ported or not...?

Topic: ported or not...? (Read 2899 times) previous topic - next topic

ported or not...?

November 10, 2005, 09:31:40 PM

I acquired a speaker box awhile back in a trade, and today I cut it down, (it had 3 12" speaker holes, I cut the box down to just 2)
It has 2 Rockford-Fosgate Punch 12" subs in it...
Here's the thing though: with both windows down, it hits like a train, but with the windows up, it really sounds like dog .
Would putting a coupla holes in the box make it sound better?
The amp is a Legacy 1600 watt bridged into 2 channels...
As y'all can no doubt tell, I'm no expert on speakers or boxes, just wiring up radios and the like...

ported or not...?

Reply #1 – November 10, 2005, 10:31:44 PM

Putting holes in the box will not help. It will make it worse. You have to have the subs in a sealed portion of the box, unless they are free air subs.

Question:
1: what type of box is it now?
Bandpass, sealed, ...
2: is it the proper size for the subs?
3: which way are they aimed?
At the rear seat, straight up, at the back of the car,...
4: does your car still have a full interior?
I.E. is there a back seat

ported or not...?

Reply #2 – November 10, 2005, 10:57:44 PM

Quote from: FordTruckFreeek

I acquired a speaker box awhile back in a trade, and today I cut it down, (it had 3 12" speaker holes, I cut the box down to just 2)
It has 2 Rockford-Fosgate Punch 12" subs in it...
Here's the thing though: with both windows down, it hits like a train, but with the windows up, it really sounds like dog .
Would putting a coupla holes in the box make it sound better?
The amp is a Legacy 1600 watt bridged into 2 channels...
As y'all can no doubt tell, I'm no expert on speakers or boxes, just wiring up radios and the like...

my wifes car does the same thing sounds like poop with the windows up.. it has 2 10's and a 350 watt amp and a sony head unit.

ported or not...?

Reply #3 – November 10, 2005, 11:07:56 PM

Quote from: SLEEPER T-BIRD 87

my wifes car does the same thing sounds like poop with the windows up.. it has 2 10's and a 350 watt amp and a sony head unit.

I don't have that problem I poped the seal on the bottom of the windshield with mine.

Had the windows up and the stereo turned up and I heard a pop then the wipers were dancing on thw windshield.

But back to the post.
Try turning them so you see the sub when you open the truck. Not sure why this works but when I had the 12in infinity it sounded 100x better with the sub facing away from you.

ported or not...?

Reply #4 – November 10, 2005, 11:41:33 PM

When they face away the sound waves are pushed in your direction. You get more of the deep sound that way not more hit. In my Cougar they are turned facing the rear and they are deep and hit hard enough to jiggle my mirrors like a disco ball. Why type of punches are they? I have 2 10" P1 Rockfords. Mine are ported though. Two holes on each side, plug opposite holes.

ported or not...?

Reply #5 – November 11, 2005, 12:02:58 AM

Question:
1: what type of box is it now?
--It's a sealed box...

2: is it the proper size for the subs?
--beats the hell out of me...The subs came in the box...all I know about it...:sorry:

3: which way are they aimed?
--It's in the backseat, aimed forward

4: does your car still have a full interior?
--yep...

Also have a Sony head unit, maybe that's what it is!! :flip:
As far as the speakers being free-air, I have no clue, they are R-F Punch, if needed, I can pull one back out for some kind of id number...?
thanks!

ported or not...?

Reply #6 – November 11, 2005, 04:22:37 PM

well not to get into all the various parameters and box building i'll try to give you some help. I built/ designed home and car audio speaker sytems for 5-6 years. Some speakers are very dependent on the box they are in. Most automotive subwoofers are made for small sealed enclosures. The sealed versus vented is more a question on what do you like the most, deep bass or hard hitting bass. A vented enclosure when tuned properly by port size and lenght will produce a deep bass response but not handle as much power. Now a sealed box can get a nice deep bass resonse but not as low as a vented. the up side to a sealed enclosure is power handinling and a Hard hitting bass note. There is a ton of information on the net to help you properly design a box for you subs.

But to your question, do not port the box. keep it sealed and make sure there is NO air leaking around the speaker or the joints in the box. the box should be around 1- 1.5 cuft for the RF's. My TC has the same issue with the windows down versus up. The reasoning is when the windows are up the car is sealed up nicely and the subs are getting led from the pressure of the car being closed up. once you open the window you hear the full sound the speaker is producing by it being able to " breathe". if that makes any sense at all

ported or not...?

Reply #7 – November 12, 2005, 10:52:57 PM

Quote from: Demented2.3T

The reasoning is when the windows are up the car is sealed up nicely and the subs are getting led from the pressure of the car being closed up. once you open the window you hear the full sound the speaker is producing by it being able to " breathe". if that makes any sense at all

That makes perfect sense to me...
Gonna put it in the trunk tomorrow, and face it to the back, see if it makes it somewhat better.
I'm not complaining about the problem, except it gets cold here in winter, and the heater ain't THAt ed good! ;)
Nah, here in a coupla 3 weeks or so, car will be parked for winter anyway...gettin' to be 4x4 time quick...
Anywho, thanks for all the info!

ported or not...?

Reply #8 – November 19, 2005, 01:58:13 PM

put the box back in, facing backwards, and tilted up to the trunk-lid a little, and then put in my Kicker box, and it rocks hard now, plus I have a backseat again.
thanks peeps!

ported or not...?

Reply #9 – November 24, 2005, 10:49:17 AM

I kinda agree with you but not really. Most of the problem isn't that you a ling the sound it is the fact that the sound waves coming off the speaker are just bounceing around in the car and some of them a canceling each other out. Putting the box in the trunk should help some. But if you really want to make it the best you need to seal the front of the box to the interior of the car. This will separate the sound waves from each other and then you won't have any more cancelled sound. If you've even been to a car audio competition and sat in one of there cars and you heard how loud and clear there stereo sounded. This is the same type of setup they would use.

ported or not...?

Reply #10 – November 24, 2005, 10:31:37 PM

Quote from: slamedcat

I don't have that problem I poped the seal on the bottom of the windshield with mine.

Had the windows up and the stereo turned up and I heard a pop then the wipers were dancing on thw windshield.

But back to the post.
Try turning them so you see the sub when you open the truck. Not sure why this works but when I had the 12in infinity it sounded 100x better with the sub facing away from you.

yep fixed my problem also....... much much better now i need to fix this rattling trunk lid :giggle:

ported or not...?

Reply #11 – November 25, 2005, 08:07:27 PM

Quote from: ipsd

I kinda agree with you but not really. Most of the problem isn't that you a ling the sound it is the fact that the sound waves coming off the speaker are just bounceing around in the car and some of them a canceling each other out. Putting the box in the trunk should help some. But if you really want to make it the best you need to seal the front of the box to the interior of the car. This will separate the sound waves from each other and then you won't have any more cancelled sound. If you've even been to a car audio competition and sat in one of there cars and you heard how loud and clear there stereo sounded. This is the same type of setup they would use.

Yeah, I have seen those set-ups, and I have to admit they look good and rock, but I want something...sort of removable, in case I ever go to the track.(weight, and tool room)
I'm not really looking for show-stoppin' bass, just some clarity and depth when the windows were up...'course, if I got another 'Bird...I'd go all out on it, far as stereo stuff went :D

ported or not...?

Reply #12 – November 26, 2005, 02:43:00 AM

I hate it when my trunk lid rattles. Anyone have the protector plate for the gas tank rattle with really low bass. me off. I need a bigger alt and a capacitor. Putting these things off wasnt good. I dont like flashing headlights at 35 mph

ported or not...?

Reply #13 – November 26, 2005, 10:20:10 AM

Well to help out your trunk lif rattle. The best way I can tell you is to take some of that expand foam and spray it in between the outter skin and the deck lid frame. the best way I've found to do this is to use masking tape to cover all those openings. then pell back the tape a little then spray in the foam. This way when the foam expands it conforms to the shape of your car. This really helped out on my 93 tempo.

ported or not...?

Reply #14 – November 27, 2005, 11:17:50 AM

Quote from: cougrrr302

I need a bigger alt and a capacitor. Putting these things off wasnt good. I dont like flashing headlights at 35 mph

I hear ya there, I want a bigger alt. on general princibles, may look into a cap, as well.