Kickport Bass Drum Sound Enhancer

oldmetalhead

Junior Member
Is there any advantage to a Kickport Bass drum sound enhancer over just a O ring port? I have only spoken to one drummer so far about this and he didnt like this unit. Any feedback guys and gals?
 
I had one and used it for a long time. I didn't really buy it for me - I bought it for a church kit at a church where I was playing, but I was fired from that praise team (long dumb story for another time - can you be "fired" from something you do voluntarily without pay?) and so when I left, I took all of the stuff I provided for that kit out of my own pocket - heads, hoops, and the Kickport, among other things.

I don't know that it made that much of a difference sonically, but it did change the feel - because I bury the beater, the added weight on the front head causes more movementon the front head, which gets translated back to the batter head.

When I changed out my stock "Pearl" black logo drum head for a white one, I didn't reinstall the kickport, and it seems just fine without it.
 
Ok trickg, what did you do with the kicport and you seemed to get better rebound from the front head? Oh I know all about praise teams at churches and it aint pretty is it?
 
Ok trickg, what did you do with the kicport and you seemed to get better rebound from the front head? Oh I know all about praise teams at churches and it aint pretty is it?
I still have it - it's just sitting on the shelf. It probably needs a new foam ring because I think the original one dry rotted - I had it on my kit from 2011 to early 2018.

Seriously, if you wanted to try it on the cheap, PM me your address (provided that you live somewhere in the Continental US) and I'll send it to you.
 
Seems the KickPort is loosely based on the principle for porting a speaker cabinet. But it doesn't work so easily. Speaker ports (outside of those "ports" that are installed on mass-produced auto subs) are sized by a complex mathematical formula that takes into consideration speaker specifications coupled with cabinet dimensions and desired speaker response. A wrongly-sized port can literally kill a speaker's bass response, and it is no different with a bass drum.

In short, one port does not fit all! If one accidentally happens to install a KickPort in a drum whose sizing and tuning somewhat align with the tuning offered by the port, then magical things can happen. If not, a drum can actually sound much, much worse. So KickPort effectiveness is a blind, haphazard shot in the dark. Nothing more, nothing less.

GeeDeeEmm
 
Been using them for a few years now & really like them. I hear a big difference
 
Very polarizing, the kickport. It depends who you talk to, if they like them or not.

You got a great offer to try one.
 
Great for 18” bass drums. Not needed for 22”+.

I have one in my basement. Want it?

Edit: not needed when kick is mic’d .
 
Have them on both of my 20" bass drums, the 18" and the 16" (1 Ludwig/1 Sonor; 1 Premier and 1 small Sonor respectively). Everyone who heard those drums before and after (including myself) could hear the difference acoustically. The first 3 drums are shallow (i.e., 12"-14" deep).

As cbp mentioned, it doesn't seem to matter when the bass drum is mic'd.
 
This question comes up from time to time. My reply now is the same as the previous times - it has helped my 20” birch thick-shelled drum enormously. Louder, deeper, and I don’t need drum fill any more.
 
long dumb story for another time - can you be "fired" from something you do voluntarily without pay?)

I would love to hear this "long dumb story" whenever you have the chance! Feel free to PM me.
 
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