I am shopping for an upgrade for my current sub set up (infinity basslink T) and wanted to get some opinions. I am looking at the JL audio powerwedge series with the W3v3 subs both ported and sealed. My question is when placing a sub enclosure in a small open cabin car, like the fit, is there advantages to using a ported or sealed design or is it just a matter of preference? I noticed with the sealed basslink that the output seemed to increase when the windows were rolled down as opposed to them up. Is this due to the acoustics of the car or the sealed box? I have used ported boxes in other cars and prefer the sound but wanted to ask before I made a purchase. Thanks for the help.

 

I have a JL in a ported box in my fit and it sounds a million times better then wen i had a sealed box in it. The bass just seems to flow better and is louder and more clean when u have somewhere for the air to go. Id suggest going with a ported box if u can. It also just depends on how big the sub is and how big the amp is. Im running a 10" JL w2 with a 280 watt alpine amp and i smoke all the best buy packaged deal subs that all these guys have in there cars. Even when there running 1000 watts my shit still is louder and sounds better.

 

Sealed box will tend to have tighter bass while ported is more loose but little louder.

 

yep, exactly.

 

So its more of a preference thing than one sounding better than the other in a hatchback?

 

This pretty much hit the nail on the head.

Sealed = "tighter" / "cleaner" bass hit
Ported = "boomy" / "lingering" HARD bass hit

If you want the whole neighborhood to hear you coming down the street when you're bumping the system then get the ported box. Personally, my Rockford 500watt RMS P3D412 in a sealed "wedge" style box satisfies my needs for the SQ when tuned properly as well as the "rattle your rearview mirror downward" hit when turned way up.

 

Both will sound good in their own way. It will come down to how you want your bass to sound. I recommend you go to some shops and listen to both to see which is the one for you.

 

yep thats ur best bet

 

If your main music preferance is rock/country or not super deep bass and whatnot, I would go sealed.

If you like hip hop and pop, i would go ported as the lows are gonna be better and louder.