Permanently sealing a vented subwoofer??

Hi Matchstikman,

The physical and electrical parameters of a driver used in a vented system are significantly different than those for a driver used in a sealed system. It is highly unlikely that you will improve your subwoofer by closing the vent. If you do experiemnt make sure you can remove the closure and taht you make no other permanent changes so that you can return the sub to its present state.

Best Regards,

Barry Kohan

I agree with the above. If you really want to tinker, buy a sealed enclosure raw driver and build an enclosure yourself. That would be the best way to go.

I thought about just plugging the vent, but doesn't the actual, physical tube inside the subwoofer affect the souhd in some way? Won't completely removing the tube and not just plugging the tube do something? Will plugging the vent or removing the port tube completely provide the same results?

I have used foam bungs to mitigate boomy bass where there was no option for repositioning or replacing speakers. It doesn't always have the desired effect, but it often improves boomy / slow bass, it costs next to nothing, and it's instantly undone if it doesn't work out.

I would imagine that the effects of the port tube will be minimal if it is bunged down a significant proportion of its length.

If you restrict airflow through the vent, but don't block it completely you will have a configuration that is sometimes good. The well regarded old Dynaco speakers were designed this way.

If you want to experiment, try filling the vent with soda straws, and see what happens.