I’m a recent convert to carrying a backpack—I’ve generally lugged a bag through airports and hotels at the expense of my shoulders—and I can’t remember the last time I played a video game, but I’ve found my next big travel-related splurge: the SubPac. [related]
It’s a backpack that allows you feel and experience music like never before because you’re actually wearing the subwoofer on your back. Yup, you are the walking bass. I know it’s been a bad week for Public Enemy, but so much for bass in your face, am I right?
For AV integrators who are working in the esports market, the SubPac S2 appears to be a perfect complement to that type of installation since it seems like it could help players to become even more immersed in their virtual worlds of zombie killing and token collecting.
It features “professional audio upgrades to enhance your creativity and fidelity,” according to the company website, meaning esports athletes get “a more accurate and true representation of music, especially for acoustic and classical genres.”
The SubPac also features a battery life of at least seven hours, meaning it’ll last even if/when my flight to the next AV trade show or conference gets rerouted, delayed or canceled.
If you’re like me when you travel, you’ll like that it’s another way to block out the world around you.
That was the number one selling point to me when I bought noise-cancelling headphones a few years ago. It’s just too bad there aren’t any products (yet) that zap passengers who block the gate even though they’re in group 9 and the airline is (as always) starting with group 1.
But I digress …
What the SubPac Means for AV
In addition to applications in esports, the SubPac S2 is used today in music production studios in Los Angeles, London and more as a way of helping those making the music to better feel and understand how it could affect fans—and maybe convert a few who aren’t fans yet.
“The SUBPAC adds real depth, connection and enjoyment to whatever you play through it,” according to the product website, which lists the device at $299.
“Your music, games, movies, and VR comes to life with the added dimension of physical audio.” Imagine if pro sports leagues can figure out a way to utilize this technology to bring fans closer than ever to their favorite teams.
My only hesitation when it comes to handing over all my money to create a SubPac army is the use of bone conduction to deliver the more immersive sound. I’ve tried headphones that use that technology and…let’s just say, it’s not for everyone.
I don’t quite know what haptics or interoception are but it looks like they’ll use receptors on my skin to register vibrations on the surface of the SubPac and receptors in my muscles—yes, I have a few of those—to detect “subtle changes in force and pressure.”
I’m willing to give it a try–but please don’t ask me about it when I’m waiting for my next flight.
