- 1). Read your subwoofer's documentation to find out the size requirements for both sealed and ported enclosures. It is important to choose the correct enclosure size for your subwoofers. Using an enclosure that is too big or too small than the recommended size could damage the subwoofers and affect its performance.
- 2). Compare the sound of both enclosure types. The easiest way to do this is to travel to a local car audio retailer and listen to the display models available.
- 3). Look for the power-handling differences between subwoofers installed in ported enclosures and ones installed in sealed enclosures. Because ported enclosures have one or more vents installed, power handling is reduced due to air being allowed to escape from the enclosure’s chamber. A sealed enclosure will not allow air to escape from the chamber; the trapped air inside dampens the movement of the subwoofer’s cone, increasing the power-handling capability of the subwoofer.
- 4). Notice the efficiency differences in both enclosure types. Because a subwoofer mounted in a sealed enclosure requires more power to produce sound, ported enclosures are a good choice if you have a low-power amplifier.