Have You Ever Heard Someone Complaining About Port Chuffing?

[Verdinut]

Has anyone heard of someone complaining of a speaker cabinet port chuffing?

Port chuffing can occur, but since it happens when a woofer or a subwoofer is driven at very high sound levels, I may be wrong but IMO, the sound produced by the driver would muffle the noise produced by the port(s).

 

[everettT]

Has anyone heard of someone complaining of a speaker cabinet port chuffing?

Port chuffing can occur, but since it happens when a woofer or a subwoofer is driven at very high sound levels, I may be wrong but IMO, the sound produced by the driver would muffle the noise produced by the port(s).

I've only heard it on budget subwoofers, maybe I haven't been listening right, lol.

 

[lovinthehd]

I've seen complaints posted, but not a personal issue particularly unless simply pushed too hard

 

[TLS Guy]

Has anyone heard of someone complaining of a speaker cabinet port chuffing?

Port chuffing can occur, but since it happens when a woofer or a subwoofer is driven at very high sound levels, I may be wrong but IMO, the sound produced by the driver would muffle the noise produced by the port(s).

There are some klipsch speakers known for it and others. It happens when the air velocity in the port gets too high. Usually it happens for these reasons: -
The ports is of insufficient diameter to keep the air flow linea and it becomes turbulent and can be loud. Some Klipsch subs are known for this.
The design should really have a slot vent and not a tube.
The port length for non turbulent flow is too long and would give rise to a port resonance in the audible range. In that case the sub should have been an ABR design and not ported.

 

[shadyJ]

Has anyone heard of someone complaining of a speaker cabinet port chuffing?

Port chuffing can occur, but since it happens when a woofer or a subwoofer is driven at very high sound levels, I may be wrong but IMO, the sound produced by the driver would muffle the noise produced by the port(s).

Yes, overloaded ports can be very audible, even at high drive levels. But it depends. If the port is rear or bottom-mounted, that can do a lot to mask the chuffing noise. The chuffing can be heard because it is a very distinctive sound. They can be accompanied by other unwanted noises as well. In some cases, when the speaker is sub is pushed to the point of chuffing, the driver will also be complaining from over-excursion. Also, chuffing comes at the expense of the intended sound, so when the speaker/sub starts getting to that point, you can hear it because the clean bass is replaced by fluctuating wind noise from the port.

There are some klipsch speakers known for it and others. It happens when the air velocity in the port gets too high. Usually it happens for these reasons: -
The ports is of insufficient diameter to keep the air flow linea and it becomes turbulent and can be loud. Some Klipsch subs are known for this.
The design should really have a slot vent and not a tube.
The port length for non turbulent flow is too long and would give rise to a port resonance in the audible range. In that case the sub should have been an ABR design and not ported.

Tubular ports are almost certainly the most optimal for reducing chuffing since they maximize the volume to surface ratio. In other words, there is as little surface area to create drag as possible. If I were going to design a speaker with port noise elimination as a high priority, I would not go with a slot port.

 

[TLS Guy]

Yes, overloaded ports can be very audible, even at high drive levels. But it depends. If the port is rear or bottom-mounted, that can do a lot to mask the chuffing noise. The chuffing can be heard because it is a very distinctive sound. They can be accompanied by other unwanted noises as well. In some cases, when the speaker is sub is pushed to the point of chuffing, the driver will also be complaining from over-excursion. Also, chuffing comes at the expense of the intended sound, so when the speaker/sub starts getting to that point, you can hear it because the clean bass is replaced by fluctuating wind noise from the port.

Tubular ports are almost certainly the most optimal for reducing chuffing since they maximize the volume to surface ratio. In other words, there is as little surface area to create drag as possible. If I were going to design a speaker with port noise elimination as a high priority, I would not go with a slot port.

Yes those slot vents are generally used when the port has to be long, and they usually have a turn which can create noise, and an ABR might have been a better option.
If vent air velocity is below 30 msec then flow will be linea and you won't have turbulence.