'Real' bass - ported vs sealed speakers

[Geoff.R.G]

The way I see it is this: Every enclosure has a resonant frequency, or several because we have holes containing resonant devices, and adding a port adds another one, or more. The issue however isn't the port but the resonant frequency, if the port resonates at a frequency within the range of human hearing there is every possibility that it will "honk". This is, of course, most undesirable. To make matters worse, we put these enclosures, and ports, within another enclosure, which we call a room. The bigger the volume, the lower the resonant frequency. Thus in a given room a speaker with a port may excite the room such that bass becomes "one note" but a sealed box can do the same if the conditions are right.

The difference between a ported speaker and an Infinite Baffle is that the port can be tuned to have a predetermined impact on the bass response. Unfortunately what is actually needed is tuning to the room, especially a smallish one, so that the room's natural frequencies aren't excited. The Bass player will, in my experience, tend to be playing in a space where the room resonance/s are below the frequencies that can be excited by the bass speaker (or heard by the audience) and thus ignored.

I don't think that a port is automatically bad or good but it is a factor in matching speaker to listening space. Clearly a speaker that is room agnostic is going to make for a more acceptable purchase than one that needs to be adapted/positioned to be attuned to its environment. If only it were as simple as that makes it sound.

[Lindsayt]

The issue however isn't the port but the resonant frequency, if the port resonates at a frequency within the range of human hearing there is every possibility that it will "honk".

I am not aware of any ported speakers in the history of the known universe that have a port resonant frequency of below 20hz.

It's not a case of IF the port resonates at a frequency in the range of human hearing.
It's WHEN ports resonate...

[Daniel Quinn]

Any speaker that is 6.5 inches must have a port or else you wouldn't have any bass .

So the bass is introduced via the cabinet design and the hole.

Timing and timbre are unrealistic in such speakers . This is a fact .

[Lindsayt]

Any speaker that is 6.5 inches must have a port or else you wouldn't have any bass .

So the bass is introduced via the cabinet design and the hole.

Timing and timbre are unrealistic in such speakers . This is a fact .

Or in the case of the Devialet Phantoms, a huge amount of equalisation.
It's almost comical watching their drivers flap in and out when you turn the wick up. Comical for 1 minute, then it's a case of "Turn that bloody row off!"

[Geoff.R.G]

The issue however isn't the port but the resonant frequency, if the port resonates at a frequency within the range of human hearing there is every possibility that it will "honk".

I am not aware of any ported speakers in the history of the known universe that have a port resonant frequency of below 20hz.

It's not a case of IF the port resonates at a frequency in the range of human hearing.
It's WHEN ports resonate...

Good point, however, the problem remains resonance.

[SteveTheShadow]

Interesting all this talk of ported vs sealed box bass and the veiled dissing of the latter.
I was given the 30 year old Mission 773 speakers below, by a fellow AT forum member:

Mission_773.jpeg (112.22 KiB) Viewed 1069 times

They are fast, clean, time beautifully and are completely free from boom, or port noises. The bass is even across its operating range and with these. Not chest thumping of course but goes low and it'll do for me.
An added bonus is that although they are relatively inefficient by modern standards (86dB/W at 8 Ohms impedance) they are remarkably easy to drive, so much so, that my twin power supply NVA based integrated (60Wpc) and my single-ended pentode valve amp (7Wpc) have no problems.
I have quit worrying about the sound and simply listen to the music. Not bad for a free pair of speakers.

[SteveTheShadow]

What I’m trying to say is that it’s all about the implementation rather than the type of box. I’ve built sealed, reflex, aperiodic and transmission line cabinets and they all have their foibles. I’ve found a ported box that produces a presentation I like; one that fits my particular circumstances/ room. Couldn’t ask for more really.

[Lindsayt]

Interesting all this talk of ported vs sealed box bass and the veiled dissing of the latter.
I was given the 30 year old Mission 773 speakers below, by a fellow AT forum member:
Mission_773.jpeg
They are fast, clean, time beautifully and are completely free from boom, or port noises. The bass is even across its operating range and with these. Not chest thumping of course but goes low and it'll do for me.
An added bonus is that although they are relatively inefficient by modern standards (86dB/W at 8 Ohms impedance) they are remarkably easy to drive, so much so, that my twin power supply NVA based integrated (60Wpc) and my single-ended pentode valve amp (7Wpc) have no problems.
I have quit worrying about the sound and simply listen to the music. Not bad for a free pair of speakers.

Veiled dissing? There's no veiling from me of my dislike of the sound of slimline, low efficiency ported speakers.

I prefer my bass to chest thump. To pressurise the room. To put energy into the fabric of the room. In the same way that a live bass drum at reduced volume would do.

Diminishing returns in hi-fi set in at £0.

[SteveTheShadow]

If a bloke with a drum kit and a bass player all amped up showed up in my room and started banging and crashing, I’d be well put out and show them the door. An accurate facsimile of live sound in my living room is my worst nightmare. But if folk want to strive for that kind of experience who am I to argue. We’re all after different things.

These days I don’t care about hi-fi. Clean, neutral, easy to live with and the ability not to get on my nerves: these are the characteristics I value.

[Daniel Quinn]

I don't think anybody was dissing other people's choices .

The op asked a question , answer were forthcoming .

To take them personally is to interpret people's posts incorrectly