Ported is more efficient. I prefer the sound of ported, especially in a hatchback. Sealed is better in trunk applications, I find.

(I have had 8 system setups in the past) [img]smile.gif[/img]

 

sealed is simply easier to make work. I have a cheap box with a pair of 8's in it, and it sounds way better after deporting it.

 

I prefer Ported boxes but it is all opinion really.

The ported box will give less distortion from about 30hz - 80 hz than a sealed box but a properly made sealed box will alwasy have better transient response than a properly (or inproperly) made ported box.

With a ported box the power handling under the tuning of the port goes way down and excursion increases severly.

Ported should also be louder. In theory you are looking at about a 3 dB increase from sealed to ported, but you may get more or less depending on everything.

If you tune your box low, you should do just fine with SQ. I am not a SQ competitor so if you are trying to compete I am not sure which will win for you.

 

I have had good luck with sealed and they are very good. The ported boxes, if properly done, give more output and maybe better snap, snap, er transient responce.
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I agree a Good PORTED box can MAKE a DOUBLE BASS KICK DRUM sound REALLY TIGHT and DEFINED. [img]graemlins/bs.gif[/img]

 

I have always preferred sealed.

 

OK so maybe I wrote it basackward.... thank you for calling me on it, though a properly ported system should be very accurate too.
I think both porting and sealed, when done properly, produce great results. BUT in the world of home and car audio, the bottom half has to mate to the top half. On another thread the voicing of the drivers is being addressed, is this necessary for a sub? This is less true for a true sub woofer, which is common in car audio and seldom seen in home audio (except theater).
I will repeat a story, I was buying my brother a home theater rig (a DVD for X-mas, a center channel for his b-day, etc.) anyway I was down to the last component the subwoofer. I (being a good brother and wasn’t thinking of keeping he sub for myself) had to …QA the new B&W sub I bought and compare and contrast with my MB Quart. I was amazed at how ‘fast’, tight and powerful the B&W was it was truly a superior subwoofer. BUT which one was better in my system… the MBQ mated with the slower, lumpier mid-bass of my Snell C’s MUCH better. The B&W, while being superior in every way was a poorer fit in my theater rig (it would have been great with my 2 channel rig or with my brothers mini-monitors). BTW my brother did get the new B&W.