SUBPAC X1

SUBPAC X1
Basic Info
VR/AR	Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality
Type	Tactile audio accessory
Subtype	Wearable subwoofer, Tactile feedback device
Platform	PC, mobile, console (line-level audio source)
Creator	SubPac
Developer	SubPac
Manufacturer	SubPac
Announcement Date	August 20, 2020
Release Date	2021
Price	$349 (X1 standalone, launch pre-order); $499 (X1 + C1 bundle, launch pre-order)
Website	https://subpac.com/x1/
Versions	SUBPAC X1; SUBPAC X1 + C1 bundle
Requires	Audio source (3.5mm line, USB-C, Bluetooth, or SUBPAC UWB via the C1)
Predecessor	SUBPAC M2X
Successor	None announced
System
Operating System	N/A
Chipset	SHARC DSP
CPU	N/A
GPU	N/A
Storage
Storage	N/A
Memory	N/A
SD Card Slot	No
Display
Display	N/A
Resolution	N/A
Refresh Rate	N/A
Image
Field of View	N/A
Horizontal FoV	N/A
Vertical FoV	N/A
Optics
Optics	N/A
Ocularity	N/A
IPD Range	N/A
Adjustable Diopter	N/A
Passthrough	N/A
Tracking
Tracking	N/A
Base Stations	N/A
Eye Tracking	N/A
Face Tracking	N/A
Hand Tracking	N/A
Body Tracking	N/A
Rotational Tracking	N/A
Positional Tracking	N/A
Audio
Audio	Vibro-tactile bass reproduction (tactile range adjustable approx. 1-250 Hz); ESS Sabre headphone amplifier with 3.5mm headphone output
Microphone	N/A
Camera	N/A
Connectivity
Connectivity	3.5mm stereo line input, USB Audio Class 2.0 (USB-C), Bluetooth, SUBPAC UWB wireless (via C1)
Ports	USB-C, 3.5mm stereo line in, 3.5mm headphone out
WiFi	N/A
Bluetooth	Yes
Power	Integrated rechargeable lithium-ion battery; USB-C Power Delivery
Battery Capacity	4-cell lithium-ion
Battery Life	Up to ~8 hours
Charge Time	USB-C PD (45W charger included)
Device
Dimensions	Wearable/seatback form factor
Weight	N/A
Material	Textiles, vibro-tactile membranes, transducers, electronics
Headstrap	N/A
Haptics	Yes (vibro-tactile transducers)
Color	Black
Sensors	N/A
Input	Audio signal (line, USB, Bluetooth, UWB); mobile/PC app control of EQ, filters, and time alignment
Compliance	USB Audio Class 2.0

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The SUBPAC X1 is a wearable tactile audio device made by the Canadian company SubPac. Like earlier SUBPAC products, it physically transmits low-frequency sound to the user's body through vibro-tactile transducers and membranes rather than producing audible sound, letting a wearer feel bass as a full-body sensation while the original audio plays through headphones or speakers. SubPac announced the X1 on August 20, 2020 as the next generation of its tactile audio line, positioning it as a software-driven, modular, wireless system aimed at music creators, audio professionals, and enthusiasts, with a hybrid design that works both worn on the back and mounted against the back of a seat. Although marketed primarily to the music and audio production world, the SUBPAC platform is widely used as a haptic and immersion accessory for Virtual Reality, gaming, and location-based entertainment, where it adds a felt physical layer to low-frequency audio.

Background

SubPac was founded in 2013 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada by John Alexiou and Todd Chernecki, growing out of the StudioFeed social venture that developed the underlying tactile technology. The company launched its first products through a 2013 Kickstarter campaign that raised more than $100,000, and over the following years it built a lineup of seatback and wearable units, including the seatback S1 and S2 and the wearable M1, M2, and M2X. The SUBPAC X1 succeeds the M2X as the company's flagship wearable and was designed to merge the previously separate worn and seated product categories into a single modular device.

SubPac's core idea is that much of the impact of bass-heavy music and immersive media is physical rather than purely audible. By feeding low frequencies directly into the body through contact with the back, the device reproduces the chest-thumping sensation usually associated with large speaker systems or club subwoofers, but quietly and without disturbing people nearby.

Design

The SUBPAC X1 uses a hybrid, modular form factor that can be worn like a backpack panel against the user's back or attached to the back of a chair for seated use, with interchangeable strapping solutions and added padding for a closer, more comfortable fit. The unit is built from a combination of tactile transducers, vibro-tactile membranes, electronics, and textiles. For the X1, SubPac introduced what it calls Tactive transducers and SUBPAC VX vibro-tactile membranes, which the company says deliver a broader vibro-tactile field and greater accuracy than previous models.

Power comes from an integrated rechargeable lithium-ion battery rated for up to roughly eight hours of use, charged over USB-C Power Delivery using an included 45W charger. A removable input/output module carries the analog connections, so the device can be stripped down for purely wireless use or expanded for studio work.

Audio and connectivity

The X1 reproduces a tactile frequency range that the manufacturer lists as adjustable between approximately 1 Hz and 250 Hz, covering deep sub-bass through low midrange. Audio processing is handled by an Analog Devices SHARC digital signal processor, and the device includes an ESS Sabre headphone amplifier with a 3.5mm headphone output so the wearer can monitor full-range audio in sync with the tactile signal. Inputs include a 3.5mm stereo line input, USB Audio Class 2.0 over USB-C, and Bluetooth, alongside SubPac's ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless audio system.

A companion device, the SUBPAC C1, acts as a pro wireless transmitter and I/O hub. It adds balanced quarter-inch line inputs and outputs using Neutrik connectors and can stream a low-latency, lossless UWB signal to multiple X1 units at once. SubPac states that a single C1 can transmit to up to five X1 units simultaneously, with latency under 10 milliseconds over a line-of-sight range of about 30 feet, which suits multi-person installations, performances, and shared experiences. Much of the device's behaviour is controlled through mobile and desktop apps that expose filters, parametric EQ, time alignment, and separate level controls for the tactile output and headphone output; SubPac also lists support for Sonarworks SoundID Reference calibration.

SUBPAC X1 key specifications

Specification	Detail
Type	Wearable / seatback tactile audio device
Tactile frequency range	Adjustable approx. 1-250 Hz
Audio processing	SHARC DSP
Headphone amplifier	ESS Sabre, 3.5mm headphone output
Transducers / membranes	Tactive transducers, SUBPAC VX vibro-tactile membranes
Wired inputs	3.5mm stereo line in, USB Audio Class 2.0 (USB-C)
Wireless	Bluetooth; SUBPAC UWB (via C1)
Companion module	SUBPAC C1 (Neutrik 1/4" balanced I/O, UWB transmitter)
UWB capacity	Up to 5 X1 units from one C1, <10 ms latency, ~30 ft range
Power	Rechargeable Li-ion battery, USB-C PD (45W charger included)
Battery life	Up to ~8 hours
App control	iOS/Android and desktop: filters, EQ, time alignment, levels; Sonarworks SoundID Reference

Use in VR and gaming

SubPac devices are commonly used as a Tactile feedback accessory for Virtual Reality and gaming because they translate the inaudible low-frequency content of game and VR audio into a felt, physical sensation. In coverage of an earlier SubPac model, Road to VR described how the system turns frequencies below about 40 Hz into haptic feedback to deepen immersion, with the wearer feeling bass as though standing in front of large subwoofers while the device stays silent to others nearby. The same physical principle carries over to the X1.

SubPac has pursued partnerships across gaming, VR, location-based entertainment, automotive, home cinema, and accessibility. The company produced a limited Beat Saber edition and content tuning so that players feel the music's bass and drums physically, and it participated in Razer's HyperSense haptics initiative. Earlier SubPac units were used in location-based VR experiences from major studios, and the platform has been demonstrated as a way to make music tactile for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.

Pricing and availability

At launch in 2020, SubPac offered the SUBPAC X1 on its own for $349 and an X1 plus C1 pro bundle for $499 as early pre-order pricing, with shipping following into 2021. Pre-orders were fulfilled in limited production runs; SubPac's online store later listed the X1 at a higher price after the initial run sold out, reflecting standard rather than early-bird pricing. SubPac also markets the X1 around longevity, stating that the modular design is meant to avoid planned obsolescence and to be easy to disassemble at end of life.

See also

• SubPac
• Tactile feedback
• Haptics
• Spatial Audio
• Beat Saber