So you just bought the subwoofer of your dreams. Congratulations! Now you’re wondering exactly where to put that monster woofer you bought. You may be wondering about the different options, whether you want a sealed, ported, or bandpass subwoofer enclosure. You may have done some research on your own, but come to a confusing conclusion with so many different technical terms. Don’t worry; I’m going to summarize the effects and effectiveness of each for you without all the big technical words.

sealed enclosure

These are generally the smallest of the three. If you have a small or sports car, I recommend this enclosure for your car. There are pros and cons, of course. As mentioned, it is advantageously smaller, allowing you to conserve your precious trunk space. They also allow the subwoofers to produce very accurate bass, but with the least amount of “boom” of the three enclosure types. This is mainly because the case is airtight and leaves no room for air to escape with the sound waves inside the case. Unfortunately, this restriction requires a much more powerful combination of amplifier and subwoofer. Unless you have a higher end set up that can handle higher power, I don’t recommend getting a sealed box setup.

Covered/ventilated box

Because the ported enclosure requires additional space for ventilation, it is typically larger than sealed enclosures. If you’re not too concerned about space, this type is a popular solution for most people. The design is based on the ventilation with which the air is allowed to circulate much more freely, channeling the sound from the interior and the rear of the enclosure to the outside. This gives you a much more boomy effect with a less accurate bass response. With vented enclosures, you don’t need as much power going out of your system, as the lack of an airtight enclosure allows your subwoofer to move much more freely and the vents allow you to hear every bit of sound produced by your subwoofer.

bandpass enclosure

Bandpass subwoofer boxes are the largest of the three. That’s because the design relies on a series of ports and two main chambers: one for your subwoofer and one for the air space inside the case to resonate. You can probably imagine the sound produced by this giant. Produces the least accurate bass but with the highest level of “boom.” With this enclosure, you can outperform anyone on the streets of Los Angeles. But remember that bandpass cabinets require a lot of space, so be prepared to sacrifice a lot of trunk space for your setup. Also note that some subwoofers don’t work well in bandpass enclosures, so check your product manual before installing. Ultimately, band pass boxes are extremely efficient enclosures and demand much less power than the sealed enclosure. Make sure you have a tight fit in a bandpass cabinet, as any loose parts will easily ring and could be easily heard in a bandpass setup.

Other details about subwoofer boxes

There are also a few other things to consider when deciding between different subwoofer enclosures. Most subwoofer cabinets are now built with MDF or Medium Density Fiberboard these are great for cabinets so make sure you buy MDF construction cabinets and not cheap plastic or plywood. Fibreboard (even if it says medium density) is much denser than any other material so it doesn’t vibrate and can withstand very high temperatures. Particleboard is a much lighter material and does not bond as strongly as fiberboard and therefore would not be suitable for harsh environments.

Aesthetically, there are usually two options to get: an exterior carpet or a vinyl/paint finish. The mat will protect the exterior from scratches and usually matches the color of the trunk (gray, black, and tan) quite well. Paint or vinyl finish tends to show exterior blemishes much more easily than carpet, but cleaning them is also much easier, especially valuable if you’re installing a subwoofer enclosure without a trunk.

How many subwoofers in a box? Obviously, this depends on how much money and space you have. Don’t buy two when you can buy one that could produce the power of two. This will potentially save you money and space. If you can help it, don’t settle for a cheap set of two when you can buy a good one. Yes, two will help add more power and sound, but you sacrifice sound quality for volume and boom.

I hope this brief summary has helped you in your decision-making process. At the end of the day, it’s really up to you to research your subwoofer and find the best solution for your system. Happy hunting!