Do you prefer rear ported, front ported cabs or sealed bass cabs?

[chris_b]

The cabs I'm currently using are front ported. I also have Barefaced Two10's which are side ported. My previous cabs were back ported.

I prefer front ported but the sound of the cabs was the more important deciding factor.

 

[Pedulla-Player]

Well, judging by most of your responses I added a 4th poll option: Don't care...

 

[AstroSonic]

Unless your cab is up against a wall (blocking the rear port), you can get anything from punchy, articulate bass to pillowy, muddy bass from any of these. The alignment (driver TS parameters/cab volume/cab tuning) has much more impact on bass tone than front or rear ports (vented), or sealed. Choose a tone, not a design. Who cares how you get it (except cab designers and nerdy types).

 

[Wisebass]

hi Pedulla-Player

Front Ported

This!

and why??

I want to see who lives inside.



Sorry "Carrots" for me! When it sounds good it is good!


may the bass be with you

Wise(b)ass

 

[Coot]

I personally prefer sealed, but I do have some front port Rumbles as well for higher volume situations .

 

[chadds]

......a small glass after dinner

 

[2saddleslab]

Both can achieve great results but I’ve always preferred sealed.

 

[Russell L]

Always played front ported til 11 years ago when I bought Markbass rear ported. Both can sound good, but I've had more trouble placing the Markbass cabs, or so it "seems." Hell, I don't know.

 

[AstroSonic]

Always played front ported til 11 years ago when I bought Markbass rear ported. Both can sound good, but I've had more trouble placing the Markbass cabs, or so it "seems." Hell, I don't know.

Rear ported couples more efficiently to the room boundaries than front ported. This can be designed for by using an overdamped alignment, but that can sound a little thin when the cab is placed well away from room boundaries.

 

[D.A.R.K.]

Rear ported couples more efficiently to the room boundaries than front ported. This can be designed for by using an overdamped alignment, but that can sound a little thin when the cab is placed well away from room boundaries.

This kind of contradicts you earlier statement, I agree you can generally tune things to your liking. However, as you just stated rear ports can be a bit less consistent room to room due to barrier effect. It's nice to not have to mess with eq as much to achieve consistent results (especially when using amps with very limited features like the Alembic preamps).

 

[rodl2005]

Din'tDcare as long as it sounds good for my needs.
I've currently got 2 front ported Bassman Pro Neo 115s which ain't tuned very low..... to my ear.
And two sealed, but very different, Bergantino cabs. They all do what I want em to, so, I'm happy

 

[bobyoung53]

I have used sealed SVT cabs for years and like them, I also use front ported B-15 cabs here and like them and am using a Laney rear ported 410 cab here in Lima and like that also although it would be the third choice out of the three. I think it also depends of the kind of music I'm playing and if I want a lot of nice bottom or not. sealed cabs are tighter sounding and ported cabs have a freer easier bottom end. I chose I don't care.

 

[Russell L]

Rear ported couples more efficiently to the room boundaries than front ported. This can be designed for by using an overdamped alignment, but that can sound a little thin when the cab is placed well away from room boundaries.

Well, it just seems different to me. But what do I know? I'm no expert.

 

[seamonkey]

Ported because it get's the most out of the drivers.
Port on the front behind the grill so rodents and amphibians don't crawl inside.

 

[bikeplate]

I prefer Bergantino cabs

 

[ctmullins]

Well, judging by most of your responses I added a 4th poll option: Don't care...

Yay, now I can vote!

 

[Pedulla-Player]

Did you ever start a thread and regret it because of the comments people made in it... Yup!

Sad thing is - I thought it was a legit question. Live and learn.

 

[Pedulla-Player]

Thanks to those of you that actually gave an answer to my question.

As far as the others go, lets just say that I was raised to be respectful and that if you don't have something decent to say - don't say it.

I've seen other threads were a TB member asked a simple honest question and was bombarded by trolls. I felt bad for the person, didn't make a comment and exited the thread. Now that I am one of those being attacked by sarcastic and mean-spirited responses to my question, I definitely know how they feel. <--- Not very good.

If you want to be funny with a response go to the 'Bass Humor & Gig Stories' section of the TB site.

If what you have to say that doesn't add value to the thread. Don't say it.

 

[AstroSonic]

This kind of contradicts you earlier statement, I agree you can generally tune things to your liking. However, as you just stated rear ports can be a bit less consistent room to room due to barrier effect. It's nice to not have to mess with eq as much to achieve consistent results (especially when using amps with very limited features like the Alembic preamps).

There is a little difference, but it doesn't really matter, at least to me. When used well away from room boundaries front ported, rear ported and sealed will all have less boundary coupling. Just adjust to taste with a tweak of the bass control.

 

[MrLenny1]

prefer front for small venues that have no stage space and UR crammed up
against a wall. other than that a rear is fine also.