Sealed or ported for 2 kicker 12's

[Greg94Red392]

Circuit City has a buy 1 get one free on the Kicker C12's, and I just happen to be in the market for subs so i'm going to pick them up friday. I know they aren't so flashy and awesome. They handle 150 rms max but i'm not really looking for show quality stuff, just something to sound good and turn a few heads.

Now i've researched the sealed vs. ported debate, but I just haven't found exactly what i'm looking for. For this somewhat low power (300 watts) which is going to sound better, sealed or ported.

CC sells a loaded enclosure with these subs and a kicker box with it. What are the chances they will sell me just the box? I imagine, with the box being designed for the c12's, that it would provide the best sound. Hm...

[Mu]

Sealed would handle a little more power and sound better. I would do sealed, I used to use 2 cvr's sealed. They sounded decent and got loud enough.

[96firebird311]

The buy one get one is a Kicker deal. Not Circuit City. So if you can find them cheaper else where, they have to give you buy one get one free deal.

What exactly are you trying to get out of the subs? Just fill in the low end with a little bump? Or a little more then bump?

And I doubt they'll sell you just the box like that. It's possible, but it doesn't really matter anyway. A sealed box is a sealed box. Make it yourself for like $20. Kicker recommends 1.25-3.5cuft sealed each. (Not real helpful) With a pair of them in an f-body, just give them as much space as possible to maximize efficiency. Let us know if you decide to go ported and we'll get you some specs.

[Greg94Red392]

Originally posted by 96firebird311:
The buy one get one is a Kicker deal. Not Circuit City. So if you can find them cheaper else where, they have to give you buy one get one free deal.

What exactly are you trying to get out of the subs? Just fill in the low end with a little bump? Or a little more then bump?

And I doubt they'll sell you just the box like that. It's possible, but it doesn't really matter anyway. A sealed box is a sealed box. Make it yourself for like $20. Kicker recommends 1.25-3.5cuft sealed each. (Not real helpful) With a pair of them in an f-body, just give them as much space as possible to maximize efficiency. Let us know if you decide to go ported and we'll get you some specs.

Thanks for the info. I'm going to pick up the subs tomorrow, but i'm still not sure about a box.

The subs are the last edition to my system, I already have new front and rear speakers so i'm just looking for some bottom end. I just want something thats going to sound good and can be pretty loud. I would like for at least 2 cars in front of me to be able to know i'm there. I think that can be achieved easier with ported, but I dont know how its going to sound.

[96firebird311]

Are you really wanting people to hear you from outside the car? Or are you just trying to tell me how loud you would like it to be? I ask because it seems the f-bodies keep sound in pretty damn well. I see Civic's rolling around with a pair of 10"s and I hear them from a block away. But I have two 15" with 3kWRMS. If I crank it and roll up the windows you MIGHT be able to hear it a block away.... but inside it'll damn near make your nose bleed. LOL!

If you're handy with tools, go ported and make it yourself. If not, or you completely refuse making it for some odd reason, go sealed or *choke**gulp**sigh* pay someone to make you a DECENT ported box. [img]graemlins/barf.gif[/img]

[ July 15, 2005, 02:50 PM: Message edited by: 96firebird311 ]

[ZeroGuage]

Ported = higher SPL and less wattage to reach the subwoofers xmax

sealed = better sound quality and more wattage needed to reach xmax

Xmax = the maximum excursion of the sepeaker. once you hit the xmax of the speaker it wil not get any louder. if anything it will begin to distort.