Kickport, does it really make a difference??

matt spaun

Member
I'm thinking about installing a Kickport in my 24x20 bass drum and was wondering does it really make a difference? I was hoping for a nicer, more direct punch...

Cheers guys
 
I'm thinking about installing a Kickport in my 24x20 bass drum and was wondering does it really make a difference? I was hoping for a nicer, more direct punch...

Cheers guys
Cutting your bass drum down to 14" deep, or using a smaller bass drum is a much more effective route to a more focussed bass drum sound.

On a more practical level, do you already port your resonant head? Do you mainly play live mic'd or unmic'd? Large stages or small? These elements all feed into your decision.

Personally, I think they're about as effective as a chocolate teapot, but that depends on your playing context, tuning skills, & a host of other factors, including muffling.
 
Hi, yes its already ported with minimal dampening. I play big and small gigs and yeah a mic maybe used depending on where we are playing. I love big kicks and always have but just want to make it a little more focused and directional.
 
Granted I use more than just a little muffling - I put one of these on my sonor and I didn't notice any change.

I also had a 20x17 cut down to 20x13.. I acquired another 20x17 and realized I preferred it, despite everything that I read on this forum about shallower kicks. Just my opinion.
 
My chocolate teapot works very well. I have a 22 x 18 bass drum and I can get more boom out of it than without. I have tuned my bass drum many ways and found with the Kickport that the boom is enhanced. Biscuit anyone?
 
My chocolate teapot works very well. I have a 22 x 18 bass drum and I can get more boom out of it than without. I have tuned my bass drum many ways and found with the Kickport that the boom is enhanced. Biscuit anyone?

Agreed!... Kickport definitely made a difference on my kick drums. Also, I do not put anything in my kick drums (muffling-wise), just use EMAD ...
 
I also had a 20x17 cut down to 20x13.. I acquired another 20x17 and realized I preferred it, despite everything that I read on this forum about shallower kicks. Just my opinion.
I don't prefer a more shallow bass drum, just a recognition that they produce less overtones & a cleaner fundamental, all things being equal. That's either a good thing, or a bad thing, depending on taste :)

I knew I'd get a roasting over my chocolate teapot statement. That relates to my experience with my drums. If I compare the amount of bottom end you can get from a full resonant headed drum vs. the same drum with a kickport, there's no contest. And before anyone wades in with observations of length of note / boom / punchiness, etc, a good full resonant headed drum can be just as short & punchy as a bass drum with a ported resonant head. It's all down to tuning, head selection, bearing edge choice, & a host of other stuff.

Long may differences continue, & I hope you all enjoy your teapots :)
 
Not a roasting Sir, just a tepid brew. As someone who admires the English language over the American language, the analogies you pass on are wonderful. Always nothing but respect Andy.
 
Not a roasting Sir, just a tepid brew. As someone who admires the English language over the American language, the analogies you pass on are wonderful. Always nothing but respect Andy.
I know, & back at you. I'm just being a little flippant & having fun on the thread :) There will always be differences of opinion with things like Kickport, & those differences are mainly contextual. What works with one setup won't work with another, etc. Just like Dre's shallow bass drum experience. One drum, a moment in time. Another kind of shallow drum on another day, possibly a whole 'nuther decision. One of the biggest fans of deeper bass drums I ever met is now running one of our 12" deep bass drums. It delivered more bottom end than his previous 18" deep drum of the same size!
 
I had a four inch hole in my reso that split a little on me. I was able to get a kickport and a reso for the same price as what I would have paid for the reso alone. So I got the kickport and was able to save the reso head with the tear in it because the kickport needed a little bigger hole.

Its alright. I don't think it's worth the money on its own but if you should find a deal where you get a free Evans EQ3 or PS3 reso in the deal... what the Hell.

I would say it does make a difference, albeit not a huge difference . My sound guy seems to love it at least.
 
I know, & back at you. I'm just being a little flippant & having fun on the thread :) There will always be differences of opinion with things like Kickport, & those differences are mainly contextual. What works with one setup won't work with another, etc. Just like Dre's shallow bass drum experience. One drum, a moment in time. Another kind of shallow drum on another day, possibly a whole 'nuther decision. One of the biggest fans of deeper bass drums I ever met is now running one of our 12" deep bass drums. It delivered more bottom end than his previous 18" deep drum of the same size!

I'll tell you what, my 22x16 goes in my backseat a Hell of a lot easier than my 22x18. My 26x14 goes in a lot easier for that matter. So bulky. Every picture on the walls in the hallway is in danger when the 22x18 comes down the hall.
 
Hello! I have a 14x20 and a 16x22 vintage Yamaha 9000 Recording Custom bassdrum. The KickPort works wonferfully on the 14x20, giving it more punch and seemingly more bottom end. It seems like it's a little louder too, I guess it's just focusing the sound, making it more prominent.
On the 16x22 it seems to take away whatever makes that drum sound good (to my ears). On this drum it takes away some of the "boomyness" that this drum needs, and reduces the "thump-factor".
So I guess you won't know until you try. In my opinion it's overpriced by itself, but if you get a good deal or as part of a package it could very well be worth it.
 
I have used a Kickport on several sets and here are my findings...

On my Ludwig Classic Maple (16x24), Yamaha Club Custom (15x22), and Yamaha Live Custom kits (14x22), it didn't work as advertised. This is with and without damping, tuning high and low, etc... I tried everything. It muffled the front reso head, but didn't add the boom.

However, it turned the 18"x20" bass drum on my Pearl Reference kit into a CANNON! My God, the difference was unbelievable. Well, well, well worth the money on that set.

I wonder if the depth makes a big difference with this product? Not sure.
 
I have it on 2 of my bassdrums and the punch is crazy.

Telling a guy to get a smaller kick drum usually isn't great advice.. haha... a $30 kickport or a few hundred to thousand on a new drum is quite a change.


Just try it. if it doesn't do what you want they are pretty cheap
 
Haven't had very good experiences with the Kickport. The installation process is a crapshoot as well. However, it does seem that some people find an improvement. Just something to try.

I echo Andy's suggestion of getting your bass drum cut shorter if you want something more direct from a huge size like 24x20". If you're not already using an EMAD, that would help too– the EMAD2 is a classic head for a reason.
 
Not on my Yamaha MCAN 22/16 or on my maple stave 22/16. Kick port added nothing and indeed restricted some lows. Now I like fiber skin or coated or maybe at a push thinner frosted kick heads and actively dislike the emad design sound (too flat and one dimensional for me) so maybe that's why it did nowt.

Eg kick port works best when using pre muffled heads ?

Each to their own.
 
Personally, I think they're about as effective as a chocolate teapot, .

See guys... Sometimes KIS is a cool-azz mutha ! lol

These things look ridiculous with that huge label on the plastic.

If you know how to tune a full head with no hole.. and STOP burying the beater.. there is no comparison to a full head tuned properly.
 
Have a Kickport on my 22x18 but put in the 2" not the 4 or 5" and it opened the drum up big time. Couple of you said you also use pillows or mufflers of some type. Kickport recommends no muffling while using the product. Could be why you're not hearing a difference.
 
Well, thanks for all the advice and I've really enjoyed reading everyones opinions and comments. I think I'm gonna give it a go and see what happens, for the sake of a few quid it could be fun... maybe??

cheers!!!!!
 
See guys... Sometimes KIS is a cool-azz mutha ! lol

These things look ridiculous with that huge label on the plastic.

If you know how to tune a full head with no hole.. and STOP burying the beater.. there is no comparison to a full head tuned properly.

I'm applauding. 14" deep bass drum all the way too!
 
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