subwoofer question

Bob,

I prefer to treat the use of the word "faster" as merely a semantic issue, albeit a widespread one. An underdamped woofer settles less quickly ("slower")and produces a bass character that people (I think) call "slow". I suspect that people intuitively use the word because they correctly relate the quality in question - whatever you choose to call it - with inertia/momentum problems. The false, though understandable, leap is to the causal connection between increased mass and increased momentum/inertia. So, I accept the idea of "fast" bass, I just don't equate it to small drivers.

I might personally choose a different word in describing the phenomenon, but it seems that "fast" bass is usually (although I'm sure not always) understood to mean tight bass. So why fight it?

Marty

So in theory

A ported sub will give higher spl levels and lower frequency response but may appear sluggish.

A sealed sub may appear quicker but have lower spl levels and not as low frequency response.

Lambeau,

Not just in theory, but - all other things being equal - in fact. There is one caveat: That group delay is a good measure of "sluggish" (I concede that this is a reasonably big "if").

For an interesting test of this question, find the subwoofer test results for the big triple ported SVS subs on Avtalk.com. This model is sold with removable plugs to fill the ports and allow user "tuning" of the subwoofer. The identical sub is tested with all ports open, then with one port plugged, then with 2 ports plugged, and finally with all 3 ports plugged (effectively sealed). Look at the "distortion @ SPL" results to check the higher SPL part of your question and the "group delay" results for the "sluggish" part.

Marty