The Obutto oZone...

So I ordered this thing like a week ago, got one of the "damaged" units. Including the mount for the G25 shifter, I spent $245. Shipped. Do some shopping around and you'll see that even for a so-so cockpit, $245 is a damn good price. But what we have here is so much better than so-so, it's not even funny.

Including the seat, there's 9 pieces to this thing, so assembly only took about half an hour, and that's because I'm something of a perfectionist. I wanted my new toy to be 100% spot on. The hardest part about assembly is making sure your seat rails are lined up so your seat is straight. There were instructions provided, but if you know how to hold a wrench, you probably won't need them. And speaking of wrenches, you'll need 2. One plain old open end wrench, and an allen wrench. That's it. No hammer, no screwdriver, no prybar to get things to fit right. Just two wrenches. I was gonna take pics of the assembly process, but I kinda got excited and put it together before I ever thought of the camera. You're not missing much, though. It's easy and fast. Ease of assembly - 8/10. Why not a 10? Because a 10 would be pre-assembled. A 9 would need no tools.

Now, I wanna take a sec and describe this seat. Seriously, you could put it in your car. The look and feel of it are amazing. It's got slider rails like you'd expect, reclines completely flat, and even has a lumbar adjustment. I'm pretty sure they just bought a bunch of wholesale racing seats and slapped their logo on 'em. Seat - 10/10. The only way it could be cooler is if it were a power seat.

Now for the only part that I could find any fault with - the shifter mount. What's wrong with it, you ask? Well, it's not adjustable. Granted, it sits in a great place as it is, and I personally have no fault with it but a friend of mine sat down and wanted it closer to him. After one race, though, he said it was fine where it was. That being said, the mount itself is rock solid. No wiggles, no flexing, just a solid shifter feel. Oh, and you can mount it on the left or right side. Wherever you live, the shifter can easily be mounted on the correct side of the seat. Shifter mount - 9/10 Like I said, I think it's fine. But make it adjustable, and it's a 10.

Ok, I lied. One more thing I wasn't thrilled about - the pedal plate. The angle it sits at is kinda steep, but that may just be because I'm used to driving with the pedals at a narrower angle. After racing around the Nurburgring in this weeks WRS race, I can honestly say that it had no negative impact on my driving, but like the shifter mount, some built-in adjustability here would be nice. Notice I said "built in". You can easily slide something under the closest side of the plate to give your heels a bit more elevation for the narrower angle I was used to before. That said, I didn't, I just raced how it was and had no issue. Pedals - 9/10 Like the shifter, some adjustability would make it a 10.

Now on to the most important part - the wheel mount. I wasn't too sure how stable it was gonna be at first, but after assembling the cockpit, I knew it'd be steady as a rock. And so it was. The metal tubing used doesn't flex one. Little. Bit. Not at all. I'm reasonably certain that the steering wheel itself will break off at the shaft before the mount moves from driving. You can adjust the height of the wheel to wherever you want it, turn the hand tightening knobs, and it stays there. It takes about 5 seconds to adjust it from driver to driver if you feel you must, but my friend and I didn't need to. I'm 5'7", and my friend is 6'1", and all he had to do was scoot the seat back a bit. Wheel mount - 10/10 Stable. Adjustable. No bar between your legs. Perfection.

Overall fit and finish - well, considering this is a "damaged" unit, it's in damn good shape. Visually, there's nothing wrong with it. Walking around it, looking down, it's fine. Any flaws or defects this thing is said to have couldn't possibly ever affect the stability of the unit. There's a couple of not-perfectly-smooth places, but it's beneath the powdercoat, and it really just feels like a slightly textured finish. Fit & Finish - 9.5/10 Is it perfect? No. If I hadn't put it together, would I ever have noticed it? No.

This next bit doesn't actually concern the cockpit itself, so I'm not gonna count the score in the total, but customer service with these guys is out of this world. Up front, I got pics and info on what kind of "damage" I was going to encounter with one of the discounted units. Every question I had before ordering and after was answered promptly and informatively. Then I got an email this morning asking if I'd received my unit yet. These guys want your business, and they go out of the way to help, answer questions, and get you taken care of. Customer Service - 10/10.

The oZone also comes with a padded-top keyboard table, which I left off, and a monitor stand, which I'm not using. The keyboard stand attaches on the side opposite the shifter mount, and is made of the same high strength steel, but if you leave it off, it makes getting into/out of the chair much easier. Ok, I lied again. I'm using the monitor stand as a table. A PS3 controller and a TV remote fit there perfectly. Hell, this thing's so stable, I could likely put a drink up there and race without spilling it. ...cupholder mod?

Overall average - 9.25/10. There is so very, very little wrong with this cockpit and for the price, you can't beat it. Actually, I'd give it an 11/10 on price, bumping it up to a 9.5 overall. If you want a GREAT cockpit at an OUTSTANDING price, this is it.

Okay whats the cons.

Japspecvr6

Okay whats the cons.

Click to expand...

Really there aren't any aside from just what I said before. No power seat (lol), the shifter mount isn't adjustable, nor is the pedal plate (but you can just stick something under the heel end), it wasn't a tool-less assembly. That's really about it. After I got the thing assembled and got some seat time, I started trying to move stuff around intentionally. As long as you've tightened the hand-knobs down with a little force (maybe 10ft/lbs) it's all pretty stable. There weren't any illustrations on the instructions, so I guess that's a con, but assembly was so easy as to almost not need them. I guess maybe the lack of surround sound speaker mounts, and no bolt-holes in the monitor stand could be cons... I just don't have much bad to say about it. I'm really pleased with the whole thing. As I said before, my biggest concern was that the wheel plate would move around, but it's as stable as you could want it. No flex at all.

okay. i think about it

Just picked this one up myself and am completely satisfied as it has surpassed my expectations fully. I am truly thankful I didn't go with the Playseat as the comparison in design, rigidity & option that come with the Ozone are second to none. Anyways here are some pics

Thats nice......i want one.......where can i get it

Anybody wanna link me to a good source please?

rave426

Thats nice......i want one.......where can i get it

Anybody wanna link me to a good source please?

Click to expand...

Yep. Straight to the source.
http://www.obutto.com/purchase.html

Here is some of my thoughts about it on another forum http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/607959#3675787

Nice, Oner. Well written. If you don't mind, link this thread over there at Afterdawn, too. Teh interwebs is prolly the best way to keep these guys in business. They don't really do a whole lot of advertising, so the better we can talk them up to others, the more sales they make, the longer they stay afloat.

It's Funny cuz i tracked down the owner of the company and he is a fellow E30 Owner LOL. Thats what the seat is based off. i think i will go with them.

Japspecvr6

It's Funny cuz i tracked down the owner of the company and he is a fellow E30 Owner LOL. Thats what the seat is based off. i think i will go with them.

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I'm tellin' ya, bro. You can't go wrong with this seat. It's that damn good.

Teh_Loserer

Yep. Straight to the source.
http://www.obutto.com/purchase.html

Click to expand...

Thanks dude! I kinda like the way its setup. The play seat looks better, but the Obutto looks more functional.

Cant go wrong with an E30 owner

Yup An E30 Owner.

I'm a long time lurker on this forum and I felt inclined to come on here and post for the first time after having read Oner's review of Obotto seat on the afterdawn forum.

"I was originally going to get the Playseat but after seeing videos of how the wheel stand was right in between your legs and how much it moved/flexed plus how cheap the seat was (and the rest of the components), this showed to me that it would definitely not be up to my high standards required for purchase. "

Now, assuming you've never owned the Playseat or even tried one out in person, how could you make such call? That's a rather bold assumption to make. Well, I actually own one and I'll tell you right now that the Playseat Evo does NOT feel cheap, nor do the rest of the components as you claim, and does NOT shake when driving and the pole between the legs is NOT an issue in any way shape or form if you position the pedals properly.

In fact, when I received my evo, I was pleasantly surprised at how sturdy and nice the seat is. Without a doubht, it well exceeded my expectation and some more. I don't doubt that the obotto provides a good experience. But deliberately putting down another product to make a point is unnecessary and misleading. Especially when you have no idea and all you've seen of it is vids of it on youtube.

I don't know how well the Obotto seat performs compared to the evo since I haven't used it but I don't think I'm alone here when I say that the Playseat looks quite a bit better than the Obotto seat when it comes to its looks.

Just my .02 cent.

I 'd like one of these-- they have a small print offer on their web page of 185.00 for cockpit & shifter attacment + shp. Is that how you get to 245.00 complete? I e-mailed them with the info they requested but haven't received a reply as yet. How long before they respond to inquiry. Could be having an extra long New Year holiday. I'll wait a week & try again.

I have been in contact with Chris over the past few weeks since I was doing a small review for his product and he emailed me this morning saying his is still on vacation but will be back soon. To also answer your price question yes that is how you get the $245 complete price as they had a minor issue with the powder coat process during this production run so he is offering the Ozone at a discounted rate of only $185 + $60 shipping anywhere in the US.

ChadWarden

I'm a long time lurker on this forum and I felt inclined to come on here and post for the first time after having read Oner's review of Obotto seat on the afterdawn forum.

"I was originally going to get the Playseat but after seeing videos of how the wheel stand was right in between your legs and how much it moved/flexed plus how cheap the seat was (and the rest of the components), this showed to me that it would definitely not be up to my high standards required for purchase. "

Now, assuming you've never owned the Playseat or even tried one out in person, how could you make such call? That's a rather bold assumption to make. Well, I actually own one and I'll tell you right now that the Playseat Evo does NOT feel cheap, nor do the rest of the components as you claim, and does NOT shake when driving and the pole between the legs is NOT an issue in any way shape or form if you position the pedals properly.

In fact, when I received my evo, I was pleasantly surprised at how sturdy and nice the seat is. Without a doubht, it well exceeded my expectation and some more. I don't doubt that the obotto provides a good experience. But deliberately putting down another product to make a point is unnecessary and misleading. Especially when you have no idea and all you've seen of it is vids of it on youtube.

I don't know how well the Obotto seat performs compared to the evo since I haven't used it but I don't think I'm alone here when I say that the Playseat looks quite a bit better than the Obotto seat when it comes to its looks.

Just my .02 cent.

Click to expand...

You have to allow people making comparisons on what they expect even if they don´t own a playseat... As long they don´t pretend to have used one of course.

I do have the playseat and I see he has both some valid points and some not very valid points...

I argue anyone to see any wobble with an unmodded G25 wheel or weaker with full force feedback enabled... It´s stable even if you like me have it extended quite much on the steering column to raise it up. And I don´t tolerate any wobble that was why I sold my original playseat for the evolution.

The pedals does flex if you run with stiffer brakes then the G25... It´s not stable enough for the nixim progressive brake mod and you can´t use 3rd party pedals like ECCI, Frex etc on it of course.

As for the seat yes it´s good looking and it will take a long time before it shows wear but it´s not the quality of a real sports car seat... True racing buckets don´t have much stopping too they are all about business however this one does budge a little with my nixim progressive brake mod pedals... Not so with unmodded G25 pedals... On the other hand it does have some stopping so is not as uncomfortable as racing buckets... (Unless you get one formed after your body of course) The Evolution is built around the G25 and it shows.

As for the obutto well for me I don´t own it yet but soon most likely the benefits I see over the playseat is yes a better seat... Reclinable is a big plus if you do more then just simracing on it and it looks more like a real seat even if it´s maybe not as good looking. That said of course I have absolutely no issues with the evolution seat apart from a metal bar that pushes to your spine a bit. And that since it´s vinyl it gets a bit sweaty when you sit in it for some hours. Since the Obutto don´t have these problems and it´s reclinable I would have to say it´s better.

Otherwise the Obutto seems stable enough for add on wheels and pedals like ECCI, Frex etc if I wanted which the evolution certainly isn´t.

Benefits for the playseat has is that it´s lighter, more configurable. Have to wait to say it´s better looking though think the obutto looks really good but may be blinded by it´s practicality lol. You can adjust the length and height of the wheel independently to your feet thanks to the bar between your legs... This not just helps stability makes it easier to get a good driving position. There is no other way to make a cockpit this stable while only weighting 25 kg. You see the middle bar as a negative but it´s the best design change from the original playseat I will have to say It doesn´t get in the way when you race you don´t see it and even if you sometimes can feel it if you are a right foot braker it´s never really an issue. Also you can angle the wheel easilly which is quite important if you have different wheels especially.

Obutto don´t sport this feature but then would be harder to fit wheels like ECCIs and make it stick. I have to nail it to the max for my G25 so it won´t budge if I happen to hang on it or something.

So plus and cons but since I just sold my Evolution in favour of the Obutto I do have higher expectations on this... Now not just for the seat and simracing but for the practical tables .

edit: btw have someone attached a buttkicker to the obutto ozone?

ChadWarden

I'm a long time lurker on this forum and I felt inclined to come on here and post for the first time after having read Oner's review of Obotto seat on the afterdawn forum.

"I was originally going to get the Playseat but after seeing videos of how the wheel stand was right in between your legs and how much it moved/flexed plus how cheap the seat was (and the rest of the components), this showed to me that it would definitely not be up to my high standards required for purchase. "

Now, assuming you've never owned the Playseat or even tried one out in person, how could you make such call? That's a rather bold assumption to make. Well, I actually own one and I'll tell you right now that the Playseat Evo does NOT feel cheap, nor do the rest of the components as you claim, and does NOT shake when driving and the pole between the legs is NOT an issue in any way shape or form if you position the pedals properly.

In fact, when I received my evo, I was pleasantly surprised at how sturdy and nice the seat is. Without a doubht, it well exceeded my expectation and some more. I don't doubt that the obotto provides a good experience. But deliberately putting down another product to make a point is unnecessary and misleading. Especially when you have no idea and all you've seen of it is vids of it on youtube.

I don't know how well the Obotto seat performs compared to the evo since I haven't used it but I don't think I'm alone here when I say that the Playseat looks quite a bit better than the Obotto seat when it comes to its looks.

Just my .02 cent.

Click to expand...

My opinions are just that, my own. But I will clarify something about your assumptions about my "assumptions", I did have a chance to sit in a Playseat and what I noticed on videos online confirmed everything I had said about it. Also how could you say the pole is not an issue? Are you me? No. Now in addition, the "car seat" (if YOU want to call it that) provided with the Evolution is not up to MY standards for usage as well as the other opinions stated earlier led me to what I said in my BRIEF review.

You are entitled to your opinion and I won't fault you for that but to come here and say my opinions are unfounded assumptions when you are the only one with these assumptions is absolutely unnecessary.

oqvist

You have to allow people making comparisons on what they expect even if they don´t own a playseat... As long they don´t pretend to have used one of course.

I do have the playseat and I see he has both some valid points and some not very valid points...

I argue anyone to see any wobble with an unmodded G25 wheel or weaker with full force feedback enabled... It´s stable even if you like me have it extended quite much on the steering column to raise it up. And I don´t tolerate any wobble that was why I sold my original playseat for the evolution.

The pedals does flex if you run with stiffer brakes then the G25... It´s not stable enough for the nixim progressive brake mod and you can´t use 3rd party pedals like ECCI, Frex etc on it of course.

As for the seat yes it´s good looking and it will take a long time before it shows wear but it´s not the quality of a real sports car seat... True racing buckets don´t have much stopping too they are all about business however this one does budge a little with my nixim progressive brake mod pedals... Not so with unmodded G25 pedals... On the other hand it does have some stopping so is not as uncomfortable as racing buckets... (Unless you get one formed after your body of course) The Evolution is built around the G25 and it shows.

As for the obutto well for me I don´t own it yet but soon most likely the benefits I see over the playseat is yes a better seat... Reclinable is a big plus if you do more then just simracing on it and it looks more like a real seat even if it´s maybe not as good looking. That said of course I have absolutely no issues with the evolution seat apart from a metal bar that pushes to your spine a bit. And that since it´s vinyl it gets a bit sweaty when you sit in it for some hours. Since the Obutto don´t have these problems and it´s reclinable I would have to say it´s better.

Otherwise the Obutto seems stable enough for add on wheels and pedals like ECCI, Frex etc if I wanted which the evolution certainly isn´t.

Benefits for the playseat has is that it´s lighter, more configurable. Have to wait to say it´s better looking though think the obutto looks really good but may be blinded by it´s practicality lol. You can adjust the length and height of the wheel independently to your feet thanks to the bar between your legs... This not just helps stability makes it easier to get a good driving position. There is no other way to make a cockpit this stable while only weighting 25 kg. You see the middle bar as a negative but it´s the best design change from the original playseat I will have to say It doesn´t get in the way when you race you don´t see it and even if you sometimes can feel it if you are a right foot braker it´s never really an issue. Also you can angle the wheel easilly which is quite important if you have different wheels especially.

Obutto don´t sport this feature but then would be harder to fit wheels like ECCIs and make it stick. I have to nail it to the max for my G25 so it won´t budge if I happen to hang on it or something.

So plus and cons but since I just sold my Evolution in favour of the Obutto I do have higher expectations on this... Now not just for the seat and simracing but for the practical tables .

edit: btw have someone attached a buttkicker to the obutto ozone?

Click to expand...

You have made some very good points as a person who has had some seat time with the Evolution and was able to clear up a few pro's/con's for both, great post. As for the buttkicker and the Obutto Ozone I remember reading somewhere that someone had it, (I think it was on the RaceSimCentral forums) hopefully I can find it again.

ALAS! The $245.00 complete w/shp charges Obutto is now Kaputto. Cockpit price is now $200+ $150-$200 shp. charges. Chris says they have figured out the powder coat deal & these prices reflect their new stock. I would have taken mine rusted for $150.00. Crappers!

has anyone found out how to mount a buttkicker to one of these things??

Wondering the same thing... The tubing seem to be perfect for the gamer if it´s not too thick... However I am thinking of the LFE version lol.

Just a quick update before GT5P releases in the US in a few weeks.....I have taken some new pics of my re-worked setup after tidying up the wires and even made a quick little Youtube video to go with it.

Yummy...

I'm ordering mine next month.

Those pictures are making it hard for me to wait.

How do you like it?

How is the stability, flexibility?

Is the seating position height adjustable?

Can you adjust the angle of the pedals?

Delphic Reason

Yummy...

I'm ordering mine next month.

Those pictures are making it hard for me to wait.

How do you like it?

How is the stability, flexibility?

Is the seating position height adjustable?

Can you adjust the angle of the pedals?

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It's awesome. 100% stable, no flex anywhere. No height adjustment, and to adjust the pedal angle you just stick something under the plate.

it doesn't look very adjustable. do the pedals move forward and back or does the seat slide like in a car. also can you move the wheel and pedals independently or do they move together. it just doesn't look like you could set it up for maximum comfort. although the seat does look very nice compared to my playseat.

Teh_Loserer

It's awesome. 100% stable, no flex anywhere. No height adjustment, and to adjust the pedal angle you just stick something under the plate.

Click to expand...

Sounds good. It looks like the seat height is roughly that of an average sports car, so that shouldn't be an issue. Looking at the pedal angle, that is probably fine as well. All testers agree the Obutto Ozone is much more stable then either of the Playseats (especialy the Classic), but it's good to hear some confirmation from an average joe.

Thanks again. 👍

bevo

it doesn't look very adjustable. do the pedals move forward and back or does the seat slide like in a car. also can you move the wheel and pedals independently or do they move together. it just doesn't look like you could set it up for maximum comfort. although the seat does look very nice compared to my playseat.

Click to expand...

The pedals don't need to move, as the seat slides forward and back like a real car as well as the seat back which can tilt forward/back PLUS it also has lumbar adjustment (round knob on right side 2nd picture down). If for some insane odd reason someone cannot set an Obutto up for maximum comfort the only explanation I could give would be they must be looking for a reason not to like it. I myself have had my girlfriend who is 5'2" tall and my friend Jonah (6'5" 330lbs) fit comfortably in it without an issue for adjustment from seat positioning to wheel height adjustment and everything in between.

That seat is the business.

Hands down the best looking racing cockpit seat on the market (well, maybe outside of the Sparco). It's tasteful (unlike the white Playseat), looks comfortable, and is fully adjustable. Hell, it looks like it would be better than the seat in my car (Recaro).

I am sold.

You won't be disappointed.

Can i come to your house and test it ???