Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use the Actuators on a hardwood floor or on carpet?

A:  Our Actuators are designed to be used on any relatively stable surface. The harder the surface the more efficiently the Actuator will operate. Installed on a hardwood floor, the TES may require up to 10% more power than an installation on tile/concrete. Installed on carpet with padding, the TES may require as much as 30% more power than an installation on concrete. Crowson amplifiers are built with ample “headroom” in mind and will provide enough power for most surfaces.

Q: Do the Actuators work with music?

A:  The T108S Actuator is designed to be extremely linear and integrate well with even the finest audio systems. Patented Linear-Direct-Drive (LDD TM) technology delivers the world’s only audiophile-grade tactile motion, and is endorsed by even the most discerning audiophile groups such as the Pacific Northwest Audiophile Society.

Q: What if my couch has more than four feet?

A:  A Vibration Isolator or an Actuator should be used under or replace all supporting feet of your furniture. If your particular couch has more than 4 feet, additional Motion Isolators will be needed.

Q: Can I use an Actuator under a platform?

A:  A TES can be used under a platform as long as the maximum weight of the platform and occupants does not exceed (150 lbs) X (sum of # TES Actuators plus # Motion Isolators). A stiff and sturdy platform is necessary to transmit motion most efficiently. For technical assistance please contact Crowson engineering department.

Q: Can I use a TES with headphones?

A:  The headphone output on a wide variety of equipment can be fed to a Crowson system and a pair of headphones. This creates a very stealthy home theater environment with great LFE (Low Frequency Effects).

Q: Can I use more than two TES Actuators under my couch or chair?

A:  You can use an Actuator under all supporting feet of your furniture for maximum output. Although a minimum of one Actuator per individual seat is required, we recommend one per side (arm). Two per arm (four per seat) is the ultimate solution which we have seen employed for our customers who want to go even farther above and beyond the norm.

Q: Can I use one (1) channel of a multi-channel amplifier or an old receiver to power a TES?

A:  An unused receiver or an unused channel of a multi-channel “separate” amplifier can be cost effective way to power an actuator but the results are often unsatisfactory. The input sensitivity and infrasonic performance of audio amplifiers are often a problem.

Q: Is the Crowson T108S Actuator different from a “shaker?”

A:  Yes, most definitely.

Many people, even some industry “experts” use the terms “shakers” and “tactile transducers” interchangeably, which is not technically correct.

A “shaker” can be a “tactile transducer,” but not all “tactile transducers” are “shakers.” Crowson T108S is a tactile transducer, but does not employ an inertial shaking mass like an “inertial shaker”. These devices bolts onto the internal frame of a chair.

Crowson drivers are true Linear Actuators, not “shakers.” They physically lift the seating (in the vertical plane), directly transferring motion at the points that were designed to bear the weight of the furniture.

The result is an incredibly realistic (fast, accurate, ultra low frequency) motion rather than what can be a distracting, “one-note rumble” (shakers).

Crowson patented technology, Linear-Direct-Drive (LDD TM), delivers an audiophile-grade motion, with a linear, flat frequency response that exceeds even the finest loudspeakers (though it is not designed as a subwoofer replacement).

Imagine attempting to use a siren as a full-range home theater loudspeaker. Sirens are very efficient at a narrow band of frequencies, but terribly inefficient and inaccurate at other frequencies.Inertial “shakers” can add an interesting, vigorous effect for similarly narrow frequency ranges (different “shakers” are optimized for different narrow frequency ranges), but are severely limited in their overall accuracy due to similar technical constraints.

Crowson Linear Actuators are not simple “shakers” and should not be referred to as such.

Q: When using one Actuator under my couch, will the strength of the tactile effects be uniform from one side to the other?

A:  A small couch with a stiff, well-made frame will have uniform motion output when using a single Actuator. Couches with a steel frame, hide-a-bed, built in recliners, or more than 6 feet long will not have uniform motion from the left side to the right and may require two Actuators.

Q: Will I still need a subwoofer?

A:  We recommend tour Actuators as an augmentation to your loudspeaker system (including sub). With a Actuator installed, most customers report that they do not need to turn their subs up nearly as loud as before. The tactile system will allow you to set up a home theater with amazing amounts of low frequency effects without disturbing your neighbors, and can deliver motion effects that a subwoofer cannot (well below the audible “floor” of 20Hz) – down to an amazing 5Hz!