Sealed or ported?

[Phatmat 10+ year member]

I'm looking to run a single Pioneer TS-W307-D4 sub. I'm not sure whether to run it ported or sealed. Can somebody tell me the difference between them? I want max bass and performance from the sub, so what is my best option?

Some people tell me sealed, others say ported, what's the benefit of sealed? I heard this sub in-store in a sealed box and I can barely hear or feel it, where as the ported boxed bump like crazy. Do the sealed boxes only perform in car well, not out of car?

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[aussiek2000 10+ year member]

I'm running that sub on ~300wrms in a 1.3 cube sealed box. I'm building a ported box soon and buying an amp.

 

[Phatmat 10+ year member]

aussiek2000, does this shake ur car? i'm looking to get some car shaking bass, does the sealed box give this, because the sub i heard in-shop in a sealed box didn't perform well, where as the ported boxes kicked hard. maybe it was just the fact the sealed sub was resonating through the 100mx100m shop? i'm wondering if sealed subs must be inside cars/enclosed spaces to work well?

 

[aussiek2000 10+ year member]

It shakes my mirrors, but its not very loud at all. You can only expect so much out of a $60 pioneer.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Go ported. I would seriously say it might make it twice as loud, or even louder. I have never had a sealed box, and don't plan to.

 

[05fronty 5,000+ posts]

i've had both. usually for the music i listen to it sounds better in sealed,but ported is alot louder. make sure if you get ported, you get one built not a prefab. also sealed are usually smaller than a ported.

 

[oldschoolboomer 10+ year member]

I was sealed from 89 to 2003, ported from 2003 to 2009, now back to sealed. IMO sealed most often sounds better, but of course is not as loud.

 

[Jeepjones85 10+ year member]

I like ported my self there is a big difference sealed dont

have that low end bass I like

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

Sealed will play lower than ported.

 

[sexiewasd 10+ year member]

I like ported my self there is a big difference sealed donthave that low end bass I like

I've had mine in both sealed and ported when deciding on what box to go with. With sealed bass drum and double bass sounded great. Otep and the Dropkick Murphy's live sounded awesome. Ported doesn't sound quite as good for those bands but extends much lower at decent volume tuned at 35hz, and sounds much much better with bands like MSI and the Beastie Boys. I chose ported, and so should you.

 

[mobeious 10+ year member]

well its all in how u like ur music.... if u listen to alot of quick drum kicks and fast beats and like that tight punch then sealed is ur way to go.. if u listen to stuff with long bass lines and are willing to sacrifice a little tightness the u may want to try ported... build a ported box and see if u like it ... if not no biggie ur only out around 40 bucks

 

[MysticStyl3z 10+ year member]

IMO...if you want some car shaking bass, i would do a single 15 ported low. also i would buy a sub with greater power handling.