Sealed or ported?

[agarabaghi 10+ year member]

So some of you may have followed my thread or read my posts before, but for those that don't this is an install in a boat.

Right now ive built a : shaped ported box for a sundown sa10, tunes to ~32hz.

The box sits in the open area of the boat and the port fires into fiberglass walls .... but basically its open to air.

Do you think a ported box is the right design for this application or could a sealed box be more beneficial?

The finaly plans were to have the ported box in the walkway nose like in this pictures with the port firing forward, and then a small sealed box with another Sa 10 under the drive seat.

Could the fact that this is not in the back of a car or in a trunk render the port useless?

I think ill build the small sealed box first, and listen to it in the same placement as the ported box and see which sounds better then decided, but i was looking for any input...

Here is the current placement of the ported box:

The port is under the white deck which holds another cushion:

Click to read more...

 

[sfmtrs]

Anyone else more of an expert feel free to correct me, but i will offer my opinion.

As its an open air environment, i believe your best option would be to have the speaker and port both facing downwards! This should provide best sound overall.

Also i believe having the speaker and port facing different directions can cause phasing issues.

Sealed or ported either way should be best as a downfire box. Sealed will remain tighter and more controlled, but the ported will be louder using less power.

Either way good luck, and have fun. Robert Mundell.

 

[agarabaghi 10+ year member]

People who I have spoken with and done similar installs said that downfiring killed the bass, and increased the resonating of the fiberglass. One guy who i copied the idea from tried both, sealed though, and firing the direction mine is firing was apparently louder.

I havent notice any issues with phasing with the port in the back, its a 14" aero port than goes kinda below the motor / magnets of the speaker.

 

[Z1NONLY 10+ year member]

I would consider installing the sub somwhere in the covered area (is it called a "cab" on a boat?)for some "loading". My fullsize work van produces the most bass from its single 10" sub out of the back, when the rear doors are open. (And the sub is all the way at the front to the vehicle.) The cargo area of the van really helps. Just rolling down the front winow(s) doesn't produce near as much output outside of the vehicle.

And I would go ported with the port on the same plane as the sub if I could.

 

[agarabaghi 10+ year member]

I had a sub in the storage compartment, but it gets muffled terribly. It was the same RE in a 10" vented box with the sub on the same plane. Sounded great with the compartment open, but terrible when it was closed. No bass, just rattling.

So far this is the loudest setup. I plan on putting another 10 under the driver side in a sealed box, and i guess ill hook it up in that same location and see what sounds better...

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I personaly would go with a front firing port into the fiberglassed area, and even look into sealing the top of the sub to the Fiber glass.You know, like 1/4 inch away around the fiberglass with silicon, and screw the lid to the top of the box? Also keeps some of the water off the sub/Water sealed, and should be real easy to do, and no penetrations to the fiberglass??Thats what I would do if i were putting this in at this location on that boat.Just my 2cents, and it wont cost much for a lid??//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[agarabaghi 10+ year member]

The whole box is fiberglass resin inside and out. The bottom is fiberglassed matted also, and it sits on 1/2in rubber feet so water can drain under it.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I would also face that sub approx 6-8inches from the fiberglass if at all possible.It should bang pretty nicely that way..IMO

 

[oldschoolboomer 10+ year member]

I believe small sealed subwoofers depend heavily on transfer function to produce deeper bass.Larger ported enclosures seem to work better in open environments IMO.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I didnt notice the pict just before the box build.I would go at an angle /45frm one side of the sub to the fiberglass sideand approx 1/2 to 3/4 higher than the bx yo have now, and try to seal up the sub portion as well as the botton/seal it yet you are giong to be approx 3/4 in higher above the sub box, so that you can add strips of wood on top to attatch the cover/and will look like a port coming to the rear with the 3/4 in riseso tha sub is concealed, and it will sound a whole lot better.Just try to seal the front off. and people standing on it wont bother it, and destroy the sub.Man that would sound 10x better that what you got going on, and be concealed, and durable also

 

[agarabaghi 10+ year member]

Actually, the plans are to rebuild the box face and top, so they sit flush (once carpeted) between the fiberglass walkway.

Rough rough sketch to give the idea...

 

[Z1NONLY 10+ year member]

I had a sub in the storage compartment, but it gets muffled terribly. It was the same RE in a 10" vented box with the sub on the same plane. Sounded great with the compartment open, but terrible when it was closed. No bass, just rattling.
So far this is the loudest setup. I plan on putting another 10 under the driver side in a sealed box, and i guess ill hook it up in that same location and see what sounds better...

Didn't know that was a storage area that stays closed. I thought the sub was sitting in a walkway that goes to the "living area" inside the boat itself. I figured it would work for people sitting inside and pretty well when everyone is outside and "on deck" (Unless the living area gets sealed up)

 

[agarabaghi 10+ year member]

Ahh, there is no above or below. Its only 21ft long //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif ...

The whole front is a cushion, and the box us used as a support for the cushion. So the port fires underneath this cushion which is basically 3 sides of fiberglass and the bottom composite of the cushion.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

In my opinion, if you can bring the front out approx 6-8 inches mor, and approx 3/4inches higher sealed, you should have like a gab at the top, will kind of look like a port at the rear on top, and will sound so much better.You can lay a thin piece on the top to get the difference in heighth and measure that way? it would be better than completely exposed . The sub will actually have something to hit off of, and have some air space, and the acoustics will be nice, and easy to modify,Would look like a ported sub from the rear, //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif..I did a sub like that for my nephews truck once in a 4dr Tundra to keep the sub from getting damaged, and to my surprise, it hit even harder, and smooth

 

[agarabaghi 10+ year member]

so your saying like a panel infront of it to fire off of? Im trying to make it flush with the cushion so when its carpeted it looks stock ish ...