Single 12" Ported or sealed
 

I'm wanting to know which is better. I listen to a wide variety of music, I like loud and I'm downsizing from 2 12's to a single 12 for a little big more of trunk space. So... the question, Which is better Ported or sealed?

Ported.

Yep. Always.

ok So then if i did a single 12" ported sub, sub being Rockford Fosgate Punch HE2 RFP3212 12" The Amp is going to be a RF Punch 201s, for now until i find something that better suits.
I'll have to find out how big i can go, but What's the best tuned frequency to go with... closer to 35Hz higher or lower? That would still be best for all round music listening?

I find that most people like a 35hz tune.

I wish I had a 35 hz tune.

So much for the general answer of 35 Hz, I think you guys left some stuff out. Too bad Dukk doesn't know most people, fresh couldn't compromise some port area or have more port depth, and your "wide variety of music" wasn't specific enough. What happends if your wide variety includes chopped & screwed or classical? 35 Hz wouldn't be a good all-around tune for that.

Port isn't always "better" than sealed, that's just your opinion. Some subs are suited to sealed boxes, but is a sub that's designed for a ported box "better" than a sub designed for a sealed? No, that's just your opinion. Is a sub louder when ported with the same power as a sealed sub? At the tune, yes, but at 5-10 Hz below the ported tune the sealed box could be louder.

Is the HE2 suited for sealed?
(HE2 RFP4212 12" specs from crutchfield)
Dual-4 ohm
400W RMS
VAS 83.1 L (2.9346488 cubic feet)
FS 27 Hz
QTS .59
http://www.carstereo.com/help/Articles.cfm?id=30

Your previous box was about 3.75 NET, so cutting the NET space in half leaves about 1 cubic foot per sub, which yields QTC @ 1.1703 / FC @ 53.56 Hz / F3 @ 39.7 Hz - that sub isn't suited for sealed in that space. That could be the wrong model though.

It depends on the sub, but with 35 Hz the response could be around -12dB @ 30 Hz & -24 dB @ 25 Hz, so if you're listening to chopped & screwed or classical music than you run the risk of bottom out the sub depending on the box, power, sub, and subsonic filter setting, and that music stretches down to ~25 Hz, classical even down to ~15 Hz. If you want sound quality than 30 Hz would be better suited to handle frequencies down to ~25 Hz. 35 Hz is good for rock, rap & hiphop with street-bass frequencies (Lil Wayne, 50 cent, yada-yada). If you're working with limited space than you might not have the space to tune to 30 Hz without compromising the NET space or port area. If your sub likes a lot of port area than you don't want to choke it, and more port area = higher tune.

The last tune you had for 2 12's was ~34.5 Hz, did you like it or are you asking if a higher tune with 1 12 would be as loud as 2 12's?

Why would you tune a box based on someone else's opinion? If 1% of the world prefered a 30 Hz tune, that's still like 10,000,000 people, so "most" people shouldn't be brought into it as you aren't most people.

Your next tune should be based on what you had previously or based on what you listen to (so it doesn't go pop).

I listen to almost everything, old rock, hard rock (head bangers), hip hop, a little rap, alternative. The box i have right now for the 2 12's is fine, sometimes not 100% clear when i listen to rock at higher volumes, which is what i typically listen to most times is the hard rock, and the hip hop/rap comes second. I'm wanting to know from the more experienced, what is better to tune based on what i said above. I will make the box so it's for 2 cubit feet of space for the sub and then the port area on top of that.

I'm wanting to downsize so i have a little bit more room, as to my son's is needing more space is the trunk. I love the box i have now and I don't plan on getting rid of it, more or less find a temp home in my parents attic for storage but until i'm able to get a bigger vehicle i need a bit more trunk space. I know i won't be getting much more space but the idea of downsizing for a while is fine with me. I'm not too worried about power, i'm more then confident that one of these subs in a properly tuned box is just fine for my car now.

Here's Crutchfields features and specks on the sub
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_575RFP3...ures_and_specs

before the days over i'll mention how tall and deep i can go at max, and I'll be able to find out width and how big the port is etc...

Ok I'll still have to wait to git home and use the calculator but I can do 16" tall by 16" deep at the most and I'll figure out the width with the enclosure calculator. All depends on port size and the 2.0cf I'll be giving the sub.

See LH, his music tastes are pretty average. No 'chopped and screwed' (WTF is that anyway) or other fringe bs. And I often listen to classical on my system, which happens to be tuned to 35hz, and it performs fine..

In my experience, all things being equal, most people prefer the response of a vented box, and 35hz is a good average tuning.

If you read his first post he is losing a sub and wants to keep it loud. Drop in a sealed box and he probably isn't going to like it.