Prefab ported vs Custom for a non audophile

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I found a fellow forum member here that was willing to make a custom ported enclosure for me for my Type R. I've been wondering though...

I hear everyone saying how prefab ported enclosures are complete **** but for someone who has only heard a handful of sound systems, would I be able to notice the difference between the enclosures? Is the difference really that drastic? Sorry if I'm beating a dead horse but I haven't really found an answer to this exact question.

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[ItsAJeepThing 10+ year member]

The custom box will sound better no doubt. As far as you being able to tell the difference. I think even an amateur car audio enthusiast could tell the difference. It should sound way better in a box built to the specs of the sub.

 

[i2ain2thunder 10+ year member]

There will be a big audible difference, a monkey could tell the difference. I've been listening to my own boxes for so long I almost forgot how the prefabs sound, I heard some kids system on the way up north the other weekend and talked to him about it. I felt so bad for him (and he thought it sounded awesome. He had Gorilla Zoe playing a musician I have grown to love simply because of the deep sick bass in the tracks. Gorilla Zoe pounds in my trunk, gets loud and low, but in his (prefab ported) enclosure he mentioned that Gorilla Zoe wasn't that good and that Lil Wayne a milli song was much better for bass. I told him it was unfortunate that he is completely in the wrong there, his prefab sounds decent up around 60hz but anything down low sounded pathetic to the point he thought Zoe had no real bass, the truth was his box was simply tuned so high that he couldn't hit the lows for anything. In all reality with a good enclosure Zoe will pound the earth.

The enclosure and the coupling is everything, equipment doesn't matter nearly as much as the enclosure and building one to proper specs. Thats why there is such a big audible difference in sound between prefabs and customs.

I could put the best subs in the world in a prefab and they would still sound like total crap probally even worse than cheap subs simply because they're probally made to get a lower resonating frequency.

 

[DonH 5,000+ posts]

what's up man. yes a huge diff. Man.compare a fart to a cello... Lol

Lmk when ur ready for a real box //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Also pm. theunderfighter ask him how his box sounds

 

[jolly_26 10+ year member]

I could put the best subs in the world in a prefab and they would still sound like total crap probally even worse than cheap subs simply because they're probally made to get a lower resonating frequency.

Agreed! Budget subs in a good box will beat good subs in a budget box any day. My mates are always confused about how my cheap subs kick lower and louder than their expensive ones!

 

[i2ain2thunder 10+ year member]

Yeah I have friends that spend weeks shopping and finding their favorite subs to buy and when it comes their first thought is put it in any old box and it will be awesome. Have you ever put a woofer in free air and played it guess what you get, no bass so it's an easy concept to understand that the enclosure itself affects the amount of bass, but I guess the subwoofer being the flashy bling bling part of the equation naturally makes the average joe pay more attention to them then the enclosure itself.

 

[Germ305 10+ year member]

I found a fellow forum member here that was willing to make a custom ported enclosure for me for my Type R. I've been wondering though...
I hear everyone saying how prefab ported enclosures are complete **** but for someone who has only heard a handful of sound systems, would I be able to notice the difference between the enclosures? Is the difference really that drastic? Sorry if I'm beating a dead horse but I haven't really found an answer to this exact question.

Take it from someone who has a type-r 12 and has been through prefab sealed and prefab ported....Building a proper box by yourself is so much rewarding and there is a big audible difference...I did mine 2.25cu ft tuned to 32hz...got the design from the forums...if anyone could point him to the thread that has i guess like general box plans of different sizes it would be appreciated.

 

[thegreatestpenn 5,000+ posts]

the usual difference is that low end extension below 40hz. prefabs are built with tuning in the mid 40's so the lows **** ***. A custom box is usually made tuned between 30-40 (unless a burp box) so u get those crushing lows. also prefabs aren't usually very sturdy so u lose some output compared to a well sealed and braced custom box.

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

World of difference, especially if you enjoy stuff below 40hz or so.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Before we generalize too much, there are some nice 'pre-fab' box builders out there (subzero use to make a very nice box for Brahma's, for example). But yes, most are made cheap (5/8 wood, particle board, very little glue, no sealant, cheap connectors, single baffle, little or no bracing, poor tuning, etc).

Also remember, not all box types are equally sensitive to box design. Assuming proper build quality, sealed is the most forgiving, ported is in the middle, and bandpass is the least forgiving. For a sealed box, all you really need to find for a pre-fab is one with the right internal space, and good build quality. For bandpass, getting a pre-fab that's designed to work optimally with your speaker is unlikely at best. This is not to say there is no real use for a custom sealed enclosure though, as custom sealed guarantees build quality, and the enclosure can be built to fot your vehicle's interior dimensions.