Should I Buy This Sub? PG RSD10

[supermaxx123 10+ year member]

Nice! Another noob question for you: I am planning on making a box by these dimensions: 7" Deep x 14" Wide x 39" Long
Will it make a huge difference in sound quality if the box is ported or sealed?

I like ported but i think a sealed sounds WAY better all aound. I listen to REAL MUSIC, not saying people dont, here are some bands i listen to:

French Kicks

The Shins

Underoath

Norma Jean

Modest Mouse

The Strokes

Enery

Saosin... just some random stuff i could think of.

What i mean is not just music with mostly computer generated bass.

With the music i listen to i have noticed songs where my ported boxes tend to play a particular note CLEARER and LOUDER. but on higher notes they seem invisible. My sealed box tends to bring out all the notes, not as loud but pretty clear and distinct. I also have great mid-bass which i find is easier to achieve with a ported box tuned high.

 

[mvw2 10+ year member]

Sealed versus ported is simply a frequency response issue.

You have the sub's natural frequency response

You have the enclosure's effect on the low frequency response

You have the car's cabin gain boosting/cutting various frequencies

You have EQing that you add/subtract from the frequency ranges (consider x-over points and slopes EQing too)

Musical:

Sub + Enclosure + Cabin gain + EQing = flat frequency response

Whatever combination of factors gets you to that end result will yield the same results. This means you can start sealed or start ported and EQ up or down to end up at the same in-car flat response. One option may take more EQing to do so, potentially more then your HU may have to feasibly do the job. Ported is actually better for SQ mainly because it keeps excursion levels lower and this keeps the woofer much more in its linear range of travel. The output actually remains more accurate in the lower frequencies. However, one side effect of a ported design is group delay as the port uses the rear sound waves, not the front, and is out of phase. You get a delay in the lower frequencies around the port tune frequency and if sufficiently large can cause issues.

In the end, sealed for car use will yield the more flat response in most cases, making it easier to work with and more so a simple drop in and run type of design. A ported configuration can work, but you're typically picking ones geared for higher frequencies, i.e. small box subs that run high port tune frequencies. They roll off early like the sealed box designs and require less EQing then a larger box, lower tune design.

The RSD sub is a large box, low tune design and is geared much more for a sealed in car setup. Porting for all intensive purposes is pointless. Understanding the science and modeling up the sub + enclosure will blatantly point that out.

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

Sealed versus ported is simply a frequency response issue.
You have the sub's natural frequency response

You have the enclosure's effect on the low frequency response

You have the car's cabin gain boosting/cutting various frequencies

You have EQing that you add/subtract from the frequency ranges (consider x-over points and slopes EQing too)

Musical:

Sub + Enclosure + Cabin gain + EQing = flat frequency response

Whatever combination of factors gets you to that end result will yield the same results. This means you can start sealed or start ported and EQ up or down to end up at the same in-car flat response. One option may take more EQing to do so, potentially more then your HU may have to feasibly do the job. Ported is actually better for SQ mainly because it keeps excursion levels lower and this keeps the woofer much more in its linear range of travel. The output actually remains more accurate in the lower frequencies. However, one side effect of a ported design is group delay as the port uses the rear sound waves, not the front, and is out of phase. You get a delay in the lower frequencies around the port tune frequency and if sufficiently large can cause issues.

In the end, sealed for car use will yield the more flat response in most cases, making it easier to work with and more so a simple drop in and run type of design. A ported configuration can work, but you're typically picking ones geared for higher frequencies, i.e. small box subs that run high port tune frequencies. They roll off early like the sealed box designs and require less EQing then a larger box, lower tune design.

The RSD sub is a large box, low tune design and is geared much more for a sealed in car setup. Porting for all intensive purposes is pointless. Understanding the science and modeling up the sub + enclosure will blatantly point that out.

the rsd10d in 2 cubes @24 hz yield a much flatter response than any other option. I have not dealt with the rsd10 however. I do know that mine had great response up high as well.

here is the enclosure response graph for mine.

even guys that were "into" car audio were impressed with the overall sound and response.

and for the reply about the mechanical limitations of the drivers....learn how to design a box and you won't need the excursion to get loud:fyi:

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

Nice! Another noob question for you: I am planning on making a box by these dimensions: 7" Deep x 14" Wide x 39" Long
Will it make a huge difference in sound quality if the box is ported or sealed?

the enclosure type and tuning depends on what you want out of the design and what you listen to. I decided on vented because I wanted to make use of the rsd's bottom end(check out the headrest flex video

). If I had wanted to save space, I would have gone with a smaller ported to keep more spl, or a larger than spec sealed to attempt to make up for the little cone area on bottom end.