Ported vs. sealed

 

Gold Member
Username: Skdooley

Roanoke, VA Usa

Post Number: 1322
Registered: Oct-09
I have a pretty good understanding with enclosures but I'd like to run what I've been thinking by you guys to get your input on it. My last set up was a 12 w7 in a ported enclosure, 2 cubic feet at 32 Hz on 500 rms (500/1). The sub, as mentioned in my other thread, is now going to be a rl-p 15. The 15 has more displacement than the w7 had (sd X x-max) and is more efficient by over 3 dB. My first assumption is that the rl-p should definetely have more output all around than the w7 had if it was ran on the same 500 rms. However, I plan to run the rl-p on 750 - 1000 rms at 4 ohm. The increase in power should also result in more output all around. I know that if you compared two of the same subs, one ported at 500 rms and the other sealed at 1000 rms, the ported one would get as long as the sealed at its peak, but the one on 1000 rms would have the increase across all frequencies (filtered) right? So my plan is to have more output than I did with my w7 and I'm thinking I could go sealed with the rl-p and still get an increase in output. If that's the case, I'd rather go sealed for the increase in SQ, accuracy and a smaller enclosure. The rl-p should still have great low end in a sealed enclosure right? What do you guys think?
 

Platinum Member
Username: Insearchofbass

2 hifonics 2607s, 2dcSounds12xls SPL\idmax12SQ

Post Number: 16112
Registered: Jun-04
id say go sealed and see how you like it and if you dont make a ported one
 

Gold Member
Username: Dustin3

Box Designer & Builder...Dustin

Post Number: 5849
Registered: Oct-05
I would go sealed as well. Have heard the RL-p in a sealed application and it sounded very good with great sql. Let me know if you need an enclosure Shawn.
 

Gold Member
Username: Skdooley

Roanoke, VA Usa

Post Number: 1324
Registered: Oct-09
Oh I need one Dustin Just trying to decide what I want exactly.
 

Silver Member
Username: Cwruck

Post Number: 499
Registered: Feb-10
if you want more low end bass than upper end bass, go with a huge sealed box. it should be louder than your w7 and sound wonderful
those subs are also meant to have great low end response, so if you do want to be way louder than the w7 putting it in a ported box tuned low should work out pretty well, but i could guess that the upper bass wont really be there so much.
so if you want a broader range go with a bigger sealed box and it should hit quite a bit of frequencies pretty well
 

Platinum Member
Username: Glasswolf

Post Number: 14258
Registered: Dec-03
Sealed is usually about -3dB less output at the same power as a ported box, with the same driver.
double the power would increase the output of either box by +3dB, given the driver in each enclosure didn't reach it's mechanical limitations first.
That said, keep in mind that while a ported enclosure does roll off more quickly than a sealed box does when the ported enclosure is below the tuned frequency of the port, and a ported box also has more group delay, the ported box will also be able to hit lower at higher output than a sealed box in a car, if tuned properly. The natural cutoff frequency of a sealed box is higher than ported, and you still have the cabin gain to factor in for added low end extension output.

All in all, if you have the room, I'd go to the RL-P and go ported, with the larger amp. That's my take.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Insearchofbass

2 hifonics 2607s, 2dcSounds12xls SPL\idmax12SQ

Post Number: 16125
Registered: Jun-04
its a give and take scenario thats why i said try sealed first and see how you like it....its easy enough
 

Gold Member
Username: Skdooley

Roanoke, VA Usa

Post Number: 1325
Registered: Oct-09
My main concern is not to run the rl-p sealed and get less output than I had with my w7. I'm looking for an increase in output, both in low end and in overall SPL. If I can run the sub sealed and know I'll have more output than I did with my previous set up then I'll do a sealed application. Running it ported will give me the most I can get out of the sub, but my car is a two door coupe hatchback so bass goes a long ways in my car. If I do go ported with this sub, the bass should be nasty. I just don't know if I want THAT much bass.
 

Gold Member
Username: Skdooley

Roanoke, VA Usa

Post Number: 1326
Registered: Oct-09
On a side note, I sent DC Power an email yesterday evening (on a Sunday) and this morning when I woke up I had a response in my inbox. That alone was impressive. Then the email they sent me was the most professional, detailed response they could have sent me. Very impressed with them so far. They have a 180 amp alt for my car that they said will do an honest 120-130 amps at idle. I figure I need 130 amps at idle to run the 1200 rms I plan to run in my car. The price is good too, the alt is only $389.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Insearchofbass

2 hifonics 2607s, 2dcSounds12xls SPL\idmax12SQ

Post Number: 16133
Registered: Jun-04
in that case go ported and turn the amp down if it gets too loud
 

Gold Member
Username: Skdooley

Roanoke, VA Usa

Post Number: 1331
Registered: Oct-09
Alright, so on caraudio.com I'm being told that if I plan to run 1k rms to the sub that I shouldn't go over 3.5 cubes. The "optimal" size according to the SS website says 3.5 cubes also. I'm thinking I'll go ported and 3.5 cubes works for me. Now, onto the tuning. I was thinking 30 Hz, which would be great for low end, but how would it do for rock/metal type music? If I had the box tuned to say, 35 Hz, would it hurt my low end output? Also I was thinking, with tuning there is a peak and then roll off. If there a way to effect the roll off? A way to make it roll off more gradual, to achieve a wider range of peak from the tuned frequency?
 

Silver Member
Username: Cwruck

Post Number: 505
Registered: Feb-10
tuning to 30 hz will sound better with rock/metal mostly because you will hear more of the kicks instead of the bass guitar. but it wont be loud, sealed would be better for that.
tuning to 35 hz will be great, you wont lose too much low end. its really just a matter of what u want it to sound like, if you would rather have car shaking lows tune to 30 hz, if you want good all around bass tune to 35. i personally prefer the lower tuning especially with a driver like that, 30 hz tuning is where it will perform bes
 

Silver Member
Username: Jbpitt

Pittsburgh, Pa. Usa

Post Number: 979
Registered: Jul-09
Just for reference,I have my Q in a 4cuft box tuned to 35hz. It does sound good for metal,but if i did it again i would tune lower. So maybe go middle of the road here... 32hz? Really though its up to you an what your tastes are.
 

Silver Member
Username: Lord_huggington

Ontario Canada

Post Number: 128
Registered: Oct-10
Two things will happen going to sealed from ported.

First you'll notice that it's crisp, and doesn't sound like an echoing boom. It should sound flat, and you notice that it's because you're hearing the sub alone, not the port and the sub. It's nice for tight, accurate bass. You may be a big basshead but every now and then you'll really appreciate how tight a sub can be, most noteably with techno and rock. This is all depending on the QTC, FC, and F3 though. Try finding a sub that does (in small boxes) FC @ 30Hz with QTC @ .707, you won't. Maybe the Eclipse SW series ;).

The second is the low end response is vastly improved, and you now hate ported boxes.

I find that sealed boxes sound so flat that ported boxes sound warmer, more musical, and they really make the different frequencies sound "different". Sealed boxes make subs sound... ahem, flatter.

If you can afford it, more subs with more power and more space is always better than a ported box for daily, just so you don't kill the subs with a ported box tuned @ 30 Hz, playing stuff in the low 20's. It's just safer when you spend a lot on a system.
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