Kudos to this guy. He gives concise yet simple enough explanations for normal people to understand the technicalities of the convoluted hi-fi world and presents it in a very entertaining manner.
Yeah but if your idea of an ideal subwoofer is one that booms the loudest and rattles the most nearby car windows at the stoplight, you definitely want a ported system.
My SEALED house speakers generate far more Vibrational bass, than my Ported speakers. The Port does not change make the speakers any more powerful. The Magnet strength, Coil strength, are what create the strongest potentials. The Subs shown here, are not for Car Audio. They are for home theatre, and possibly also to add depth to music. Unless you live in the middle of the country... you cant blast High Air Pressure Subs, in a typical apartment. Furthermore, Its Immoral, to blast Car Subs in the City. People live in the apartments above the storefronts... and it Ruins these peoples Sanity, and Lives. It also ends up dragging down property values... when the local Drug dealer parks their car, and keeps blasting their sub, at 3am. Keep pushing people like myself... and you will find out, just what can happen...
Been designing speakers for many years and speakers have changed a lot. Some are best in ported and some sealed according to the speakers parameters. Personally I will take properly designed ported sub over a sealed box. It's all in how much you spend and how good the box design is but really it's all about personal preference in he end.
How would you determine if a chassis ist best for sealed or ported? I've read that if fs/Qts is around 50, it's best for sealed while a value around 100 is best for ported. What do you think about that?
@@doemaeries This is called EBP and it's a good starting point but you can still make a high EBP driver work, the box size might just not be optimal. If you already have the driver you can make it work you just need to model it and see what you're in for. If you don't have the driver yet it would be best to buy the driver to fit the style of box you want to build.
You forgot to mention the fourth type of sub. The douchebag. The DB comments unnecessarily on videos that aren't discussing the subject they think it is.
"slot loaded" (not resonant tuned like altec and ATC ports), isobarik, transmission line, open baffle, and varovents exist too. the frequency response of passive radiators is more peaky
I used to always automatically go for large ported subs. It seemed common sense they would dig deeper and be better for movies. This all changed when I was gifted a small little Martin Logan Dynamo 10" sealed sub. It utterly destroyed my SVS. It plays clean to the low 20s and also has really tight punchy bass. Best of both worlds and I've never owned a ported sub that did both of these things well. Was blown away by that little ML sub.
@@benboyer2776- design and quality components matter. That Martin Logan was probably much more expensive too. I went from a huge 400w sub to a REL (T2) 10” with passive radiator that was better at basically everything. Music and movies. It was more $$$ of course.
Recently i bought epos els sealed 10 inch sub...it changed completely my home theater experience ..wow...amazing..it gives immersive experience through out the whole movie
Ported for Home Theater. Sealed for music. POrted is going to give you that steady deep rumble when the jet liner goes across your screen. Sealed is going to give you that tighter, less boomy sound for music. I have 2 HSU VTF-2 MK5's used for 95% home theater.
Ported Is mainly made for and sold by musicians. A frequently purchased subwoofer is, for example, the Yamaha HS8S and JBL LSR310S. Then a ported turns out to be better 🤔
That's the most comprehensive explanation of the differences or ported and sealed I've seen, and easy to understand the pros and cons of each. Great video!
Thanks for this explanation! In building custom boxes for my truck I noticed when I added ports as I was meant to I lost clarity, this clearly tells me that what I want is a sealed box 👍
I've always preferred sealed. I also like just ten inch subs for the much tighter quick hard hitting bass they reproduce. Though in my huge roomy 85 GMC Suburban, just wide open no trunk, bass lacked in that wide open environment. The same amp/sealed box/speakers in my Ford Tarus was much more pronounced sitting in the trunk then in the Suburban. The type, how they are arranged, the box and the amp can really make a huge difference depending on the setting they are placed into trying to get the sound you are looking for.
Oddly enough, Ford used the trunk space in the Taurus to be a 'box' to help with bass. There were two 6x8 speakers in the rear shelf standard but there was also a spot for a 6x9 speaker that was meant to be used with the JBL systems that were optional on those cars. I didn't have the JBL system in my Taurus, just the MACH audio, but with some work I managed to add a line driver before the main MACH amp. The line driver had a subwoofer line out which I ran to a small (300 watt) sub amp and a 6x9 speaker I added in the rear shelf. I didn't have it loud but it added quite a bit of low end bump. Depending on what I was listening too the inside of the car would shake at a moderate volume. I miss that car and the system (I kept the components.) The factory Sony system in my Fiesta just can't compare.
A good sub of any size can produce punchy bass. I have three 21 inch subs in my theater that can reproduce anything from 15Hz to 200Hz with no problem. When you go to a concert and hear the quick drum bass it is from ported 15 or 18 inch subs, just for reference.
Interesting video!! Watching this, my mind went straight to those JBL speakers that use "passive radiators" to emmit their bass, but are essentially still sealed
it is similar like vented regarding the frequency characteristic. but there is no port noise and you maybe have a tiny bit more dampening which leads to more accuracy.
I honestly like ported subs. My mom has one and I just love the way the bass is so deep. I never liked the full, movie theater type of sound with low frequencies.
@@d3vi0uz1 Just Checked that out. Looks like some do, and some dont. It seems The sub frequencies from your speakers are mostly dependent on your environment.
This is a really good video. Well done. You saved me from worrying and wasting time about something I don't need to worry about. Sealed sub in my car for me! Thanks!
This is not always true ive had both sealed and ported i promise you if you put a dual or single skar sdr 12 in your care you will be so much more happy than with sealed ive had and used both and I still have one bc it gets deeper sounds better and it still articulate and musical but loud you don't have to give it all 1200 watts if u dont want put it at the volume you like
In my personal opinion both sealed and ported are in the past but less ported than sealed because passive radiators are a perfect balance you get deeper and louder than sealed and just as small without having to worry about port noise
@@valorantorion1588 Car subs with passive radiators have had their niche for a long time but never really picked up. Why do you think that is the case? No, they're not the same size as sealed boxes and they have almost exactly the same problems as basreflex subs. The car audio market is dominated by basreflex subs because they're so efficient and people want to install as few extra batteries as possible. It's as simple as that. Maybe electric cars will change that.
Ported enclosures are far superior but the trade off is that they're way more expensive and need more space, specially if you want a well made box. But I ported enclosure will be way louder than a sealed enclosure and will be more efficient. If you like loud bass, 100% vented.
I t think it all depends on how much musical power (pressure) you need. All subwoofer at big concerts are always open. There is one trick for every speaker to make it sound lower and louder, put it on the hard floor. The way you explain everything is really good.
I built by own box and designed my own port for a sub to go in my 96 civic in high school. I paired it with a cheap pioneer amp and woofer. tried to set it all up to roll off pretty heavily around 40 hz. I thought that would protect the speaker. I was the designated driver to a party one night. my friends were all pretty excited to hear the system I put together. non of us cared to much about sound quality at the time. we cranked the volume and destroyed the sub. I learned the hard way that if you are using a ported box you need to quality sub that won't rip itself apart easily. I never did replace that speaker.
Summs it up. Building a sealed speaker has the advantage that you can quite precisely create your desired "Sound-Design" by the inside Volume (Qtc) of your housing. For a good vented speaker your driver probably will be more expensive then the driver matching a sealed Box design. If you want low bass range for a small driver you have to go for the ported speaker. If you want low bass range in a sealed subwoofer the housing easy gets huge. For people who don't really car much about sound a cheap 2.1 system with a vented sub will just do fine. I got one of these, was under 30$ and for that money it can't get much better. On the other hand, you can buy high prized speakers that are crap. It's mostly just about marketing. A good speaker system is one, that you can enjoy listenimg too all day long, without getting nuts.
I invented a sub based on the transmission line design and registered it with the AIPO. Australian Intellectual Property office. I'd worked in HiFi shops and wanted to make a better sub than was available commercially at the time. I succeeded. I tested Ported designs and settled on a sealed design. Chalk and Cheese. Sealed subs are tight and fast as this video attests. Kudos Kanto!
not exactly... passive radiators have uneven frequency responses. If you want more QUANTITY out of sealed... just add more power + EQ or drivers. I DESPISE boomy flabby bass. The first time bass wowed me was infinity 4 1/2" 2 ways! the bass was soooo tight and fast, if not chest thumping. I'll take quality every time
I put a capacitor and a small coil on the negative line. Slowing it down and therefore creating a lower frequency. In a small space enclosure ( under a car seat ) it gives the thump that you’re looking for.
I have the Kanto Yumi set up with the Sub 8 and it sounds great the 8 sounds as good and goes lower than my mb quart 10 in. I do find it moves on me on a smooth surface. Great video
I use a Veliodyne IMPACT-10 ported subwoofer and it's awesome. i prefer ported over sealed because not only does it provide louder bass output, it also provides cooling for the plate amp and the driver itself. In a sealed box, the heat generated from the amp has nowhere to go, and that could be a bad thing. I don't know how they manage to keep sealed subs from breaking due to overheating.
1. Class D 2. Plate itself is a cooler, some amps have heatsinks on the outside 3. There's a significant amount of air inside the box, in a lot of cases its capacity is more than enough to cool down what's needed
Spot on description. Sealed subwoofers are preferable for music; they sound more controlled/more responsive and precise compared to ported, that might be better for surround sound. Many small ported wall speakers should have their ports blinded with foam or other materials to make them more tight and better sounding. Especially if placed right agains the wall. Deep bass is not everything 😉
Good overview. I'm trying out a semi-hybrid design, the RSL SpeedWoofer 10S MKII. It has a non-traditional elongated front firing port (rather long & thin, not round) with extra internal baffling, that is supposed to permit better pressure and response like a sealed enclosure. Everyone I hear is raving about it for a sub
Once I opened a subwoofer that it had a ported vent, BUT INSIDE THERE WAS ANOTHER chamber with a SEALED SUBWOOFER. Dayum that design sounded FINE! super precise bass! How doyou call this double chamber design?
A passive radiator essentially mimics the effect of a port so would have the same advantages/disadvantages musically. However, the passive radiator makes it MUCH easier to tune the box (change sizes, change weights, etc) without having to build a port. It eliminates chuffing as well.
The benefits are it is capable of lower frequencies and produce more sound with less power although less accurate. Typically if you listen to mostly rap music and or dubstep you may want ported. If you listen to a variety of music types or mainly drums sealed is the choice. IMO
Great explanation..sealed all day for me..I like rock music with fast drumming beats..on that NOTE I prefer sealed for the tightness and accuracy.that tight punch is always better than the boom.. When beats get too fast alotta ported subs tend to flutter almost like there not keeping up...but your not gonna beat ported for movies! On movies when you get an explosion or something of the sort ported is the way to go..
Below the tuning frequency, ported sub driver has enormous excursion as you go down. Sealed on the other hand has limited low excursion even below tuning frequencies. One more advantage of sealed is that the woofer membrane remains rigid compared to vented because the pressure difference in case of sealed across the woofer stays high at extremities as compared to the woofer in vented.
Very good explanation! My personal favourite is sealed with dsp boost for extended range. Then you are almost as deep as ported with none of the negatives! Really got to watch for going past the excursion maximums though!
@@kotim1142 sealed is and always will be better for sound quality. No phase reflections like with a ported. Very minimal difference to the ear but it is there.
@@aktionp20 it is full crap not good much worse little brat A closed subwoofer heats up more than a ported subwoofer because it has an air hole It's an old technique and invention, Technology is moving forward and developing better Owl head Yes I know
Good explanation , sealed subs have always had musicality on their side . They are able to recreate the lower registers of the musical spectrum. A ported sub is good for bang bang -- boom boom , personally I would much rather have lower musical notes that just a bang and a boom !!
I was looking for a new small form factor subwoofer for my system. I spent hours on Amazon and had no idea what I needed or what brand to choose. Then I found this video. Your presentation and easy to understand explanation was fantastic. It has inspired me to buy the Kanto Sub 8, which I just bought on Amazon. Thank you!
@@melovemusic69 actually ported go too long with low frequencies... Watching movies with heavy subs distort other vocals.. Especially watching war scenes.. When it is music... Low frequencies add magic..
Works different in car audio. All kinds of figures to put in the equation. Cabin size , power supply, wire size, driver parameters, location . I have a 4 door pick up and the only place to fit an enclosure was under the seat. Your backwards on the frequency you get with a sealed box. For lower resonate frequencies a sealed box has to have more air space. A ported box can reach lower frequencies in a smaller enclosure . Trick is to make the port proportional to the available air space and get the dimensions as close as you can to the recommendations of the specific driver's manufacturer. On mine it was real tricky. I had to make a fiberglass base for the subs I needed for the results I wanted. Port was made to spec with dual taper to increase sound compression , multiple chambers for a variety of frequencies. Of course the box was made specifically for the drivers I used.
What is the best setup for a truck? I want hard hitting bass but I also really love boomy sound. I had a JL W7 in my Tahoe and I loved it. I now have a 2022 gmc Sierra AT4X and there isn’t that much room I can fit under the back seats so should I go sealed or ported?
There's a saying with subs... they can be good, small, or cheap - pick two. Since you want good bass in a small space you'll have to spend more on a powerful amplifier and a sub that can handle high wattage. For you're application you'll want a shallow mount sub in a sealed box to save on space. I heard good things about Sundown to I modeled their SD-4 10″ D2 in WinISD and you can get down to 40 Hz at -3 dB in a 1 cuft box which is pretty great - if you have the ability to increase box size you'll get louder bass in the lower frequencies.
@@KantoSolutions Yeah I gotcha. I really wish there was a way I could put 2 12” JL W7’s in that truck. That’s my favorite subwoofer ever I had one in my Escalade.
Unless a manufacturer explicitly states that you can block a port, then it is not safe to do. Most ported subs that can be blocked also have a switch to change the sub's tuning.
Nice really good presentation. The ported subs are really nice for movies and the new Yamaha twisted port subs are really good with interesting design features like the square cross section driver wires. I think they have done a pretty good job.
For the whole video i kept thinking that the presenter will show both sub woofers performance effect on that box filled with water... 😆 🤣 how many agree?
It's aways a matter how they are tuned and designed. With port noise it's off course a matter of size and how each side is rounded off. I build my own speakers and Experiment a lot. If the port tuning is very low (in my case my sub is tuned to 15hz) The group delay caused by being ported is much lower to the point that one can only seperate the sound of it from a sealed sub because it goes lower. IF using the same driver! That being said. Driver choice is a HUGE factor in this! I just built some Bookshelf speakers with a Punktkilde AUGWL0016-JN03 woofer in a about 17liter ported box tuned to 40hz. I expected the group delay caused by the higher port tuning to ruin bass clarity but it didn't. It's actualy the best sounding bass i have heard so far. The next most authentic sounding thing was a PA subwoofer on a concert. So it's always a matter of the sound engineers choices when building a speaker.
Would you recommend getting an external sub over a 3 or 4 way speaker like the Fluid Audio Image 2 or EVE Audio SC4070? I want to extend the low end in my studio.
This is true, but if you add the normal listening environment you will not hear a difference in precision between sealed or vented subs, but both can be good depending on the room
@@uwebaganz5144 I have a ported sub, that I got cheap at a thrift shop. I can hear the port distortions immediately. I also used to own Ported house Speakers. Then I got a pair of sealed speakers. Those ported speakers immediately went to the Curb. It was so much of a difference in sound quality and clarity, that I almost wept at how much I had been missing.. and how Trash the bass sounded in the ported speakers, compared to the Sealed. I have probably owned about 25 different speakers. Its a hobby, and obsession for me. Ported speakers are Trash, Period. They distort the sound, and image.
@@johndough8115 then your sub is trash, my ported sub does not make any port sound or distorts, i made the sub myself with a port that opens on both ends and the construction of the enclosure is well made, also a decent driver is important, sealed box is easier to construct but not better in any case
@@uwebaganz5144 1) Your particular build, is NOT how standard ported speakers work. They use specifically designed (Tuned) tubes, at specific lengths, with the specific diameter and end-flare. The reason for the port like this, is to make an automatic bass frequency sound, any time that air moves out of it. (Hence, the bottle blowing example) Your use of much larger squared ports (NOT TUNED !!!) and use of TWO ports... is COMPLETELY different from standard Ported speakers / Subs. In fact, that design, is closer to an "OPEN BAFFLE" design, rather than calling it a "Ported" design. Hence, why you do not experience typical Port "Chuffs" , and typical port Distortions. But your design misses the entire Point of the Port... which is the Artificial Lowered Bass sounds... that are only created by that specially designed Port hole. Hence, again... making your sub, more like an Open Baffle sub. Which makes your entire Argument, Completely Nullified. And yes, the drive does matter. But put the best drivers into a REAL ported design... and you will still get CHUFFS and Distortions. As for whether Sealed or Open Baffle is better... is a whole other story. Sealed speakers produce plenty of strong vibrational bass. But you will need a very powerful driver to overcome the compressed air. Such a driver will be less efficient requiring much more power, to driver it. Open-Baffles have less natural distortions, as the air is only being limited by the sides of the box. A more efficient driver could be used, as a result. That said, Im not sure that the overall vibrational bass impact, will be as "Tight". And there will probably be a lot more potentials for room distortions, as the bass will be traveling in two different directions at the same time. You will also increase the likelihood of dust and grime getting lodged into the drivers... causing future distortions. Every design has its particular positives and negatives.
I keep going back and forth between SVS PB-1000 Pro and SVS SB-1000 Pro. I think it's a 60/40 split with movies/gaming being 60 and music being 40 of what I use my home theater is for. Which would be best for small/medium sized living room? I also read about port plugs that can help as well. What do you recommend?
There are ported outdoor subs! Usually they are bottom firing or have a mushroom shaped shield over the port to prevent rain from entering the cabinet.
So question. Would there be a benifit to a box that is split? Meaning one side using ported and one enclosed. Would you get the best of both worlds? Obviously you would need more room.
I have almost this setup in my vehicle, I have one box ported to specs, and one box sealed to specs (same model sub). You do kind of get the best of both worlds, but it is more of a middle ground. I get more low end with one of them ported, but not as low if I had two ported. And, I get better response and punchiness with one sealed, but not as good if I had two sealed.. So a middle ground.
correct. more than a decade ago, I DIY an enclosure for 12" sub for my car and chosen ported box. While I did get my childhood dream of having too powerful bass in a car, the sound quality is messy, sloppy, and at high SPLs the port noise is just annoying, killing the enjoyment. If I had chosen sealed box, the build would have simpler and faster and probably kept that system.
hello sir im one of your subscribers now.. can i ask which is better? A LPORTED BOX or a bose 5th accoustic series order box? thank you i hope you see this and i'll be waiting for your response subscriber from Philippines
No enclosure is better than another, it all depends on how well the driver, box, and amplifier work together. It is the audio engineer's job to choose the correct components and design for the specific application to get the results they want.
I was a hater for sealed subs until I sealed a 4 inch soundbar subwoofer Lol😂, before seal (poor port design) 72 Hz Fs, After Seal response down to 44 Hz! Soothing bass
9 out of 10 submariners prefer sealed subs 😉
because the last 1 cannot pick any preference from the crushing depth of the ocean...
Blahhhhaaaaahaaa!!! Good one!
Kudos to this guy. He gives concise yet simple enough explanations for normal people to understand the technicalities of the convoluted hi-fi world and presents it in a very entertaining manner.
Yeah but if your idea of an ideal subwoofer is one that booms the loudest and rattles the most nearby car windows at the stoplight, you definitely want a ported system.
I wanna be able to hear it and feel it
imo i want a clean sound that doesnt rattle but you can still hear it
I want that rattling
Nope an open BaffLED using the Trunk (if there is one) will do more damage...
My SEALED house speakers generate far more Vibrational bass, than my Ported speakers. The Port does not change make the speakers any more powerful. The Magnet strength, Coil strength, are what create the strongest potentials.
The Subs shown here, are not for Car Audio. They are for home theatre, and possibly also to add depth to music. Unless you live in the middle of the country... you cant blast High Air Pressure Subs, in a typical apartment.
Furthermore, Its Immoral, to blast Car Subs in the City. People live in the apartments above the storefronts... and it Ruins these peoples Sanity, and Lives. It also ends up dragging down property values... when the local Drug dealer parks their car, and keeps blasting their sub, at 3am.
Keep pushing people like myself... and you will find out, just what can happen...
Been designing speakers for many years and speakers have changed a lot. Some are best in ported and some sealed according to the speakers parameters. Personally I will take properly designed ported sub over a sealed box. It's all in how much you spend and how good the box design is but really it's all about personal preference in he end.
Yep that what he said, well designed engineered ported box will sound same if not better than sealed
How would you determine if a chassis ist best for sealed or ported? I've read that if fs/Qts is around 50, it's best for sealed while a value around 100 is best for ported. What do you think about that?
@@doemaeries This is called EBP and it's a good starting point but you can still make a high EBP driver work, the box size might just not be optimal. If you already have the driver you can make it work you just need to model it and see what you're in for. If you don't have the driver yet it would be best to buy the driver to fit the style of box you want to build.
@@algniazdo 100%
Until you get to extreme high end and then only sealed make sense
You forgot to mention the third sub, a combination of closed and ported: passive radiator
I was thinking the same. Like the old Kenwood ported sealed box I used to have.
You forgot to mention the fourth type of sub. The douchebag. The DB comments unnecessarily on videos that aren't discussing the subject they think it is.
It behaves like a ported sub with a steeper rollof
It's not a combination, the port is replaced with a pr
"slot loaded" (not resonant tuned like altec and ATC ports), isobarik, transmission line, open baffle, and varovents exist too. the frequency response of passive radiators is more peaky
I used to always automatically go for large ported subs. It seemed common sense they would dig deeper and be better for movies. This all changed when I was gifted a small little Martin Logan Dynamo 10" sealed sub. It utterly destroyed my SVS. It plays clean to the low 20s and also has really tight punchy bass. Best of both worlds and I've never owned a ported sub that did both of these things well. Was blown away by that little ML sub.
Which svs...? Ultra 16?
@@Stan_the_Belgian no way possible it was a 16 ultra. The 16 ultra would lay waste to that Martin Logan 10…
@@benboyer2776 agreed but he's talking about a large ported svs...
@@Stan_the_Belgian maybe pb1000😂
@@benboyer2776- design and quality components matter. That Martin Logan was probably much more expensive too. I went from a huge 400w sub to a REL (T2) 10” with passive radiator that was better at basically everything. Music and movies. It was more $$$ of course.
Recently i bought epos els sealed 10 inch sub...it changed completely my home theater experience ..wow...amazing..it gives immersive experience through out the whole movie
Ported for Home Theater. Sealed for music. POrted is going to give you that steady deep rumble when the jet liner goes across your screen. Sealed is going to give you that tighter, less boomy sound for music. I have 2 HSU VTF-2 MK5's used for 95% home theater.
Ported Is mainly made for and sold by musicians. A frequently purchased subwoofer is, for example, the Yamaha HS8S and JBL LSR310S. Then a ported turns out to be better 🤔
That's the most comprehensive explanation of the differences or ported and sealed I've seen, and easy to understand the pros and cons of each. Great video!
Thanks for this explanation! In building custom boxes for my truck I noticed when I added ports as I was meant to I lost clarity, this clearly tells me that what I want is a sealed box 👍
I always used sealed boxes, my last had 2 JL w3s nice and clean. Miss them.
Are you sure those ports were properly engineered? Probably not.
I've always preferred sealed. I also like just ten inch subs for the much tighter quick hard hitting bass they reproduce. Though in my huge roomy 85 GMC Suburban, just wide open no trunk, bass lacked in that wide open environment. The same amp/sealed box/speakers in my Ford Tarus was much more pronounced sitting in the trunk then in the Suburban. The type, how they are arranged, the box and the amp can really make a huge difference depending on the setting they are placed into trying to get the sound you are looking for.
Oddly enough, Ford used the trunk space in the Taurus to be a 'box' to help with bass. There were two 6x8 speakers in the rear shelf standard but there was also a spot for a 6x9 speaker that was meant to be used with the JBL systems that were optional on those cars. I didn't have the JBL system in my Taurus, just the MACH audio, but with some work I managed to add a line driver before the main MACH amp. The line driver had a subwoofer line out which I ran to a small (300 watt) sub amp and a 6x9 speaker I added in the rear shelf. I didn't have it loud but it added quite a bit of low end bump. Depending on what I was listening too the inside of the car would shake at a moderate volume. I miss that car and the system (I kept the components.) The factory Sony system in my Fiesta just can't compare.
A good sub of any size can produce punchy bass. I have three 21 inch subs in my theater that can reproduce anything from 15Hz to 200Hz with no problem. When you go to a concert and hear the quick drum bass it is from ported 15 or 18 inch subs, just for reference.
Maybe just need to add another 10 inch subwoofer to get extra SPL keeping that tight accurate bass.
Testing subwoofers without sounds LOL
this channel certainly has potency :D
Interesting video!! Watching this, my mind went straight to those JBL speakers that use "passive radiators" to emmit their bass, but are essentially still sealed
it is similar like vented regarding the frequency characteristic. but there is no port noise and you maybe have a tiny bit more dampening which leads to more accuracy.
There's a third design too-subs with passive radiators, I own two of them
I honestly like ported subs. My mom has one and I just love the way the bass is so deep. I never liked the full, movie theater type of sound with low frequencies.
You’re def not the only one
Funny enough, movie theaters use ported subs.
@@d3vi0uz1 Just Checked that out. Looks like some do, and some dont. It seems The sub frequencies from your speakers are mostly dependent on your environment.
This is a really good video. Well done. You saved me from worrying and wasting time about something I don't need to worry about. Sealed sub in my car for me! Thanks!
This is not always true ive had both sealed and ported i promise you if you put a dual or single skar sdr 12 in your care you will be so much more happy than with sealed ive had and used both and I still have one bc it gets deeper sounds better and it still articulate and musical but loud you don't have to give it all 1200 watts if u dont want put it at the volume you like
In my personal opinion both sealed and ported are in the past but less ported than sealed because passive radiators are a perfect balance you get deeper and louder than sealed and just as small without having to worry about port noise
@@valorantorion1588 Car subs with passive radiators have had their niche for a long time but never really picked up. Why do you think that is the case?
No, they're not the same size as sealed boxes and they have almost exactly the same problems as basreflex subs. The car audio market is dominated by basreflex subs because they're so efficient and people want to install as few extra batteries as possible. It's as simple as that. Maybe electric cars will change that.
Ported enclosures are far superior but the trade off is that they're way more expensive and need more space, specially if you want a well made box. But I ported enclosure will be way louder than a sealed enclosure and will be more efficient. If you like loud bass, 100% vented.
@@valorantorion1588 0
I made my own 15” 600w PA sub with a wave guide that I built in it
The port has a 4inches in height and 16,5 inches in length
It’s hits hard!
I t think it all depends on how much musical power (pressure) you need. All subwoofer at big concerts are always open. There is one trick for every speaker to make it sound lower and louder, put it on the hard floor. The way you explain everything is really good.
means down firing
I built by own box and designed my own port for a sub to go in my 96 civic in high school. I paired it with a cheap pioneer amp and woofer. tried to set it all up to roll off pretty heavily around 40 hz. I thought that would protect the speaker. I was the designated driver to a party one night. my friends were all pretty excited to hear the system I put together. non of us cared to much about sound quality at the time. we cranked the volume and destroyed the sub. I learned the hard way that if you are using a ported box you need to quality sub that won't rip itself apart easily. I never did replace that speaker.
Frequency below tuning will damage the speaker.
You ported it too high
Great video, just one question....more companies are using passive radiators instead of ports. What are the pros & cons of these ?
SPL car audio & HT: Ported, SQ car audio & high end home audio: Closed.
Great explanation there sir!
Summs it up. Building a sealed speaker has the advantage that you can quite precisely create your desired "Sound-Design" by the inside Volume (Qtc) of your housing. For a good vented speaker your driver probably will be more expensive then the driver matching a sealed Box design. If you want low bass range for a small driver you have to go for the ported speaker. If you want low bass range in a sealed subwoofer the housing easy gets huge. For people who don't really car much about sound a cheap 2.1 system with a vented sub will just do fine. I got one of these, was under 30$ and for that money it can't get much better. On the other hand, you can buy high prized speakers that are crap. It's mostly just about marketing. A good speaker system is one, that you can enjoy listenimg too all day long, without getting nuts.
I invented a sub based on the transmission line design and registered it with the AIPO. Australian Intellectual Property office.
I'd worked in HiFi shops and wanted to make a better sub than was available commercially at the time. I succeeded. I tested Ported designs and settled on a sealed design. Chalk and Cheese. Sealed subs are tight and fast as this video attests. Kudos Kanto!
Two words. Passive radiator. Best of both worlds. Put one in there and I might buy one.
That is my experience as well, when testing subs the REL with a passive driver sounded the tightest and is roughly the size of the Kanto :)
@@jedics1i cant stand port chuff. Thats the worst part of porting.
not exactly... passive radiators have uneven frequency responses. If you want more QUANTITY out of sealed... just add more power + EQ or drivers. I DESPISE boomy flabby bass. The first time bass wowed me was infinity 4 1/2" 2 ways! the bass was soooo tight and fast, if not chest thumping. I'll take quality every time
very good explanation.
i like a sealed dual subwoofer architecture where the chassis are opposing each other.
I put a capacitor and a small coil on the negative line. Slowing it down and therefore creating a lower frequency. In a small space enclosure ( under a car seat ) it gives the thump that you’re looking for.
I have the Kanto Yumi set up with the Sub 8 and it sounds great the 8 sounds as good and goes lower than my mb quart 10 in. I do find it moves on me on a smooth surface. Great video
Put some rubber washing machine pucks under them and your sub won't move again;)
Just ordered my Sub8, to pair with my YU2s. Gets here on Monday, too excited!
Thank you Jason, finally a clear explanation on subs. Well done!!
I use a Veliodyne IMPACT-10 ported subwoofer and it's awesome. i prefer ported over sealed because not only does it provide louder bass output, it also provides cooling for the plate amp and the driver itself. In a sealed box, the heat generated from the amp has nowhere to go, and that could be a bad thing. I don't know how they manage to keep sealed subs from breaking due to overheating.
Put a bottle of ice water near the port to chill it out. It will thank you...
1. Class D
2. Plate itself is a cooler, some amps have heatsinks on the outside
3. There's a significant amount of air inside the box, in a lot of cases its capacity is more than enough to cool down what's needed
they manage tho
with a modern class D amp the cooling is not a problem at all.
Spot on description. Sealed subwoofers are preferable for music; they sound more controlled/more responsive and precise compared to ported, that might be better for surround sound. Many small ported wall speakers should have their ports blinded with foam or other materials to make them more tight and better sounding. Especially if placed right agains the wall. Deep bass is not everything 😉
First time since my studies someone brought up the Helmholtzresonator without mentioning the name or formula. Gr8 video.
...and this is why I love the classic Large Advents speakers. Back in the day your 2.0 system was really a 2.2.
Good overview. I'm trying out a semi-hybrid design, the RSL SpeedWoofer 10S MKII. It has a non-traditional elongated front firing port (rather long & thin, not round) with extra internal baffling, that is supposed to permit better pressure and response like a sealed enclosure. Everyone I hear is raving about it for a sub
Once I opened a subwoofer that it had a ported vent, BUT INSIDE THERE WAS ANOTHER chamber with a SEALED SUBWOOFER. Dayum that design sounded FINE! super precise bass!
How doyou call this double chamber design?
kickdrum--->sealed, for everything else ported, it all comes down to the kind of music you hear
I have a ported and a sealed in my bedroom, perfect combination.
So how would you compare the sealed subwoofer to one that has a passive radiator?
that's what I thought of
A passive radiator essentially mimics the effect of a port so would have the same advantages/disadvantages musically. However, the passive radiator makes it MUCH easier to tune the box (change sizes, change weights, etc) without having to build a port. It eliminates chuffing as well.
great video!
Very interesting and easy to understand, I found all the answers I was looking for.
This guy is great!
We'll let him know 😄
@@KantoSolutions What's the best subwoofer to get with my Kanto TUK's?
Subwoofer sealed is better to Bass sound. For drum sound is better subwoofer ported 🔊👍
Maybe I missed it but did you mention the benefits to ported subs? Surely there are pros and cons to each, so what are the pros?
The benefits are it is capable of lower frequencies and produce more sound with less power although less accurate. Typically if you listen to mostly rap music and or dubstep you may want ported. If you listen to a variety of music types or mainly drums sealed is the choice. IMO
@@SSMan-jo6tf problem with sealed is you need a lot of power. A 800w 12" ported sub easily outpaces my 13" 1000w sub.
Both have pros and cons.
@@SSMan-jo6tf It also depends on your primary use for the sub such as listening to music vs watching movies on your home theater.
Hip hop ,house ported all day had to send back ma 12 inch sead vs ported 10
Great explanation..sealed all day for me..I like rock music with fast drumming beats..on that NOTE I prefer sealed for the tightness and accuracy.that tight punch is always better than the boom.. When beats get too fast alotta ported subs tend to flutter almost like there not keeping up...but your not gonna beat ported for movies! On movies when you get an explosion or something of the sort ported is the way to go..
Below the tuning frequency, ported sub driver has enormous excursion as you go down. Sealed on the other hand has limited low excursion even below tuning frequencies.
One more advantage of sealed is that the woofer membrane remains rigid compared to vented because the pressure difference in case of sealed across the woofer stays high at extremities as compared to the woofer in vented.
What about passive rads on sealed subs?
This was my question to.
Got REL. Curious too.
Passive radiators replace the air vent...
Very good explanation! My personal favourite is sealed with dsp boost for extended range. Then you are almost as deep as ported with none of the negatives! Really got to watch for going past the excursion maximums though!
Equalization does not magically make the negative go away. Ported subs go lower, louder, more efficiently.
@@dizzywow yes, but the sealed enclosure can now go deeper with the dsp. You are correct on the efficiency though. You definitely sacrifice volume.
@@aktionp20 Closed subwoofer is old crap crap ass technology is developing that is not done anymore
@@kotim1142 sealed is and always will be better for sound quality. No phase reflections like with a ported. Very minimal difference to the ear but it is there.
@@aktionp20 it is full crap not good much worse little brat A closed subwoofer heats up more than a ported subwoofer because it has an air hole It's an old technique and invention, Technology is moving forward and developing better Owl head Yes I know
What about Subs with passive radiators?
Good explanation , sealed subs have always had musicality on their side . They are able to recreate the lower registers of the musical spectrum. A ported sub is good for bang bang -- boom boom , personally I would much rather have lower musical notes that just a bang and a boom !!
And the boom from a sealed sub is usually still exciting and impactful (vs not having a subwoofer)
What subwoofer would you recommend someone to buy between Kenwood, Pioneer, Mobile Authority and Sony xplod
I'm using Polk hts 10..it's amazing 😍
I was looking for a new small form factor subwoofer for my system. I spent hours on Amazon and had no idea what I needed or what brand to choose. Then I found this video. Your presentation and easy to understand explanation was fantastic. It has inspired me to buy the Kanto Sub 8, which I just bought on Amazon. Thank you!
That's awesome, hope you enjoy it!
How you felt about the crossover, do you still hear vocal in the sub?
I need product breakdowns for all Kanto products from this guy.
i put the sealed 8 inch Kanto sub with a pair of Kanto Tuks hooked to my PC....WOW i love them
According to me sealed are good for home theatres and ported for music... What's your view..
You have it reversed according to experts. Sealed reacts better (quick)and more accurate for music..
@@melovemusic69 actually ported go too long with low frequencies... Watching movies with heavy subs distort other vocals.. Especially watching war scenes.. When it is music... Low frequencies add magic..
No port is better fore movie seald is more true 2 its sors
Sealed here baby!
Works different in car audio. All kinds of figures to put in the equation. Cabin size , power supply, wire size, driver parameters, location . I have a 4 door pick up and the only place to fit an enclosure was under the seat. Your backwards on the frequency you get with a sealed box. For lower resonate frequencies a sealed box has to have more air space. A ported box can reach lower frequencies in a smaller enclosure . Trick is to make the port proportional to the available air space and get the dimensions as close as you can to the recommendations of the specific driver's manufacturer. On mine it was real tricky. I had to make a fiberglass base for the subs I needed for the results I wanted. Port was made to spec with dual taper to increase sound compression , multiple chambers for a variety of frequencies. Of course the box was made specifically for the drivers I used.
Very good demo. Make me want to try out. Maybe seal sub qith passive tranducer can be best of both worlds.
I prefer large sealed subs. Feels like you can get the best of both worlds. When I can dig deep and loud without port noise it’s a win
Go for a passive radiator... no chuffing and they are far tighter
Some people want to sacrifice accuracy for more loud booms. But I am a person of quality over quantity, thus happy with sealed sub.
But, the depth of bass from a sealed sub is deeper, I love it
No, it's not.
I think you missed the whole video
You are very connected to your expertise with comprehensive understanding that's very enjoyable to learn from.
Sealed also have less problems with room positioning. And all ported have "bass delay".
*fewer
What is the best setup for a truck? I want hard hitting bass but I also really love boomy sound. I had a JL W7 in my Tahoe and I loved it. I now have a 2022 gmc Sierra AT4X and there isn’t that much room I can fit under the back seats so should I go sealed or ported?
There's a saying with subs... they can be good, small, or cheap - pick two. Since you want good bass in a small space you'll have to spend more on a powerful amplifier and a sub that can handle high wattage. For you're application you'll want a shallow mount sub in a sealed box to save on space. I heard good things about Sundown to I modeled their SD-4 10″ D2 in WinISD and you can get down to 40 Hz at -3 dB in a 1 cuft box which is pretty great - if you have the ability to increase box size you'll get louder bass in the lower frequencies.
@@KantoSolutions Yeah I gotcha. I really wish there was a way I could put 2 12” JL W7’s in that truck. That’s my favorite subwoofer ever I had one in my Escalade.
Best explanation of port noise I’ve seen. Many thanks!
Can we cover the port of the ported sub to check the performance? Is it safe to do it?
Unless a manufacturer explicitly states that you can block a port, then it is not safe to do. Most ported subs that can be blocked also have a switch to change the sub's tuning.
What about subs with a passive radiator?? Is that essentially a port with a flex covering?
Nice really good presentation. The ported subs are really nice for movies and the new Yamaha twisted port subs are really good with interesting design features like the square cross section driver wires. I think they have done a pretty good job.
So is Kanto subwoofer cheaper than quality ported one?
Really easy to understand every details, thanks so much...
I prefer sealed loudspeakers in general, but aside from subwoofers they are very hard to come by these days.
Because they suck.
When I was a teenager, every guy would go for the ported for its bass extension. The sealed didn't have that kick to it. Now, sealed all the way.
What is the difference between the 2022 updated Sub 8 and the older version?
More power and vinyl finish on newer versions
Give this guys loud applause, finally I have fitted sealed sub to my car
For the whole video i kept thinking that the presenter will show both sub woofers performance effect on that box filled with water... 😆 🤣 how many agree?
Literally thought so until I saw this comment😂😂😂
It's aways a matter how they are tuned and designed.
With port noise it's off course a matter of size and how each side is rounded off.
I build my own speakers and Experiment a lot. If the port tuning is very low (in my case my sub is tuned to 15hz) The group delay caused by being ported is much lower to the point that one can only seperate the sound of it from a sealed sub because it goes lower. IF using the same driver! That being said. Driver choice is a HUGE factor in this!
I just built some Bookshelf speakers with a Punktkilde AUGWL0016-JN03 woofer in a about 17liter ported box tuned to 40hz. I expected the group delay caused by the higher port tuning to ruin bass clarity but it didn't. It's actualy the best sounding bass i have heard so far. The next most authentic sounding thing was a PA subwoofer on a concert.
So it's always a matter of the sound engineers choices when building a speaker.
My choice of drivers is Vifa.
@@marcelmolenaar5684 They make very good and affordable drivers!
whats best way to seal,,, ported sub... what to put under its feet so house dont crash down from structural vibe
Sealed and ported! Sealed for suspension control and porting for the tone desired
Nice video,i have a question,can you close a port?Sorry for mine bad english,i am dutch.
Would you recommend getting an external sub over a 3 or 4 way speaker like the Fluid Audio Image 2 or EVE Audio SC4070? I want to extend the low end in my studio.
Great explanation. I learned a lot with this video. Thank you
I have a Bowers and Wilkins sealed type and it is superior my ported Pioneer one which itself is very good.
Nice Video! Can I seal an unseald subwoofer?
No. The reason is clear. You need a new enclosure. And if its fit is the next question. A donkey is not a race horse.
This is true, but if you add the normal listening environment you will not hear a difference in precision between sealed or vented subs, but both can be good depending on the room
You are Totally wrong about that.
@@johndough8115 no I'm not
@@uwebaganz5144 I have a ported sub, that I got cheap at a thrift shop. I can hear the port distortions immediately.
I also used to own Ported house Speakers. Then I got a pair of sealed speakers. Those ported speakers immediately went to the Curb. It was so much of a difference in sound quality and clarity, that I almost wept at how much I had been missing.. and how Trash the bass sounded in the ported speakers, compared to the Sealed.
I have probably owned about 25 different speakers. Its a hobby, and obsession for me.
Ported speakers are Trash, Period. They distort the sound, and image.
@@johndough8115 then your sub is trash, my ported sub does not make any port sound or distorts, i made the sub myself with a port that opens on both ends and the construction of the enclosure is well made, also a decent driver is important, sealed box is easier to construct but not better in any case
@@uwebaganz5144 1) Your particular build, is NOT how standard ported speakers work. They use specifically designed (Tuned) tubes, at specific lengths, with the specific diameter and end-flare.
The reason for the port like this, is to make an automatic bass frequency sound, any time that air moves out of it. (Hence, the bottle blowing example)
Your use of much larger squared ports (NOT TUNED !!!) and use of TWO ports... is COMPLETELY different from standard Ported speakers / Subs.
In fact, that design, is closer to an "OPEN BAFFLE" design, rather than calling it a "Ported" design.
Hence, why you do not experience typical Port "Chuffs" , and typical port Distortions.
But your design misses the entire Point of the Port... which is the Artificial Lowered Bass sounds... that are only created by that specially designed Port hole. Hence, again... making your sub, more like an Open Baffle sub.
Which makes your entire Argument, Completely Nullified.
And yes, the drive does matter. But put the best drivers into a REAL ported design... and you will still get CHUFFS and Distortions.
As for whether Sealed or Open Baffle is better... is a whole other story.
Sealed speakers produce plenty of strong vibrational bass. But you will need a very powerful driver to overcome the compressed air. Such a driver will be less efficient requiring much more power, to driver it.
Open-Baffles have less natural distortions, as the air is only being limited by the sides of the box. A more efficient driver could be used, as a result. That said, Im not sure that the overall vibrational bass impact, will be as "Tight". And there will probably be a lot more potentials for room distortions, as the bass will be traveling in two different directions at the same time. You will also increase the likelihood of dust and grime getting lodged into the drivers... causing future distortions.
Every design has its particular positives and negatives.
You need high spl driver + eq with sealed. Then it is no competition. Wins hands down.
Incredible video. Thanks for the laugh AND the information!!!
I keep going back and forth between SVS PB-1000 Pro and SVS SB-1000 Pro. I think it's a 60/40 split with movies/gaming being 60 and music being 40 of what I use my home theater is for. Which would be best for small/medium sized living room? I also read about port plugs that can help as well. What do you recommend?
This might help you decide www.audioholics.com/subwoofer-reviews/svs-pb-1000-pro-sb-1000-pro/conclusion
great explanation, thank you
Does that mean we have to choose sealed type for indoors?
There are ported outdoor subs! Usually they are bottom firing or have a mushroom shaped shield over the port to prevent rain from entering the cabinet.
what about the bandpass enclosures? or passive radiators? 0 quality? or they are even good in some way?
So question. Would there be a benifit to a box that is split? Meaning one side using ported and one enclosed. Would you get the best of both worlds? Obviously you would need more room.
I have almost this setup in my vehicle, I have one box ported to specs, and one box sealed to specs (same model sub). You do kind of get the best of both worlds, but it is more of a middle ground. I get more low end with one of them ported, but not as low if I had two ported. And, I get better response and punchiness with one sealed, but not as good if I had two sealed..
So a middle ground.
What if you have a ported design with a bigger box and a powerful amplifier?
What is the slope of the crossover on the sub, please?
correct. more than a decade ago, I DIY an enclosure for 12" sub for my car and chosen ported box. While I did get my childhood dream of having too powerful bass in a car, the sound quality is messy, sloppy, and at high SPLs the port noise is just annoying, killing the enjoyment. If I had chosen sealed box, the build would have simpler and faster and probably kept that system.
Sealed for the drum kick and the ported for the rumble. Buy both for the bass wars.
how does air inside the sealed sub affects the speaker membrane etc. at more volume, when you want it loud... ?
Whats the brand name for that white sealed subwoofer
Very nicely explained.
Much appreciated 👍🏻
hello sir im one of your subscribers now.. can i ask which is better? A LPORTED BOX or a bose 5th accoustic series order box?
thank you i hope you see this and i'll be waiting for your response
subscriber from Philippines
No enclosure is better than another, it all depends on how well the driver, box, and amplifier work together. It is the audio engineer's job to choose the correct components and design for the specific application to get the results they want.
Really usefull information. Thanks
I was a hater for sealed subs until I sealed a 4 inch soundbar subwoofer Lol😂, before seal (poor port design) 72 Hz Fs, After Seal response down to 44 Hz! Soothing bass