So I'm looking at subs today and trying to figure out what is best for my setup. I am reading a lot of talk about ported sub vs sealed. This varies a lot on the articles out there.
I'm getting mostly the following....
Ported:
Better for HT
Typically bigger
More out put and move more air
Can cause a bit of distortion
Sealed:
Better for Music
Tighter and quicker
Less distortion
Smaller
What do you all think about this, and why?
I completely disagree with the assumptions of which is better for which.
Here's my take.
Size = ported subs tend to be larger than sealed subs
Distortion = When done right ported subwoofers have vastly less distortion at subsonic frequencies than sealed subs. In fact, sealed subs straight up generate massively higher levels of distortion at frequencies below 30Hz at audible listening levels.
Speed/quicker = Neither is better than the other, speed is measured in frequency response and both subwoofer types can equally produce the same high end as the other, which is rarely higher than 120Hz.
Tightness = Sealed subwoofers tend to stop making sound at subsonic frequencies than ported subwoofers. But at the same SPLs, the different is not huge.
Better for HT/Music = I don't subscribe to this comparison as accuracy is accuracy and things like low THD, reasonably high SPLs, flat response, tunable with the main speakers, overall balance is what matters in both situations. I don't think a HT should have a different "sound" than a music system. Good sound can do both equally well.
Move more Air = Ported subwoofers generate exponentially higher SPLs in the range below 30Hz for the same size and same amplifier output. You can force a sealed sub to generate the same output with EQ boost and larger amplifier output, but that increases distortion exponentially because the driver is working 10x to 50x harder to accomplish it. This can create a perception of moving more air, but that only applies to like for like settings.
Summary:
I am absolutely convinced that when done correctly, a ported subwoofer is vastly superior for true sub-sonic frequency output than any sealed woofer small enough to deliver. Getting any woofer to generate appreciable output below 30Hz is extreme difficult to start with, but a subwoofer small and light enough to haul into a room is really going to struggle with the high output levels necessary to make 22Hz audible, much less enjoyably loud.
Sealed subwoofers have the benefits of being smaller and often lighter. But, to get the same output below 30Hz they often require significantly more power with an EQ boost in the low bass range. Thus, sealed subs generate considerably more distortion due to the hard work they are doing fighting the pressure of the enclosure.
If looking at performance and price as the primary criteria for buying a subwoofer, once to can afford a properly designed ported sub, in almost every case the ported sub will outperform the sealed sub when setup properly. If you cannot afford a proper ported subwoofer, then a sealed can be had which does fairly well in the range above the subsonic frequencies, like above 40Hz.
Caveat
All of that said, almost everyone I know configures their systems so the subwoofer is 10dB to 20dB too loud in relation to the other speakers in the system. Even self-described audio experts tune their subs too loud, most of the time. I think most do it because they want to always know for sure their subwoofers were worth the money and time it took to set them up. They want to be reminded of their expense and efforts. A well adjusted system will rarely make the subwoofer obvious in the room. The entire reason 80Hz was the default crossover frequency was to ensure the sub was used at frequencies where it wouldn't be obvious where it was and thus it would trick you into believing the bass you heard was coming from the main speakers. That was the goal. If done well, a novice should be extremely impressed that your tiny bookshelf speakers can generate such low bass, not be impressed that your sub is so dominating.
So, if one is turning up their subwoofer to be 10dB SPL too loud, then it will stand out and a slight boominess in the room will become an over the top booming rattling resonant nightmare. In that case, going with a sealed subwoofer will generate 18dB less output in those subsonic frequencies and as such make less boominess and less house resonating rumble. But if it is tuned properly, a sealed subwoofer would appear to have almost no subsonic output where the ported sub would present those low rumbles properly.
Caveat 2
In my home I have one commercial sealed subwoofer from SVS, used in my less than ideal family room television rig. I have another Flint Acoustics sealed subwoofer on my patio mated to my Flint Acoustics coaxial satellite speakers. And my huge like array includes a massive 8 subwoofer drivers in sealed enclosures. In my main critical listening rig, I have two Infinite Baffle subwoofers. So, my preference for ported subwoofers clearly has it's limits.
