Sealed or ported subwoofer box

Associate
Joined
25 Jul 2003
Posts
935
Location
London
Hi,

I recently aquired a 12" subwoofer box. How do I know whether its sealed or ported? I can't see any "ports" or gaps in the box, so is it safe to assume its a seal box. Or is it something to do with the design/shape?

Thanks
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
18,296
Location
Brighton
Ported = a hole/holes in the box

Ported boxes drop lower but aren't as punchy as sealed boxes

Sealed = no holes except for the one the sub goes in

Sealed boxes don't drop as low but the reponse of the sub is better.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
18,296
Location
Brighton
Firestar_3x said:
If you want to sound like a chav so everyone on the path can ere your phat tunes then ported is for you, otherwise sealed ;)

Hardly.

I would say it depends entirely on what kind of music you listen to.
 
Caporegime
Joined
11 Mar 2005
Posts
32,197
Location
Leafy Cheshire
idiosyncrasies of particular designs aside :

For referance :

crutchfieldadvisor said:
Enclosure types

Sealed box — A sealed box is an airtight enclosure housing your subwoofer. A sealed box is best for any music that demands tight, accurate bass. Expect flat response, deep bass extension, and excellent power handling. Since a sealed enclosure tends to require more power than a ported box, use an amplifier with ample wattage for optimum performance.


Ported box — A ported box uses a vent (called a port) which allows movement of air in and out of the enclosure chamber. This additional air movement reinforces low bass response. You get more output from a ported box than you would from a sealed box at any given level of amplifier output. Some people simply prefer the sound of ported boxes for rap, techno, or any hard-driving music because they play louder than comparable sealed boxes.


Bandpass box — A bandpass box is a special type of ported box designed for maximum slam. The woofer is mounted inside a dual-chambered box; the woofer fires from the sealed chamber into the ported chamber, and sound waves emerge from the ported side. Because the sound that comes out of the port is extra loud within a narrow frequency range, bandpass boxes are considered super efficient. Their aggressive sound is popular with many hip-hop, techno, and metal fans.


Free-air subwoofers — A free-air system consists of woofers mounted to a board attached to the rear deck or placed in the trunk against the rear seat. The trunk acts as the enclosure housing the subwoofer. Free-air systems save space and have flat frequency response. The woofer must be specifically designed for free-air use, and the trunk must be airtight for best results.
 
Associate
Joined
23 Jan 2006
Posts
1,541
i found a good inbetween was a 10" ported.

10's are usually a little punchier than 12", so a combination of 10" and a ported box worked well.

unless you just wanted thump of dance music, get sealed, or low rumble of D&B then ported.
 
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