Ported vs Suspended
- Thread starter solarol
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wajobu
Boing Boom Tschak
"I caught you a delicious bass."
There are times when ported and suspended are somewhat synonymous, as in a ported captain is sometimes suspended.
But seriously, with one exception, over the years my ears have preferred acoustic suspension speakers to ported. If that means that I prefer tight to loose bass then I'm goin' fishin'.
There are times when ported and suspended are somewhat synonymous, as in a ported captain is sometimes suspended.
But seriously, with one exception, over the years my ears have preferred acoustic suspension speakers to ported. If that means that I prefer tight to loose bass then I'm goin' fishin'.
Years ago I owned a pair of the 25th anniversary Large Advent speakers used with an Allison electronic subwoofer . The combo sold me on the acoustic suspension principle ever since . That combo provided 20hz bass tones in my medium sized listening room . The air shuttered whenever records with significant deep bass content was played . I could kick myself for ever selling the Allison Electronic subwoofer . What a great addition to any acoustic suspension loudspeaker with an 8inch or larger woofer .
bluesky
Lunatic Member
To me...if I want to 'listen' to music I like AS speakers. If I want to hear like an 'on stage preformance', ported. Ported sound more like live concert.
Ported is fine. AS is fine. The real nice thing about AS speakers is that you can listen to them all day and night, not tiring. Ported will wear you out if listened to for very long periods of time. It sounds real fine but ported has a heavy sound, like a concert. Great for Rock and Roll, a party, etc.
AS speakers are more for a 'listening' experience. Like when you just want to cool out and listen to some sounds.
Both are great and to have both is really nice, for the choice of how you want to listen.
Ported is fine. AS is fine. The real nice thing about AS speakers is that you can listen to them all day and night, not tiring. Ported will wear you out if listened to for very long periods of time. It sounds real fine but ported has a heavy sound, like a concert. Great for Rock and Roll, a party, etc.
AS speakers are more for a 'listening' experience. Like when you just want to cool out and listen to some sounds.
Both are great and to have both is really nice, for the choice of how you want to listen.
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So your logic is that you heard an acoustic suspension speaker that sounded really good, therefore all acoustic suspension speakers are better than ported speakers?
I got to drive a friend's Mustang. It was really fast. It was red. Therefore all red cars must be faster than other colors.
Law enforcement generalization is that owners of red cars are more likely to speed....
The superior sealed box
No I'm saying that sealed box speakers roll off at a slower rate than ported box speakers . Ported loudspeakers go only so low and then their response at the bass end just drops off a cliff . I'll take 12bd per octave roll off rate any day compared to the rapid roll off of a ported box . I've never heard a ported loudspeaker that I could live with on a long term basis . Sure , some of them sound good but compared to the tighter , airspring load of a sealed box they just don't do it for me . I'm not dissing ported designs , they are just not my cup of tea . If I want to throw a big party a loud ported box speaker would be my choice for making a lot of noise .
No I'm saying that sealed box speakers roll off at a slower rate than ported box speakers . Ported loudspeakers go only so low and then their response at the bass end just drops off a cliff . I'll take 12bd per octave roll off rate any day compared to the rapid roll off of a ported box . I've never heard a ported loudspeaker that I could live with on a long term basis . Sure , some of them sound good but compared to the tighter , airspring load of a sealed box they just don't do it for me . I'm not dissing ported designs , they are just not my cup of tea . If I want to throw a big party a loud ported box speaker would be my choice for making a lot of noise .
That's disingenuous.
So what do you think of an AS design with Q over 1? Still think it's "tight"?
In my experience both designs can sound great. Sure they have different design limitations (step or gradual roll off, efficiency, port noise. size and damping characteristics, etc) to work around, but each design properly implimeted can sound very good.
Conversly I have heard horrible examples of each type as well.
In fact I bet most hear couldn't tell the difference between a properly desinged ported or AS speaker if they didn't know ahead of time.
Especially when one looks at modern speaker design and methods, materials and experiences of past design in current speakers, the debate is kind of moot IMHO.
To me, it's almost like the direct drive vs belt drive vs rim drive turntable 'audiophile' debate, makes little sense as their are excellent examples of each.
Personally I think some of this has more to do with a favorite brand/model of speaker, than a type of woofer loading.
And by the way, some still think open baffle designs give the greatest calarity and purity of sound.
Conversly I have heard horrible examples of each type as well.
In fact I bet most hear couldn't tell the difference between a properly desinged ported or AS speaker if they didn't know ahead of time.
Especially when one looks at modern speaker design and methods, materials and experiences of past design in current speakers, the debate is kind of moot IMHO.
To me, it's almost like the direct drive vs belt drive vs rim drive turntable 'audiophile' debate, makes little sense as their are excellent examples of each.
Personally I think some of this has more to do with a favorite brand/model of speaker, than a type of woofer loading.
And by the way, some still think open baffle designs give the greatest calarity and purity of sound.
Wooferman93
My systems louder
Arent we forgetting passive Radiators?
Big Tuna
Too Much Power!
Sam, I have heard ported designs sound tighter and quicker than suspension designs. It depends on the woofer's theil/small characteristics, flux density, voice coil and type of cone used, I think. I am just giving my 2c worth here.
Sealed box
Can you imagine what a poorly designed ported box would sound like ? I bet it would drone and boom on for quite a while . I bet a poorly designed sealed box would beat a poorly designed ported box . As far as the driver being able to stop when it's supposed to . Try that with a ported speaker . The basic theory of the sealed box air-spring will always render a tighter response than a ported speaker that depends on its surround/magnet force to control the driver . Sealed box speakers with their air spring can be designed to stop/start at quicker rates than ported systems . I'm no speaker designer though I have built a few sealed box designs and they were always more transient perfect than the ported box with the bass always on . Ported boxes also tend to sound out of phase to me . They push when they are supposed to pull and pull when they are supposed to push . You don't have this problem with a properly designed sealed box system . Their drivers don't stop when it's supposed to like a properly designed sealed box . Look , if ported designs are your preference just enjoy what you like .
Can you imagine what a poorly designed ported box would sound like ? I bet it would drone and boom on for quite a while . I bet a poorly designed sealed box would beat a poorly designed ported box . As far as the driver being able to stop when it's supposed to . Try that with a ported speaker . The basic theory of the sealed box air-spring will always render a tighter response than a ported speaker that depends on its surround/magnet force to control the driver . Sealed box speakers with their air spring can be designed to stop/start at quicker rates than ported systems . I'm no speaker designer though I have built a few sealed box designs and they were always more transient perfect than the ported box with the bass always on . Ported boxes also tend to sound out of phase to me . They push when they are supposed to pull and pull when they are supposed to push . You don't have this problem with a properly designed sealed box system . Their drivers don't stop when it's supposed to like a properly designed sealed box . Look , if ported designs are your preference just enjoy what you like .
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What basic theory is that?
The air spring in a sealed box is still an undamped spring and will ring just like any other spring. The driver motor is what controls it just like in a ported design.
We'll leave that one alone.
At or near resonance, a port and the driver will be pushing and pulling at the same time. The phase difference starts below the tuning frequency and is the reason for the sharper rolloff of a ported system.
Sure, but you can also make this up with bass equalization, such as the Pheonix.
I have a pair of Magnapan SMG's, which are essentially a open baffle design, they are good down to 50hz, which yes is in the bass region. Depending on the type of music your are listening to they can be quite satisfying without a subwoofer. The bass is there, not at disco levels, but it is very clean and musical.
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