What is the best enclosure for subs? Can a ported enclosure be smaller because of the port? ?
Every enclosure has certain advantages and disadvantages. Basic sealed enclosures are our favorite. A properly built sealed enclosure will give the best overall frequency response, and the most bass (true!) A ported enclosure will give you a boost at its tuned frequency (usually in the 45 to 55hz area). This may make it seem louder than a sealed box, but in a ported enclosure, you lose all frequencies below the tuned port frequency. There is a lot of bass below 40hz! A ported box may be a good choice if you are short of power. Bandpass boxes used to be very popular. We don’t like ’em. Can’t be any plainer. Several reasons why; They are, by design, bigger than sealed or ported. They are EXTREMELY critical of size, and port requirements. The wrong port or enclosure size can destroy a sub. The last reason we hate ’em; Because of the design, you can’t tell when your speaker is distorting until it is too late. A lot of people have lost good subs to bandpass boxes.
