Ported or sealed?

[Honda_Quaalude86]

Im pushing a 12...want to know if i should use a ported box or a sealed? i got the sealed one in there right now.. it hits damn hard but will the ported one hit harder?

Steve~

[Eclipse99RS]

This i going to turn into a "fun" thread.... I just wanna sit back a watch people argue bout this one. What kind of music do you listen to? If you port the box and its built right it will get louder but a little sloppier but the box will have to be around twice the size of a sealed box. Where as to your sealed box it will be cleaner but not as loud. A ported box, most people say, is better for rap and r&b because it doesn't need to be as responsive to bass notes and everyone just listens to it as loud as they can get it, but a sealed box is better for rock because its more responsive to quicker notes like the double bass from some of the drums. Thats a basic answer. I'll let everyone else elaborate.

[Honda_Quaalude86]

sounds about right...i listen to rap about as loud as i can turn that bad larry up...but i do like to listen to some rock... so would the sealed be what i wanna stay with?

[TBSpyder]

Alot depends on what kind of sub and the amp you're running as well. Some subs are simply not recommended for ported enclosure. If you're throwing alot of power at a sub and you're the type who likes to really crank it, a sealed box might be the "safer" choice, as in a ported box, the sub reaches maximum excursion much easier and is more prone to blowing.

A ported box will be much more efficient at it's tuned frequency, but a sealed box is going to have a wider frequency range overall. As was mentioned, a ported is going to require additional space as well, sometimes as much as 2 to 3 times as much as a sealed box. Either can sound great when properly done, really it just comes down to listener preference.

[Honda_Quaalude86]

cool cool...im only hitting my Kicker Impulse 12 with 210 watts i think? or somthing like that....but it hits realy hard...i didnt think it was gonna push that good till i hooked her up....=) but i like to turn the voulume all the way up..but i dont like to break my stuff so i figured a small amp should do good enugh...im not sure what the peak on the sub is but im sure its more than 210 watts... so would i still be able to blow the sub out if i put it in a ported box?

[Notladstyle]

If you have your crossover set to a pretty narrow band (+- 30hz for tuning freq) then a vented box will ive you a harder punch and about +3db at the tuning freq.

The only prob is a lot of people use their subs for low midbass in the 100hz range which your mids should be carrying. if you set the crossover to 60/80hz you will feel like you are missing something.

[Honda_Quaalude86]

i dont gaaaaaaaaaattttts a cross over...so should i pick one up? and what the hell would it do...make it louder?

[Notladstyle]

i dont gaaaaaaaaaattttts a cross over...so should i pick one up? and what the hell would it do...make it louder?

Your amp should have at least a low level crossover built into it. if it doesnt you can pick up an RCA active crossover for about 40$. if you are not using a crossover with subwoofers you are putting frequencies through the sub that it cannot reproduce. This will dirty the sound and also create excessive heat within the voice coil. It also taxes te amplifier with producing uneeded frequencies.

[GradeA_TireFryer]

I Am Going To Throw This At You And It Is My Favorite- A Single Order Bandpass Box- You Get The Best Of Both Words- 2 Tuned Fq, Higher Power Handling And Built In Crossover!!!! And Done Correctly, A Little Plexi IT LookS Great!!! Pm Me I Do Custom Boxes

[TJElite]

I Am Going To Throw This At You And It Is My Favorite- A Single Order Bandpass Box- You Get The Best Of Both Words- 2 Tuned Fq, Higher Power Handling And Built In Crossover!!!! And Done Correctly, A Little Plexi IT LookS Great!!! Pm Me I Do Custom Boxes

For rap, a properly designed single reflex is hard to beat. With the right design and driver, you can also sometimes get a wide enough band to play other stuff, as well. For real accurate sound, though, they still usually have too much group delay (bass doesn't 'line up' with the rest of the music).

I'd still go with an active xover, though...the bandpass design does acoutically taper on both ends, but the amp is still wasting energy sending frequencies to the sub that you aren't using, and the sub is wasting energy trying to reproduce them.

[GradeA_TireFryer]

For rap, a properly designed single reflex is hard to beat. With the right design and driver, you can also sometimes get a wide enough band to play other stuff, as well. For real accurate sound, though, they still usually have too much group delay (bass doesn't 'line up' with the rest of the music).

I'd still go with an active xover, though...the bandpass design does acoutically taper on both ends, but the amp is still wasting energy sending frequencies to the sub that you aren't using, and the sub is wasting energy trying to reproduce them.


DONT GET ME WRONG - I ALWAYS WOULD USE A ACTIVE X OVER - JUST WAS POINTING OUT THE BENIFETS OF A BANDPASS BOX!

[Honda_Quaalude86]

oo my friend had one with 2 10s in it, hit hard as hell...made your ears Ring..=) maybe ill get a bandpass box and a crossover...