Berkline theater seats equipped with the devices were on display at the CEDIA Expo this month, and they will be shown again at next month's High Point furniture market.
McCaw said some Best Buy stores already are selling the Berkline-ButtKicker seats. He hopes to place them in furniture stores and high-end electronics stores in the next few months.
The ButtKicker device, which is about 5 inches high and 5.5 inches wide, is installed under the seat. McCaw said it is an alternative to earlier sound devices that merely shake the seat coils. ButtKicker users won't have to turn up the subwoofer to get the full effects, so the sound won't carry throughout the house or apartment.
