Add the Feeling Your Speakers Leave Behind

Some bass is meant to be heard. The deepest effects are meant to be felt. The Dayton Audio BST-1 Bass Shaker adds powerful tactile feedback to movies, music, gaming, and simulation setups, bringing low-frequency action directly into your seat, couch, platform, or vehicle. Feel the rumble of an engine, the impact of an explosion, the recoil of a weapon, or the intensity of a movie soundtrack without turning the volume to extreme levels. The BST-1 transforms low-frequency audio signals into physical vibration, creating a more immersive experience for home theaters, gaming chairs, sim racing rigs, and automotive systems.

Rather than replacing a subwoofer, the BST-1 works alongside it to make bass feel more powerful without forcing you to turn the system up to neighbor-annoying levels. By sending low-frequency energy directly through your seat, couch, or platform, it adds the shake, weight, and impact your body expects from high intensity bass, even at more comfortable listening volumes. You get more of the thrill of explosions, engine rumble, and deep cinematic effects without filling the entire house or surrounding area with extreme low-frequency output.

The BST-1 uses a high-mass moving magnet motor design to generate substantial tactile force from low-frequency audio signals. Its specially formulated nylon-fiber spider controls the moving assembly for responsive performance and long-term durability. The solid aluminum housing draws heat away from the stationary voice coil to support reliable high-power operation, even during extended periods of use. Gold-plated, spring-loaded terminals simplify installation in tight or hard-to-reach locations while providing a secure connection and excellent signal transfer.

Whether you are building a dedicated home theater, upgrading a gaming chair or sim rig, adding impact to a couch, or bringing more excitement to a vehicle, the BST-1 makes low-frequency effects feel more immediate and convincing. From engine rumble and road texture to explosions, impacts, and deep cinematic bass, it adds the physical sensation that speakers alone cannot fully deliver. The result is a more immersive experience that pulls you deeper into every movie, game, race, and soundtrack.

Important: Please consult the amplifier manual for details regarding the impedance rating of your amplifier.

How to Connect 4 BST-1 Bass Shakers

For larger installations or applications that require more tactile output, multiple Dayton Audio BST-1 Bass Shakers can be used together. Wiring two BST-1s in series creates an 8Ω load, while wiring two in parallel creates a 2Ω load. Four BST-1s can be wired in series-parallel to maintain a 4Ω load. Always consult your amplifier owner’s manual to confirm that it can safely drive the final impedance and provide appropriate power to each bass shaker.

WARNING: Do NOT exceed 50 watts RMS per Bass Shaker multiplied by the number of Shakers (example: 50 x 4 = 200 Watts RMS)

Amplifier Recommendations

Installation Notes

• Home Installation- For the strongest tactile effect, mount the BST-1 to a chair, couch, platform, or other piece of furniture that is not rigidly fixed to the floor. This helps direct more of the vibration into the seating surface and the listener instead of allowing it to dissipate through the floor. Rubber feet or isolation pads can further improve performance by reducing vibration transfer into the surrounding structure.
  Choose a solid, flat mounting location underneath or behind the furniture frame. The BST-1 should make full contact with the mounting surface and remain clear of fabric, padding, springs, and moving hardware. Secure it with four appropriate wood screws, machine screws, or bolts. If no suitable mounting surface is available, add a hardwood or plywood mounting panel firmly attached to the furniture frame. Use 18-gauge or larger speaker wire for the connection.
• Automotive Installation – For the best results, mount the BST-1 beneath the seat or to a solid seat bracket, mounting plate, or reinforced section of the vehicle structure rather than directly to the seat cushion. The shaker should make full contact with a rigid, flat surface so its energy is transferred efficiently into the seat and occupant.
  Plan and route the speaker wire before mounting the BST-1. Keep the wire away from sharp edges, heat sources, moving seat mechanisms, and areas where it could be pinched or damaged. Make sure no exposed conductor can contact the vehicle chassis. Secure the shaker with four fasteners appropriate for the mounting surface, and use 18-gauge or larger speaker wire.
  Before drilling or installing hardware, carefully inspect both sides of the mounting area for seat wiring, airbag sensors, fuel or brake lines, batteries, and other vehicle systems. Professional installation is recommended whenever the mounting location cannot be safely verified.

Additional Notes And Suggestions:

• Set the amplifier’s low-pass filter to 80 Hz or lower to keep upper-bass content from becoming audible through the mounting surface.
• Mount the BST-1 firmly to a rigid, flat surface. Loose mounting hardware or flexible panels can reduce output and create unwanted noise.
• Isolating chairs, couches, or platforms with rubber feet can keep more vibration in the seating structure and reduce energy transferred into the floor.
• When using multiple BST-1s, experiment with polarity to find the strongest and most even tactile response. Depending on mounting location and orientation, reversing the polarity of one shaker may improve how the vibrations combine at the listening position.
• Check nearby panels, hardware, and furniture components for rattles after installation. Small adjustments or added damping may significantly improve performance.
• For the most natural effect, adjust the shaker level so it supports the audio system rather than overpowering it. Strong tactile impact should feel synchronized with the bass, not constant or distracting.
  

Download the BST-1 3D CAD files to plan mounting locations, verify clearances, and integrate the bass shaker into your custom project.

Download the BST-1 3D CAD files now