Subwoofer Boxes & Enclosures

Everyone knows that adding a top-shelf subwoofer and a powerful amplifier to your vehicle audio system can put you and your favorite tunes miles ahead from what a factory system can deliver, but it's very easy to underestimate the importance of a quality subwoofer enclosure. A subwoofer box can make or break your sound system. Even if you buy the state-of-the-art subwoofer, but place it into a subpar enclosure, you may get an extremely poor sound quality and performance which isn't what you actually paid for.

If you're an avid vehicle audio tuner who's looking to upgrade your audio system with a subwoofer for rich, thumping bass and superior sound quality, pick out a sub-box model that's tuned for that level of subwoofer to not undermine its acoustic performance. There are three types of subwoofer enclosures available on the market: sealed, ported and bandpass. Each type is designed to produce a different bass tone and meet your needs. Choose the right sound equipment that will fit your audio system and your vehicle.

If you crave for deep, straight bass that will make your windows rattle and your trunk vibrate, a sealed subwoofer box delivers the hardest punch. This enclosure will prevent air from escaping out of it. Because a sealed type of enclosure has no side ports for sound to go directly out of the enclosure, it performs its task by vibrating the air so you can enjoy the clearest sounding bass. A sealed subwoofer box requires a higher-watt amplifier to power your subwoofer, help it run efficiently and achieve high volume levels without distortion. If you have some space limitations, pick out a sealed box which has the most compact size compared to other types. However, if you enjoy listening to rock or jazz, a ported box will do best.

The next type is a ported box that features a port on one side to let air escape and requires less power to provide a boomier, heavier bass sound which makes it the first choice for fans of hard rock or metal. A ported box will let you play your music louder and get more bass, however its size is usually larger than a sealed enclosure. As for bandpass subwoofer boxes, they are a blend between sealed and ported ones. They're subwoofers installed in a sealed box with ported chambers in front of the driver cones. The sound waves come out of the ported chamber. Here you'll find bandpass boxes with two built-in drivers, which is why they have a much larger size. Combining the elements of other types of subwofer boxes, a bandpass enclosure is the finest option to go for playing all types of music, from rap to classical, at maximum volume.