The most commonly asked question we get at Source Sounds is whether a subwoofer works best sealed or ported? In our opinion there is no definitive answer to this as everyone has their own opinions and preferences. All of us here at Source Sounds in Sheffield prefer the sound of a sealed subwoofer enclosure over the sound of a ported enclosure.
Sealed Enclosures
A sealed subwoofer enclosure uses a specific volume of air for the type of subwoofer. As the woofer moves, it pulls the air forwards and backwards with no pressure loss which allows the subwoofer to reproduce the low frequencies more accurately than a ported box due to the air inside the enclosure acting like a shock absorber, allowing the subwoofer to move with more control thus giving better controlled sub bass.
Ported Enclosures
A ported enclosure is something that is a little more tricky to build due to the nature of the box. For the subwoofer to perform to it’s optimum the port has to be a specific size. This includes correct measurements for the width, length and shape of the port. You can’t just stick a hole in a sealed box and turn it into a ported box. Having a ported enclosure allows the subwoofer to take advantage of the frequencies produced at the rear of the subwoofer. This reinforces the low frequency response of the subwoofer. This lower frequency response however will only sound good at whatever the tuned frequency of the port is. This tuned frequency can be adjusted by altering the airs resistance to motion inside the port which is accomplished by changing the length and width of the port.
In summary, ported enclosures can typically offer better low-end extension as well as greater output around the tuned frequency whereas a sealed enclosure will give a better frequency response across all frequencies with a more controlled output, which is why here at Source Sounds in Sheffield we prefer the sealed enclosure as it gives better sound quality overall than a ported subwoofer enclosure.
A speaker upgrade in a Landrover Defender is a must for anyone living in Sheffield. For any people that own a Defender, you will all know how poor the vehicle sounds. They aren’t necessarily built for audio quality. They generally have a set of 4″ speakers in the bottom of the dashboard facing the floor and the odd ones then have a tweeter on top of the dashboard firing at the windscreen. These systems both lack quality, volume, clarity and just about anything good in a speaker system. Most Landrover Defenders in Sheffield don’t even have any rear speakers. Replacing the speakers is a fairly simple task. Using a more substantial speaker you can gain a far superior sound quality to the factory speakers.
If you want a big improvement to your Landrover Defender, then we recommend a set of 3 way component speakers. Also, in the rear a set of 6.50″ coaxial speakers to the roof area. Doing this upgrade will give you audio for the rear of the vehicle as well as a big jump in quality for the front of the vehicle. A front set of 3 way components consist of a dedicated 6.50″ midbass driver, a 4″ midrange driver and a tweeter. All the speakers are fitted neatly to the vehicle, with no detriment to the interior. The rear 6.50″ coaxial speakers are secured to the roof area to give a rear surround sound.
What’s Your Budget?
A speaker upgrade in a Landrover Defender can cover most budgets, depending on the quality of sound you are after. If rear speakers don’t interest you, then you could spend more money on the front speaker upgrade. This would benefit the sound in the front of the vehicle, which is the most important seat in the vehicle. This is because it’s the driver is the one spending the money on the improvements.
In addition to speakers, another improvement to the sound quality of the vehicle would be to use some soundproofing material. This will quieten down the vehicle and help to reduce road noise inside the cabin area.
One more improvement would be to add an amplifier to the speakers to give them extra power. This in turn would give much better quality, clarity of sound and more volume.
