JKmudslinger09

Ow important is it to port a sub box? I want to toss my subs and throw in a kicker L7. I see non ported boxes all over for them but the website talks about cubic feet needed within the box and about porting. Is there a huge sound difference?

keithvegas

Porting tunes the box to a frequency so you can focus volume to a tight range. Sealed boxes are balanced flat across frequencies and produce a better sound if built correctly. Ported is more for SPL comp or being that guy at a stoplight. Sealed is for the guy who likes music.

yo_marc

Very well put.

hombredelassrtas

I 100% agree with the post above. I have built and help build a few sub setups and been to a good number of competitions. Ported you can get more sound but it is normally not as quick/sharp or defined. If you want massive boom and do not care as much about quality of the music, then port. However make sure you do the math and port it right. Otherwise you could end up with 0 air resistance on the sub. The issue there is your sub could flex too far and tear. The benefit of a properly sized sealed box is you have much less chance (still a chance) of overflexing the sub on daily use. You will receive less overall sound but the sound will be quick and sharp due to the built in air resistance. The downfall on a sealed box is if it is not big enough or there is an imperfection, you could blow the box.

JKmudslinger09

Thanks for the info everyone. How would I figure out how to measure for a port? On occasion, I like to be "that guy at the stop light" lol but it's difficult with a 2dr. I re-did my previous box to fit in the trunk but it doesn't have the square footage needed for the sub I'm looking at. What sort of box would be good for a 12" kicker solo baric L7?

rocklikethat

The best thing to do is just call Kicker and explain what you trying to build for. Manufactures are really good about helping you with your build. They'll know the perfect dimensions for what you are looking for. One thing to think about if they give you specs for a box that is to big for your use, you can build it smaller and line the interior of the box 'loosely' with polyfil (the stuff pillows are made of). The polyfil will slow down the sound waves and make the sub think it's in a bigger box. I've run 12's in a 1 cu. ft. enclosure that bumped pretty hard. It can also help you tune the sub for the sound you are looking for. more poly generally = deeper bass, less = tighter bass. hope that helps