Ported mains, non ported sub, any problems?

[captain_tinker]

Folks,
I really hope that this isn't too stupid of a question, but I am still trying to learn the most I can about this stuff. Anyway, I auditioned some subs the other day, one of them was ported in the back, and the other had no ports, completely sealed. I found that there was a difference in sound. The best way to describe it was the non ported sub sounded like a bass drum, with a quick kick, and then it shut up, where the ported one would kick, and then rumble a little as the sound rolled off.
My main speakers are small, but ported. So I am wondering, would it be a bit of a mis-match to pair ported main speakers with a non ported sub, or is that not even something to consider? Does it matter at all?

In case you ask, here are the speakers and subs, I am talking about:

Mains - Paradigm Titan
Ported Sub - Paradigm PS-1000 (10 inch)
Non Ported Sub - Martin Logan Dynamo (10 inch)

Thanks!

-capT

 

[billnchristy]

Shouldnt matter.

Go with what sounds best.

 

[j_garcia]

Makes absolutely no difference whatsoever.

 

[furrycute]

I have always liked the acoustic suspension design (non ported). For what it's worth, I would go with the non ported sub.

 

[captain_tinker]

I have always liked the acoustic suspension design (non ported). For what it's worth, I would go with the non ported sub.

That's what I was thinking too, but just out of curiosity, what are your reasons? What is it about the non ported subs that you like? Thanks!

-capT

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

Ported subs rule

I just thought I would mix things up a bit.

BTW, you were auditioning two different subs, so they are going to sound different. The difference you heard had nothing to do with the ports.

 

[B5I8]

All I have to say is that there is a reason almost all high end speakers are ported.

 

[gmichael]

All I have to say is that there is a reason almost all high end speakers are ported.

Huh? Most of the highest priced speakers (and subs) that I have seen are sealed.

 

[B5I8]

Huh? Most of the highest priced speakers (and subs) that I have seen are sealed.

And what brands have you been looking at?

 

[j_garcia]

No need to argue which is better, because either way can give you excellent speakers. It is a design consideration and either can be extremely effective.

With a sub, you generally give up some output for sealed, though the acoustic suspension design tends to give you a somewhat cleaner, "tighter" sound to it that many prefer for music (including me). Vented designs generally give you more output and greater extension more easily, often at the expense of some of that "tight" sound. So it really depends on what you're after.

 

[B5I8]

Axiom Audio, Paradigm, B&W, Wilson Audio, RBH, Status Acoustics, and Nola all use ported designs.

 

[furrycute]

I'm not an expert in these things, but from what information I have gathered over the years, with regard to subs, in order to achieve the same frequency response, a sealed design will require a considerably larger enclosure and more amp power compared to a ported design. But the upside is the sealed design will give you cleaner bass.

Most manufacturers these days don't use sealed designs because of power and space concerns.

Take a look at the top of the line models from Velodyne, Rel, etc., they are all sealed. Of course if you believe all those trumped up hype surrounding SVS subs, that's an entirely different story.

 

[furrycute]

The Paradigm 15inch servo is a sealed design. And I think it is still one of the best subs Paradigm has ever made.

 

[nibhaz]

Axiom Audio, Paradigm, B&W, Wilson Audio, RBH, Status Acoustics, and Nola all use ported designs.

Sealed, ported...I' don't care, but for the record B&W only uses ported designs for their bottom of the line subs.

 

[j_garcia]

SUBS yes, but even the 800 series are mostly or all ported.

With respect to subs it is not so much whether it is ported or not, as with the design of any speaker, but how well designed it is.

 

[gmichael]

Axiom Audio, Paradigm, B&W, Wilson Audio, RBH, Status Acoustics, and Nola all use ported designs.

Don't be upset. I like ported speakers too. Mine are ported.

 

[billnchristy]

You can make a sealed box boomy and loose as well, it is all about the design. The Qtc of the box will determine how it responds. .8-1.5 were the "standards" for us with an aim at 1.1

The .8 box would be below ref. level but have very tight controlled bass at the tradeoff of volume but a lower f3. The 1.5 would be considered pretty boomy and less controlled with a sizable dB hump and higher f3.

These are different than ported box "ripple" in that the hump or dip is much wider than the hump made by your port, but similar in that you don't want a huge peak.

 

[WmAx]

But the upside is the sealed design will give you cleaner bass.

Actually, it will not give 'cleaner' bass, if you define clean as lack of non-linear distortion. At the lowest part of the frequency band limits of the system that matter, a ported design will always provide higher SPL at less excursion/incursion(voice coil remaining in a more linear region of the magnetic field gap, as well as the suspension components operating in a more linear region of their limits) compared to a sealed system of equal parameters. The only thing that remains, really, is that phase deviation and group delay are higher with a ported system(a basic physical rule resulting from the sharper corner frequency and attenuation rate). However, it remains to be seen if this is actually audible, and if so, the degree of audibility. In my initial ABX testing simulations of phase/group delay characteristics simulating sealed vs. ported, the difference is extremely small, if any. If you want to take the time to get some ABX freeware(such as PCABX or Foobar with the ABX plug-in option), you can try a couple of samples I have prepared. You will need a linear response LF system. Very linear headphones will probably be optimal(void of room induced distortions) if available.

http://www.linaeum.com/downloads/misc/gdelay/

-Chris

 

[furrycute]

O............K...............

 

[j_garcia]

Makes sense to me, what's the question? He's sort of saying the same thing I was, though in a much more detailed manner. The type of sound one is after can be designed into a sub, with slight trade offs in each type of design (as is the case in all speaker designs) to achieve that result. The fact that a sub is vented or sealed is not the only deciding factor in how it will ultimately sound.