Sealed and Ported Subwoofer Enclosures

One of the first decisions you have to make when adding a subwoofer to your car or truck's sound system is what type of subwoofer enclosure is best for you listening tastes.

A sealed subwoofer enclosure or box is just that. When the subwoofer is installed, the air chamber or the box itself is actually an airtight enclosure. The sealed subwoofer box is recommended for for any type of music that demands tight and accurate sounding bass. The best explanation is that the sound produced will not be "boomy" but will provide deep bass required for best sound quality. You'll also find due to the sealed construction you should look to power your subwoofer to its top levels with good power amplfiier if you desire optimum performance. 

If you desire a more forceful, booming bass, a ported subwoofer box might be best. The ported style boxes use an air vent to reinforce low bass response. You will tend to get more bass output with any given amplifier then you will with the sealed box. Many listeners of rock, heavy metal or really any style of hard-driving music seem to prefer the bass sound of ported subwoofer enclosures. You'll find ported boxes will deliver deeper bass then sealed boxes. The down side to ported enclosures is they do need to be considerably larger then sealed boxes because of the needed volume of air.