Sealed or ported box?
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I agree. A sealed box make for better bass in your car because it rolls off gradually and has a higher F3, which is the Frequency (in Hz) where the sound is 3db down (about 1/2 as loud).
This may seem a bit odd .. why would you want a sub that rolls off sooner but more gradually? You would think that this would leave a hole in the bottom-end response. The reason has to do with the bass gain that occurs as the size of the sound wavelength starts approaching the size of the listening area. The gradual rolloff and higher F3 of a sealed sub work nicely together with this room gain to give you really good low bass without a peak in the response. With a ported alignment, the bass will sound artificial or "boomy" because the lowest frequencies are overly boosted.
In really large rooms or outdoors, ported subwoofers make a lot of sense, especially since they are somewhat more efficient and can usually reduce cone motion, improve power handling over a sealed alignment.
However, this depends on the woofer you have. Some woofers are highly optimized for either ported or sealed alignments, and don't work so well the opposite way. If you have not purchased your sub driver, make sure it is one that can be used in a sealed box if that is what you decide to do.
BTW, sealed boxes are usually smaller, and there are a few other ways that they sound better -- for example, there is a lot distortion from the echoes and standing waves inside a ported box. They also happen inside a sealed box, but you are less likely to hear them since there is no port for them to escape. There is also "chuffing" when the air coming in and out of the port causes turbulence around the port area. To avoid both of these, you can use passive radiators instead of a port.
This may seem a bit odd .. why would you want a sub that rolls off sooner but more gradually? You would think that this would leave a hole in the bottom-end response. The reason has to do with the bass gain that occurs as the size of the sound wavelength starts approaching the size of the listening area. The gradual rolloff and higher F3 of a sealed sub work nicely together with this room gain to give you really good low bass without a peak in the response. With a ported alignment, the bass will sound artificial or "boomy" because the lowest frequencies are overly boosted.
In really large rooms or outdoors, ported subwoofers make a lot of sense, especially since they are somewhat more efficient and can usually reduce cone motion, improve power handling over a sealed alignment.
However, this depends on the woofer you have. Some woofers are highly optimized for either ported or sealed alignments, and don't work so well the opposite way. If you have not purchased your sub driver, make sure it is one that can be used in a sealed box if that is what you decide to do.
BTW, sealed boxes are usually smaller, and there are a few other ways that they sound better -- for example, there is a lot distortion from the echoes and standing waves inside a ported box. They also happen inside a sealed box, but you are less likely to hear them since there is no port for them to escape. There is also "chuffing" when the air coming in and out of the port causes turbulence around the port area. To avoid both of these, you can use passive radiators instead of a port.
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I've heard both setups. To make an easier decision go check it out yourself at Best Buy or something.
It also depends on the subs and the box said by geewhiz.
I would recommend if you listen to a lot of rap and hip-hop with booming lows, usually artficially created, get a sealed box.
If you listen to alternative and rock and just lookin for some low end, get a ported box. It will create better peaks in sound just keep the gain down so it's clear.
I had an 86 caravan with 2 RF 10" P1s with a Kenwood 1000w amp in a sealed box, whoa, made my hair move, and rattled off the rear view mirror.....
It also depends on the subs and the box said by geewhiz.
I would recommend if you listen to a lot of rap and hip-hop with booming lows, usually artficially created, get a sealed box.
If you listen to alternative and rock and just lookin for some low end, get a ported box. It will create better peaks in sound just keep the gain down so it's clear.
I had an 86 caravan with 2 RF 10" P1s with a Kenwood 1000w amp in a sealed box, whoa, made my hair move, and rattled off the rear view mirror.....
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Im weird, I think ported low sounds better than sealed, plus the extra output is nice. I listen to 90% hardcore\alternative and 5% rap and 5% country. When I go ported I feel the double kicks come to life, nice little peak due to having a ported box. Sealed tames it down a lot, and brings low end extension up.
Some subs just dont enjoy bein sealed, (xxx and my current L7) but my old eD A series flatcones sounded good in a sealed box. 100 bucks and some time will allow you to make about 3 boxes, try a manufactures size sealed box, ported box tuned to what the manufacturer rec's, then go with a slightly larger than reccommended ported box tuned a little lower.
Do a blind test for each box, have a buddy switch them out and then you just get in and listen to each one, and the best sounding is what stays in there.
Some subs just dont enjoy bein sealed, (xxx and my current L7) but my old eD A series flatcones sounded good in a sealed box. 100 bucks and some time will allow you to make about 3 boxes, try a manufactures size sealed box, ported box tuned to what the manufacturer rec's, then go with a slightly larger than reccommended ported box tuned a little lower.
Do a blind test for each box, have a buddy switch them out and then you just get in and listen to each one, and the best sounding is what stays in there.
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If you like music with overemphasized bass, such as Rap or very hard electronic rock, then ported I guess. More is more in that case, even if it is less accurate.
If you listen to a variety of music like I do, any rap or hard rock will still kick ass with a sealed sub, but the other stuff will be much more more listenable without the boominess and flabbiness of a ported sub.
It is also good to remember that really overdone low bass may sound kewl when you first hear it, but after a while, your brain starts to find it annoying. It is a good rule of thumb to try to test speakers with acoustic instruments, especially ones you have heard before on other good systems or live, so you can tell more easily that they sound more natural.
IMHO, the system that sounds best is the one that plays all stuff well. If you are picking your system to sound good on a particular type of music only, that is entirely wrong in my book.
If you listen to a variety of music like I do, any rap or hard rock will still kick ass with a sealed sub, but the other stuff will be much more more listenable without the boominess and flabbiness of a ported sub.
It is also good to remember that really overdone low bass may sound kewl when you first hear it, but after a while, your brain starts to find it annoying. It is a good rule of thumb to try to test speakers with acoustic instruments, especially ones you have heard before on other good systems or live, so you can tell more easily that they sound more natural.
IMHO, the system that sounds best is the one that plays all stuff well. If you are picking your system to sound good on a particular type of music only, that is entirely wrong in my book.
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[quote author=blkout link=topic=64997.msg1114494#msg1114494 date=1166638810]
What are you guys/girls using, a ported or sealed box? I have a sealed box, but was wondering if the ported would sound a lot different.
[/quote]
To see some ideas.
http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=32626.0
What are you guys/girls using, a ported or sealed box? I have a sealed box, but was wondering if the ported would sound a lot different.
[/quote]
To see some ideas.
http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=32626.0
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88 Posts
I have a ported box that I built myself for my 10' Type R. I wanted to build a sealed box with the leftover MDF but I haven't gotten around to it. My ported sounds great though. Something you might want to think about before saying sealed sound better and ported is louder is that most pre-made ported boxes SUCK! So going to best buy and listening to their ported boxes isn't going to be good.
You really need to take the sub into account and make a box that works with that sub. That is why most people just go with sealed, because it is really hard to mess them up. I did a lot of research before building my box. There are many calculators out there that will help your design your box as well. Plus in the end, you have something you hand-built and that you can be proud of. I highly recommend going ported. Here is my box by the way. 1.85 cubes tuned to 32hz.
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You really need to take the sub into account and make a box that works with that sub. That is why most people just go with sealed, because it is really hard to mess them up. I did a lot of research before building my box. There are many calculators out there that will help your design your box as well. Plus in the end, you have something you hand-built and that you can be proud of. I highly recommend going ported. Here is my box by the way. 1.85 cubes tuned to 32hz.
holy moly! that's a big box Riverhound. I would hate to be you!
From what I understand the different music plays at different frequencies. Those depend on the style of music you listen to therefore it is not fait to say that sealed hits harder than ported. With that said I chose ported. I will try to post a picture soon of my tinny box that hits hard as hell.
From what I understand the different music plays at different frequencies. Those depend on the style of music you listen to therefore it is not fait to say that sealed hits harder than ported. With that said I chose ported. I will try to post a picture soon of my tinny box that hits hard as hell.
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Ive tuned low, and tuned high, both ways the bass hit harder. Simply put ported will have more output period. Sealed wont have more punch. A ported box can sound just as good as a sealed box.
Just like a 15" can and will sound as "tight" as a 10" depending on the build of the sub of course.
Just like a 15" can and will sound as "tight" as a 10" depending on the build of the sub of course.
Ive never heard a ported or bandpass box bass that sounded "natural". It is usually loud and boomy but not able to reproduce a kick drum of a rock song or to have clean clear bass from a bass guitar. If you listen to rap, it probably dosent have to be so clear, just loud.
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I think some are after punch, and thus ported. I don't want something to have more punch than it really has, any more than I want mids to be louder than they really should be.
If you like your punchy sound that is fine, but don't confuse it with accuracy.
Accuracy is listening to a bass cello play an interesting bass line, and it SOUNDS like a bass cello, not a "sound system" with lots of "punch". You don't get that with a ported system in a small enclosure like a car.
BTW, a lot of source material has the bass filtered out, especially most music originally released on vinyl. Very few people back then (including myself) had speakers that did much on the bass anyway, and the low bass just made for tracking problems and made the grooves harder to pack closer together. Even with CDs, a substantial number of new recordings don't have as much bass punch as they should have, probably because it takes some good mics and good room acoustics and production methods to avoid bass cancellations and/or early rolloff.
A ported sub may effectively equalize some of the rolled off bass for such recordings, but in some ways you will be just amplifying noise rather than actual musical material. It may still give some punch to the sound, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't sound very accurate.
If you like your punchy sound that is fine, but don't confuse it with accuracy.
Accuracy is listening to a bass cello play an interesting bass line, and it SOUNDS like a bass cello, not a "sound system" with lots of "punch". You don't get that with a ported system in a small enclosure like a car.
BTW, a lot of source material has the bass filtered out, especially most music originally released on vinyl. Very few people back then (including myself) had speakers that did much on the bass anyway, and the low bass just made for tracking problems and made the grooves harder to pack closer together. Even with CDs, a substantial number of new recordings don't have as much bass punch as they should have, probably because it takes some good mics and good room acoustics and production methods to avoid bass cancellations and/or early rolloff.
A ported sub may effectively equalize some of the rolled off bass for such recordings, but in some ways you will be just amplifying noise rather than actual musical material. It may still give some punch to the sound, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't sound very accurate.
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[quote author=edrection link=topic=64997.msg1116698#msg1116698 date=1166746385]
Ive never heard a ported or bandpass box bass that sounded "natural". It is usually loud and boomy but not able to reproduce a kick drum of a rock song or to have clean clear bass from a bass guitar. If you listen to rap, it probably dosent have to be so clear, just loud.
[/quote]
You've probably never heard a box that was properly designed for that particular sub either. I really need to make my sealed box to compare to my ported. For those of you saying my box is huge, check out the Type R thread on caraudio.com. They say 2-2.5cubes, mine is only 1.85. Oh and I can turn it sideways and still have half of my trunk. I haven't had many issues with it.
Ive never heard a ported or bandpass box bass that sounded "natural". It is usually loud and boomy but not able to reproduce a kick drum of a rock song or to have clean clear bass from a bass guitar. If you listen to rap, it probably dosent have to be so clear, just loud.
[/quote]
You've probably never heard a box that was properly designed for that particular sub either. I really need to make my sealed box to compare to my ported. For those of you saying my box is huge, check out the Type R thread on caraudio.com. They say 2-2.5cubes, mine is only 1.85. Oh and I can turn it sideways and still have half of my trunk. I haven't had many issues with it.
[quote author=Riverhound link=topic=64997.msg1117391#msg1117391 date=1166804056]
You've probably never heard a box that was properly designed for that particular sub either. I really need to make my sealed box to compare to my ported. For those of you saying my box is huge, check out the Type R thread on caraudio.com.[/quote]
1. My box is designed properly for the car and the sub.
2. I have bee wanting to do the same thing also but since I listen to somany different kinds of music it would be hard to justtify it.
3. While I was on the market for a affordable reliable sub, the air space was my secon most important feature. I need my trunck space that's why I picked the sub that I have.
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You've probably never heard a box that was properly designed for that particular sub either. I really need to make my sealed box to compare to my ported. For those of you saying my box is huge, check out the Type R thread on caraudio.com.[/quote]
1. My box is designed properly for the car and the sub.
2. I have bee wanting to do the same thing also but since I listen to somany different kinds of music it would be hard to justtify it.
3. While I was on the market for a affordable reliable sub, the air space was my secon most important feature. I need my trunck space that's why I picked the sub that I have.
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