here's the story:
i recently got myself a big subwoofer, and it is bound to rattle evrything around it. but i have one queston...
i will be making a custom box for the sub to be housed, so...
should i make it a vented box? or a sealed box?
i'm not 100% sure which is better, cos some people say a sealed box creates a better sound, and others say the vented ones allow for the sound to travel more, making it sound better. so techinically both should sound good. but which is better?
if it's anything to go by, i know that Mercedes-Benz use vented set-ups for twin 10" subs, and that sounds awesome... but i think i need further advice.
any opinions or help would be appreciated.
sealed or vented?
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sealed or vented?
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daewoomofo
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ported or "vented" boxes will have a louder and usually deaper sound, you can "tune" it to the deapnews you want. but a sealed box will have "tighter" bass, personally id go with a vented box
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delphis
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actually if you can find a box creation program you can punch in all of the demensions of the speaker and your car and then you tell it what dB level you want and what the lowest frequency in Hz that you want the speaker to reproduce and the program will tell you the exact demensions of the box and the ports(if necessary) to build and you will have a slamming car.
Just remember every woofer is going to have it's own unique charecteristics so the woofer you choose might sound better ported or it may sound better sealed. it also depends on the enviornment that you put it in.
I had 2 very cheap 10' subs(50$ for the set) in my car and I had a custom box built for them and my car(by a friend that had a program) and most people were shocked when I told them how cheap the subs were.
Just remember every woofer is going to have it's own unique charecteristics so the woofer you choose might sound better ported or it may sound better sealed. it also depends on the enviornment that you put it in.
I had 2 very cheap 10' subs(50$ for the set) in my car and I had a custom box built for them and my car(by a friend that had a program) and most people were shocked when I told them how cheap the subs were.
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thanx.
i was looking at the JBL website, and on there they have specifications for "preferred" sealed and vented box sizes for their various subs. If it's sealed it only needs to be around 38 litres in volume, and if vented around 62 litres. But on the website they say that vented surrounds sound better. I think i'll be going with a vented box.
hopefully should hav that done within the nxt 2 weeks or so, depending on how fast i can get hold of an amp. I'll probly go with a 600 W amp, unless i find an 800 W.
will post pics as soon as it's all done.
i was looking at the JBL website, and on there they have specifications for "preferred" sealed and vented box sizes for their various subs. If it's sealed it only needs to be around 38 litres in volume, and if vented around 62 litres. But on the website they say that vented surrounds sound better. I think i'll be going with a vented box.
hopefully should hav that done within the nxt 2 weeks or so, depending on how fast i can get hold of an amp. I'll probly go with a 600 W amp, unless i find an 800 W.
will post pics as soon as it's all done.
Cargo cultism is a beautiful thing as long as you never fall for it.
Go with ported all the way, but make sure you use that software to get the correct port dimension!
If you get the port right, then when your sub hits the resonating frequency of the car its going to be like a bomb exploded I love it when it does that 
(If you listen to trance, when they build up strong to a quieter musical breakdown section - thats when you feel the difference).
Sealed boxes will do the job. I found that when i had a sealed box though, it distorted alot quicker. The bass notes are far better defined with the ported box over the sealed box and you dont get this continuous muffled drone like a sealed box.
I love my ported box. Ported for teh win! My $0.02.
--Tim
If you get the port right, then when your sub hits the resonating frequency of the car its going to be like a bomb exploded
I love it when it does that (If you listen to trance, when they build up strong to a quieter musical breakdown section - thats when you feel the difference). Sealed boxes will do the job. I found that when i had a sealed box though, it distorted alot quicker. The bass notes are far better defined with the ported box over the sealed box and you dont get this continuous muffled drone like a sealed box.
I love my ported box. Ported for teh win! My $0.02.
--Tim
Go with ported all the way, but make sure you use that software to get the correct port dimension!
If you get the port right, then when your sub hits the resonating frequency of the car its going to be like a bomb exploded I love it when it does that (If you listen to trance, when they build up strong to a quieter musical breakdown section - thats when you feel the difference).
Sealed boxes will do the job. I found that when i had a sealed box though, it distorted alot quicker. The bass notes are far better defined with the ported box over the sealed box and you dont get this continuous muffled drone like a sealed box.
I love my ported box. Ported for teh win! My $0.02.
--Tim
If you get the port right, then when your sub hits the resonating frequency of the car its going to be like a bomb exploded
I love it when it does that (If you listen to trance, when they build up strong to a quieter musical breakdown section - thats when you feel the difference). Sealed boxes will do the job. I found that when i had a sealed box though, it distorted alot quicker. The bass notes are far better defined with the ported box over the sealed box and you dont get this continuous muffled drone like a sealed box.
I love my ported box. Ported for teh win! My $0.02.
--Tim
Go with ported all the way, but make sure you use that software to get the correct port dimension!
If you get the port right, then when your sub hits the resonating frequency of the car its going to be like a bomb exploded I love it when it does that (If you listen to trance, when they build up strong to a quieter musical breakdown section - thats when you feel the difference).
Sealed boxes will do the job. I found that when i had a sealed box though, it distorted alot quicker. The bass notes are far better defined with the ported box over the sealed box and you dont get this continuous muffled drone like a sealed box.
I love my ported box. Ported for teh win! My $0.02.
--Tim
If you get the port right, then when your sub hits the resonating frequency of the car its going to be like a bomb exploded
I love it when it does that (If you listen to trance, when they build up strong to a quieter musical breakdown section - thats when you feel the difference). Sealed boxes will do the job. I found that when i had a sealed box though, it distorted alot quicker. The bass notes are far better defined with the ported box over the sealed box and you dont get this continuous muffled drone like a sealed box.
I love my ported box. Ported for teh win! My $0.02.
--Tim
well i've built the box. i was thinking of putting a velvet lining over it, but then decided against it as it wud be more of a hassle, so i'm just going to spray paint it. Silver.
that way it would reflect light better because i'm going to put some blue LEDs in the boot along with a light that is sound sensitive.
tomorow i will be getting an Amp and wiring kit, so hopefully shud hav it all done by the start of nxt week.
oh and, the box is vented... no turning back now.
thanx for everyone's input!
that way it would reflect light better because i'm going to put some blue LEDs in the boot along with a light that is sound sensitive.
tomorow i will be getting an Amp and wiring kit, so hopefully shud hav it all done by the start of nxt week.
oh and, the box is vented... no turning back now.
thanx for everyone's input!
Cargo cultism is a beautiful thing as long as you never fall for it.
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daewooluvr
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TheGreatAndPowerfulOz
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LOL ... book? ME? *looks around*
I prefer ported boxes over sealed, but sealed DO have their uses and positive attributes .. *IF* they are built according to the physical dimentions and mechanical moviement of the specific speaker .... just the same goes for a ported box. One box may sound great for a speaker and sound like crap for another.
The program to which you are referring is WinISD. Very useful indeed.
Go with ported if you have plenty of room for a bigger box and want a very flat response curve throughout the tuned spectrum (that is IF you build the box correctly).
Go with sealed if you do not have as much room for a box and want a box that does not allow the cone to move as freely, hence the "tight" sound people refer to.
Remember:
A ported box requires less wattage to get louder than a sealed box.
More box = more sound for less input.
A sealed box forces the cone of the speaker to fight vacuum and pressure inside the box caused by the box being sealed.
This requires more power from a stronger amp to get as loud as the ported box.
Also, a sealed box subwoofer **may have a shorter lifespan than a ported box due to heat dissapation issues caused by the cone not moving as freely and having more wattage.
** theory based upon heat dissapation charractoristics of sealed vs. ported when given input wattage, cone movement and air movement for cooling
I have both saled and ported boxes and they both sound great becuase they were built specifically for the speakers that are in them.
I prefer ported boxes over sealed, but sealed DO have their uses and positive attributes .. *IF* they are built according to the physical dimentions and mechanical moviement of the specific speaker .... just the same goes for a ported box. One box may sound great for a speaker and sound like crap for another.
The program to which you are referring is WinISD. Very useful indeed.
Go with ported if you have plenty of room for a bigger box and want a very flat response curve throughout the tuned spectrum (that is IF you build the box correctly).
Go with sealed if you do not have as much room for a box and want a box that does not allow the cone to move as freely, hence the "tight" sound people refer to.
Remember:
A ported box requires less wattage to get louder than a sealed box.
More box = more sound for less input.
A sealed box forces the cone of the speaker to fight vacuum and pressure inside the box caused by the box being sealed.
This requires more power from a stronger amp to get as loud as the ported box.
Also, a sealed box subwoofer **may have a shorter lifespan than a ported box due to heat dissapation issues caused by the cone not moving as freely and having more wattage.
** theory based upon heat dissapation charractoristics of sealed vs. ported when given input wattage, cone movement and air movement for cooling
I have both saled and ported boxes and they both sound great becuase they were built specifically for the speakers that are in them.