Early into 2017, I somehow found myself with a little extra money and in a position that I didn’t really need anything. Of course we all have our want list and the SubPac M2 was on my mind for some time, being an audiophile and all. Long story short, it was now or never to pick one up so I bit the bullet on the price.
Lets address the first obvious question: “Why would anyone drop $300+ on a bass backpack?”
Well, my justification comes in the form of music creation, gaming, and the love of music. Sometimes in the default world I find myself on a project where hearing in full resolution isn’t possible. In gaming, sound design and scores for games have become so amazing and continue to become so much more. Ultimately, the love for sound influenced this purchase.
The SubPac M2 doesn’t come with headphones, which is good. I do like that I have to choose which headphones to use and I can change them for whatever situation: gaming, music listening, music creation.
My go-to headphones are Grado SR125’s (on the high end) with Monoprice’s headphones (on the affordable end) as everyday headphones and Skullcandy’s in-ear headphones being my most portable. For this reviews, I will be referencing all three. Let’s get into it.
Build.
The build for the M2 is solid and thought out. It fits like a small Camelbak with adjustments for any size person. The input module is wired and has a small belt clip on the back so it can be placed to the wearer’s liking. My industrial design love is satisfied.
Input.
The M2 has two simple inputs. A bluetooth connection and an 1/8″ wired input. For my applications, this has served me well, especially when I don’t feel like messing with the setup for gaming or I just want to hear some music.
The Feelz.
Take your favorite song or your current favorite song and imagine feeling the bass parts of it. Better yet, have you felt the bass of your favorite song? The low end of Scar’s “Wrong side” is a current favorite track and you certainly feel the bass reverberate through you. Now I wouldn’t say that you feel like you are in a club or concert; it doesn’t replicate the vibes of a night out. However, bass wise, it does feel like you are close to a subwoofer. You certainly have an added dimension of the music. Also, the overall feel of gaming changes and you do experience the lower end of whatever game you are playing.
Conclusion
In the end, is it necessary for gaming and music creation? It definitely helps.
Side note: I wrote this listening to a ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’ playlist with the SubPac on. Certainly was the first time I heard parts of one of my favorite older songs.
I am not a DJ.
Survived the 1996-2001 years of the New Orleans State Palace rave scene. Witness early acts such as Rabbit in the Moon, Dj Micro, Planet of the Drums, Felix the Housecat, Dj Qbert, as the rave scene was taking off in the U.S.
Officially moved to Houston in 2000 to study audio, video, graphic design.
Currently, working as a video editor/ photographer in the Houston area.
