How do you like your port?

What are peoples general experiences of different porting placements? Better on the front or back? Or perhaps you prefer it on the bottom?

I've heard it said that back placement is better to reduce the amount of midrange sound leaking out and to the listeners. There are other factors I can think of for each method but I'm more curious of peoples experience.

If you want to add a bit more info, are there types of porting you prefer than the standard reflex (tuned tube inside the box)? There are so many ways to do it. I don't see many aperiodic 'holes' in boxes these days but it was not uncommon in the past.

 

It depends what you want, a floor port will give added reinforcement to a mid height port. Front ported projects some mid at you and a rear port helps this not to be noticed. As long as they in the right place, for the right reasons and engineered accordingly does it really matter?

That said I have the floor ports on my 1027Be's blocked with closed cell foam as I prefer the drier bass in my room.

 

My ES22s have two ports each in the back. I think they sound very good. They need a bit of space around them though which is not good for a lot of people (or their partners, WAF and that).

 

Aperiodic definitely and well damped.
As for where this is positioned, I agree with Simon (SQ) that is depends on the overall design.

 

With a nice piece of stilton

 

No ports?

I have lived with sealed boxes for a quarter century.

 

I like the idea of sealed boxes or distributed port, as on the Tannoy Canterbury, but horns are best.

 

white, from a bottle
________
Volcano Vaporizer

 

Front, don't have the luxury of being able to place the boxes in free space.

 

Yes, given the restrictions so may folk have, why do any manufacturers bother with rear porting?

 

I like mine back loaded horn with big drivers and a big mouth

 

passed from the left?

 

Sealed.

I have never had a ported 'speaker.

The bass in my 5/9s is incredible, I can't think why I'd need them

Or is it mainly to help smaller speakers get some mmmpffff?

 

I thought the LS5/9 was aperiodic? Certainly vented.

 

5/9 is definitely vented.

 

Spent a few hours yesterday listening to some music through some Royd Minstrels. They have a port on one side and sounded very nice too.

 

simon, it depends on volume of both drive unit"s" and interior air flow of internal cabinet wave of design, i find that when i was refervishing my tannoys we tried blocking the front poles to see what they would sound like, awful they did, but tannoys need to breathe, IMO

 

I prefer my ports to be sealed. Otherwise all the air gets in and it spoils the flavour and texture.

 

quote

what like n emmerdale? get a liffe.

 

That's a bit harsh Nando.