So you just bought the subwoofer of your dreams. Congratulations! Now you’re wondering where exactly to put that huge woofer you bought. You may be wondering about the different options, whether you want a sealed, ported, or bandpass subwoofer enclosure. You may have done a bit of your own research, but have come to a confusing conclusion with so many different technical terms. Do not worry; I will summarize the effects and effectiveness of each for you without all the technical words.
Sealed enclosure
These are generally the smallest of the three. If you have a small or sports car, I recommend this enclosure for your car. Of course, there are pros and cons. As mentioned, it is advantageously smaller, allowing you to preserve your valuable trunk space. They also allow the subwoofers to produce very accurate bass, but with the least amount of “boom” of the three types of cabinets. This is mainly because the box is airtight and does not leave room for air to escape with the sound waves from inside the box. Unfortunately, this restriction requires a much more powerful amplifier and subwoofer combination. Unless you have a high-end set that can handle higher wattage, I don’t recommend getting a sealed box setup.
Ported / ventilated enclosure
Because the ported cabinet requires additional space for ventilation, it is generally larger than sealed boxes. If you’re not too concerned about space, this type is a popular solution for most people. The design is based on the vent with which the air is allowed to circulate much more freely, channeling the sound from the inside and the rear of the enclosure to the outside. This gives it a much louder effect with a less accurate bass response. With vented cabinets, you don’t need as much power coming out of your system as the lack of an airtight enclosure allows your subwoofer to move much more freely and the vents allow you to hear every sound produced by your subwoofer.
Band pass enclosure
The band pass subwoofer cabinets are the largest of the three. This is because the design relies on multiple ports and two main chambers, one for the subwoofer and one for the air space within the cabinet to resonate. You can probably imagine the sound produced by this giant. Produces the least accurate bass but with the highest level of “boom”. With this enclosure, you can beat anyone on the streets of Los Angeles. But remember that bandpass cabinets require a lot of space, so be prepared to sacrifice a great deal of trunk space for your setup. Also note that some subwoofers do not work well in bandpass cabinets, so check your product manual before installing. Ultimately, bandpass boxes are extremely efficient cabinets and require much less power than sealed cabinets. Make sure you have a tight installation in a bandpass cabinet, as any loose parts will rattle easily and could easily be heard in a bandpass setup.
Other details about subwoofer boxes
There are also a few other things to consider when deciding between different subwoofer cabinets. Most subwoofer cabinets are now constructed from MDF or medium density fibreboard, these are great for cabinets, so be sure to buy cheap MDF build boxes and not plastic or plywood. Fiberboard (even if it says medium density) is much denser than any other material, so it doesn’t make noise and can withstand very high temperatures. Particleboard is a much lighter material and does not adhere as firmly as fibreboard and therefore would not be suitable for harsh environments.
From a cosmetic point of view, there are generally two options to obtain: an outdoor carpet or a vinyl / paint finish. The mat will protect the exterior from scratching and generally matches the color of the trunk quite well (gray, black, and tan). Paint or vinyl finish tends to show exterior blemishes much more easily than carpets, but cleaning them is also much easier, especially valuable if you’re installing a non-trunk subwoofer box.
How many subwoofers are in a box? This obviously depends on how much money and space you have. Don’t buy two when you can buy one that can produce the power of two. This will potentially save you money and space. If you can help it, don’t settle for a cheap set of two when you can buy a good one. Yes, two will help add more power and sound, but they sacrifice sound quality for volume and boom.
I hope this short summary has helped you in your decision-making process. At the end of the day, it’s really up to you to research your subwoofer and find the best solution for your system. Happy hunting!
