Porter & Davies BC2 Porter & Davies

Overview

Born out of a combination of necessity and ingenuity, the BC2 by Porter & Davies is a small, highly portable and tough solution to an age-old problem: We all know the feeling of the bottom end thump when we see a band from out front. Who usually feels that the least in the whole room? The drummer. The answer is a device that you are in control of, that delivers the weight and power and the sound of the bass drum without the external volume.

The BC2 allows you to feel, experience and hear the bass drum like you never felt it before. It consists of our very own Patented throne top with the finest Tactile Generator mounted internally, coupled to a flightcased electronics ‘Engine’ pack. The system delivers powerful and nuanced reproduction, transmitted through bone conduction.

BC2 Engine Open Angle Porter & DaviesIf you’re using in-ear monitoring, you’ll be able feel the bass drum like never before. If you’re not using in-ears, this system so accurately connects you to your bass drum that it will improve your confidence, groove, playing and whole stage experience. It is an absolute revelation in the recording studio!

The BC2 electronics fit into a road rugged flightcased ‘Engine’ pack the size of a 10″ tom case which only weighs 10 kilos. It is extremely portable and, most importantly, is quick and easy to set up. Simply open the case, plug in throne, plug in mic, plug in power and you’re away!

Details

The BC2 is an amplified Tactile Generator Monitor System which turns the bass drum signal (and other signals if required) into ‘tactile sound’ up through the drum stool. You feel it and hear it, but no one else does. This works mainly through bone conduction (see the Theory page). The result is far more sophisticated than a simple ‘thump’. All of the tone and intricacies of the bass drum sound and impact are felt and heard internally.

The BC2 is a two unit system consisting of an ‘Engine’ which contains all of the electronics: – Amp, preamp, inputs and outputs, protection circuitry, and volume and tone controls, and the throne top.
The Patented BC2 Throne is an all-in-one unit in which we internally mount the highest quality and most efficient Tactile Transducer available. There is zero compromise on build quality.

BC2 Engine Open Control PanelThe three handmade comfortable Throne top designs are extremely sturdy and elegantly constructed, and are adorned with a silk ‘BC2 by Porter & Davies’ logo. They will accommodate 7/8” diameter throne bases as used by DW, Gibraltar, Roc N Soc, Yamaha, Tama, Ludwig, Premier, Custom Percussion, and others. Custom sizes and pneumatic (air lift) mounting brackets are available on request.

The BC2 is built into its own flightcase, whereas the BC2rm is designed to fit into industry-standard 19” racks.

Our systems are being road proven by a growing list of the world’s top drummers and bands .

Main Features

✓ BC2 Saddle Throne Top and Engine Open VerticalVoltage selector switch for use worldwide (240 or 115 volts).
✓ Hardwired passive XLR mic in and out sockets.
✓ Line XLR socket which accepts both balanced and unbalanced inputs.
✓ Phantom Power selector to accommodate both dynamic and condenser microphones.
✓ NL4 Speakon connection from Engine to Throne.
✓ Three separate power leads provided: USA, UK, and EU.
✓ Choice of three Throne styles (click here).
✓ Full control of power and intensity immediately at your side. The system is 100% consistent, night after night, completely irrelevant of acoustics, stage volume, room size, etc.
✓ Both the BC2 and BC2rm units are incredibly compact and efficient. They need under 150W to drive them, as opposed to around 1200W required by a well known competitor.
✓ The power range is formidable.
✓ The BC2 / BC2rm offers unparalleled response speed (0% lag) and sensitivity, so will faithfully replicate all of your playing dynamics: It will respond to long notes (beater off) as well as short notes (beater on), depending on drum dampening, tuning, and playing style.
✓ It will TRANSFORM your playing experience: The drummer and drum kit become ‘one’ – your groove will be stronger than ever.
✓ As well as the bass drum, you can also feed in toms, snare drum, even bass guitar. The sensitivity and response are so accurate that even ghosted double stroke snare rolls are represented.
✓ If you use IEMs, the BC2 / BC2rm completes the sonic experience by providing the physicality of the bottom end which otherwise cannot be replicated. The mix will clear up and give space to the other sounds which no longer have to compete with the bass drum, and the volume can come down.
✓ This also applies if you don’t use IEMs: Monitoring and general stage levels naturally decrease quite drastically, as well as becoming so much cleaner.
✓ The BC2 flightcase base will accommodate ALL of the relevant leads (Speakon, power cables).
✓ BC2 Engine Open AngleThe whole system takes well under 2 mins to rig up. Open the flightcase, plug in the bass drum mic directly (or line from the monitor desk/board), connect the power lead, connect the throne to the box, switch on. That’s it.
✓ Here is another BIG advantage for fully amplified gigs: No bass drum(s) thumping through big monitor subs to pollute the stage sound.
✓ The kit can be miked up more ambiently, and the sound engineer hasn’t got to gate or roll off all the heavy bottom from the other mics. The toms can now breathe properly and sound huge… The singers also have less to moan about!
✓ Fantastic with MIDI kits: Real power, and you’ll lose that disconnected feeling. The sense of reality has to be experienced to be believed.
✓ Cheaper tour/stage spec: No subs required for the drummer.
✓ For recording, the new sense of weight, nuance and connection is invaluable.

Spec

BC2 by Porter and Davies ‘Engine’
Flightcase (with all leads and accessories)

Dimensions:
30cm x 30cm x 30cm inc ball corners.

Weight:
9.5Kg.

Cables supplied as standard:
2M UK, Euro and US power cables plus 2M Speakon NL4 throne link cable.

Amp:
(230/115vAC switchable)

BC2 Round Throne Top and Engine OpenMic in:
600 ohm electronically balanced P2 hot XLRF. +48v Phantom power switch with indicator.

Mic out:
Hardwired parallel to mic in. XLRM.

Line in:
10K ohm electronically balanced P2 hot XLRF.

Low Contour:
+/- 12dB @ 45Hz shelving.

Signal present indicator led, green:
-30dB.

Signal Peak indicator led, red:
+4dB.

Max output:
150W RMS / 4ohm 0.05%THD 20hz-18khz +/- 2dB. Anti-thump and 2 stage noiseless dynamic load protection circuitry built-in.

Round Throne Top:
40 x 40 x 20cms deep.
Weight: 5.7Kg.

BC2 Saddle Throne Top UndersideSaddle Throne Top:
40 x 40 x 20cms deep.
Weight: 5.7Kg.

Extra-wide Throne Top:
50 x 40 x 20cms deep.
Weight: 5.9Kg.

Connection between Engine and Throne:
Speakon NL4 to Speakon NL4.