Sealed and Ported

[bzmanbass]

What are the in's and out's of mixing sealed and ported subs?
I saw a post elsewhere that said the phase would be an issue.
I'm looking beyond the obvious "use the same sub" recommendations.
Thank you, BZB:confused::)

[JerryMeeker]

If you do an internet search on "sealed vs ported speakers", there is a wealth of information on the topic. Once you understand the potential sound differences, the question becomes, will two subs of different design blend well together? That is a much more difficult question which only your tests can answer.

Good luck, and let us know your observations.

BTW, after doing my own research, I came to the conclusion that sealed enclosures would likely produce the better bass, which prompted me to replace my two TN1220HO's with two ULS-15's. The ULS-15's indeed sound better.

[bzmanbass]

Thanks Jerry,
I hope your set up is working well!:D
BZB

[shadyJ]

I think they can be mixed with some good results. I used to have a VTF3 working with my dual drive, that created a truly massive sound. The ULS dual drive system sounds somewhat cleaner without the VTF3, but I miss the VTF3 when I like to really crank some bass heavy music, it definitely did add a bit of extra punch.

[Pete_Hsu]

Hi BZB,

It certainly may be possible to get a more desireable result by adding extra subs of a different alignment than the original subs. That said, the results are a bit less predictable vs adding identical subs.

For the ULS-15, I recommend adding MBM-12 MK2 running in 'Sealed' mode, instead of adding a vented [true] subwoofer.

Sincerely,

[OneForWoody]

If you do an internet search on "sealed vs ported speakers", there is a wealth of information on the topic. Once you understand the potential sound differences, the question becomes, will two subs of different design blend well together? That is a much more difficult question which only your tests can answer.

Good luck, and let us know your observations.

BTW, after doing my own research, I came to the conclusion that sealed enclosures would likely produce the better bass, which prompted me to replace my two TN1220HO's with two ULS-15's. The ULS-15's indeed sound better.


I have the VTF-1 sub. If I closed both ports would that produce better sounding bass?

[Pete_Hsu]

Hi OneForWoody,

You are certainly welcome to try plugging both ports, but whether or not the sound will be better is largely a matter of taste and preference, and these preferences may vary depending on what program material is used and what room the subwoofer is used in.

Sincerely,

[OneForWoody]

Thanks Pete. After reading a few forums about "sealed vs ported speakers" I probably will not try it out. It looks like the VTF-1 cabinet was built for ports. I was just wondering if it would improve the overall quality.

[Pete_Hsu]

Yeah, you are probably right OneForWoody. You can always take a rolled up towel and try blocking off the second port if you want to try it out in your own setup.

Sincerely,