Sealed vs. Ported Enclosures

Choosing between a sealed (closed) and ported (bass reflex) enclosure is the first major decision in any speaker build.

Sealed Enclosures

Sealed boxes act as an acoustic shock absorber. They are generally smaller, easier to design, and offer excellent transient response (tight, accurate bass).

Ported Enclosures

Ported boxes use a tube (or slot) to reinforce low frequencies. They are typically larger and more complex to tune, but they offer significantly more low-end extension and overall output compared to a sealed box of the same size.