Bandpass Subwoofer Box Pros and Cons
- Helps to achieve a deep bass extension that is not possible with most other subwoofer box designs
- Gives extreme flexibility to the user by offering various customizations to adjust the bandwidths and the final range of...
- Helps you have great control over the sound quality produced when compared to the traditional speakers & subwoofer...
What is a bandpass box?
In a bandpass box design, the woofer no longer plays directly into the listening area. Instead, the entire output of the subwoofer system is produced through the port or ports.
What are the benefits of a double reflex bandpass box?
However, in a double reflex bandpass box, you will be able to experience a sharp sound quality as the frequency range is between 18 and 24/dB/octave.
Are bandpass enclosures any good?
A true bandpass enclosure has one good charachteristic, one bad charachteristic, and one that could go eiter way. The good is that the bandpass design is much louder than either a sealed or ported box.
What is the best frequency range for a bandpass box?
The transient rate is quite good in a single reflex bandpass box, where the frequency range is around 12/dB/octave. However, in a double reflex bandpass box, you will be able to experience a sharp sound quality as the frequency range is between 18 and 24/dB/octave.
What are the advantages of a bandpass box?
Pros of Bandpass Subwoofer BoxBetter Efficiency. The bandpass subwoofers are highly efficient. ... Less Woofer Excursion. The Bandpass subwoofers are known for their low woofer excursion. ... Durable. ... Size Variety. ... Customized design. ... Features of Sealed-&-Ported-Enclosure. ... Resistance to the Motion. ... Difficult to Construct.More items...•
Is bandpass better than ported?
1) Larger bandpass enclosures will have a smoother and deeper frequency response than a smaller bandpass enclosure but not as smooth as sealed or ported enclosures. They can be much larger than the sealed enclosures if you are trying to pass a wide band of low frequencies.
Is bandpass any good?
The good is that the bandpass design is much louder than either a sealed or ported box. The bad is that the bandpass box only works for a certain 'band' of frequency and anything outside of that band is hushed. The iffy thing is that the bandpass box design typically hides distortion.
Which is louder bandpass or ported?
a bandpass box will usually be more efficient and thus louder than ported or sealed. However, bandpass don't play as deeply as they are usually tuned around 45-70Hz which may be loud but pretty much louds lousy doing it. If all you want is loud though, look at a 4th or 6th order bandpass box.
Which is better 4th order or 6th order bandpass?
2:4617:504th Order vs 6th Order Band-pass (EXPLAINED): Pt 1 - Demo - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf done properly a fourth order bandpass is very very very effective. But not as effective as aMoreIf done properly a fourth order bandpass is very very very effective. But not as effective as a sixth order bandpass. That is done effectively as well.
What's the difference between a bandpass box and a ported box?
The difference between a bandpass and a regular ported box is that in a ported box, the port is in the same enclosure as the rear of the driver, whereas with a bandpass the port and the rear of the driver are in separate enclosures. Bandpass boxes are ideal for genres like hard rock, metal, hip-hop, and reggae.
How much does a bandpass box cost?
Compare with similar itemsThis item Bandpass Enclosure Car Subwoofer Speaker - 500 Watt High Power Car Audio Sound Component Speaker System w/ 10-inch Subwoofer, 2" Aluminum Voice Coil, 4 Ohm, Ported Enclosure System - Pyle PLQB10Price$7999Sold ByAmazon.comVehicle Speaker Size12 inch3 more rows
What is a 4th order bandpass box?
0:1116:244th Order VS 6th Order subwoofer Enclosures - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo this is just like a sealed box this is just being just being it's kind of wasted. Energy. So whenMoreSo this is just like a sealed box this is just being just being it's kind of wasted. Energy. So when we look at this graph you can see right here that. This is a sealed box.
What is an 8th order bandpass?
1:144:518th Order Enclosures - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd here's an example of an eighth order series parallel tuned hybrid bandpass which is basically aMoreAnd here's an example of an eighth order series parallel tuned hybrid bandpass which is basically a sixth order bass reflex firing through a second order passive chain.
Is a bigger subwoofer box better?
By making the enclosure a bit bigger it will become more efficient in many cases, increasing output. Remember, there is such a thing as too big. As the size of the enclosure increases, the mechanical limits of the woofer will be easier to reach. If the box is too small (by a reasonable amount) add power.
Does subwoofer box shape matter?
Yes, the shape certainly can have a huge effect on the sound of the system.
Is a sealed box better than ported?
Ported enclosures are generally more efficient in regard to the amplifier power necessary to make the subwoofers perform and allow you to use a smaller amplifier than you would need with a comparable sealed enclosure.
What is a bandpass enclosure?
A bandpass enclosure is, by definition, simply a sealed enclosure with an acoustical filter in front of it that serves to limit the upper-end of the driver’s frequency response. This natural limiting of the high-frequency response of the system makes the selection of midbass drivers critical.
What is a series tuned bandpass?
A variation of the dual reflex and single reflex, known as “series tuned,” has a port which connects the rear and front chambers. The differences between single reflex and dual reflex bandpasses are similar to the differences between sealed and ported enclosures.
When was the bandpass enclosure invented?
It would probably surprise many people to know that this is a very old design. The first patent for a bandpass enclosure was filed in 1934 by Andre d’Alton. Many home sub/satellite speaker systems currently use bandpass designs for low frequency reproduction.
Why is a woofer less likely to encounter excursion limits in the main part of the sub bass range?
Due to controlled, rapidly changing air pressure on either side of the woofer, the woofer is capable of producing high levels of acoustic output without physically moving very much. This means that the woofer is less likely to encounter excursion limits in the main part of the sub bass range.
What is the purpose of a sealed chamber?
The sealed chamber’s primary purpose is to serve as a high-pass acoustical (as opposed to electrical) filter and it’s volume controls the lower –3dB point or Fl. By changing the size of the sealed chamber, we can see a corresponding shift in Fl that follows these simple guidelines:
Can you tear a speaker apart in a bandpass enclosure?
The conflict between the force generated by the motor assembly and the air pressure in the enclosure can impose extreme stress on the glue joints and suspensions of the woofers. You can literally tear a speaker apart in a bandpass enclosure if you apply too much power.
Can a bandpass enclosure have different sound characteristics?
As you can see, bandpass enclosures can have very different sound characteristics based on the designer’s choice of box parameters. As such, it is not always possible to make blanket statements as to the performance benefits and drawbacks of bandpass enclosures in general.
What is a bandpass box?
Bandpass box is one type of subwoofer enclosure that is not as common as the sealed or the ported version. This guide is meant to illustrate what bandpass box is all about, when you should use them, their pros and cons and some other useful information. If you always like to find out more about these subwoofer bandpass box, read on!
Why use a Bandpass subwoofer enclosure?
Bandpass subwoofer enclosure is great for achieving loud sound output with the same power due to the way sounds are controlled within the box. For folks who really powerful music, this is a choice without buying a more powerful subwoofer or amplifer.
What is the difference between a 4th and 6th bandpass?
With 2 ported sections, you reduce less power for the subwoofers to achieve the higher output and is great for weaker subwoofers. This power however only works at the pre determined frequencies. When the sound is outside these frequencies, the performance can be remarkably poor.
Do you need a bandpass box for a subwoofer?
It is not really necessary for majority of car subwoofer owners who can easily get by with a ported or sealed box instead.
What is distortion in a bandpass box?
Distortion is that horrible sound that speakers make when they have too much volume going to them and that sound is not typically within the band that the enclosure is tuned for.
Who makes subs for sealed boxes?
Chad, Pioneer makes subs designed for sealed boxes and they make subs designed for ported boxes...and they also make freeair subs that don't need anything more than a back dash to drop them in (no box at all.) Find out exactly which make of sub you own (model number on back) and contact Pioneer.
Is there such a thing as a bandpass box?
Bandpass boxes are extremely difficult to design. There is no such thing as a 'standard' bandpass box, they are very specific for the exact speaker that is going in it. Putting two high-dollar 12" JL subs in a 'off the shelf' bandpass box will not sound near as good as a single 10" in a proper bandpass box.
Is a bandpass box good or bad?
The good is that the bandpass design is much louder than either a sealed or ported box. The bad is that the bandpass box only works for a certain 'band' of frequency and anything outside of that band is hushed. The iffy thing is that the bandpass box design typically hides distortion.

So How Do They Work?
The Sealed Chamber
- The sealed chamber’s primary purpose is to serve as a high-pass acoustical (as opposed to electrical) filter and it’s volume controls the lower –3dB point or Fl. By changing the size of the sealed chamber, we can see a corresponding shift in Flthat follows these simple guidelines: 1. The bigger the sealed chamber is, the lower the Fl will be. The smaller the sealed chamber is, th…
The Ported Chamber
- The ported chamber controls the bandwidth and efficiency of the system and behaves as follows: 1. As front chamber volume(s) increase, the system becomes more efficient. 2. As front chamber volume(s) decrease, system effiency decreases. As always, Mother Nature has her dirty little hands in our enclosure design so we have to consider what she is doing: 1. As the size of the po…
The Port
- The port is probably the single most critical variable in the bandpass equation. The port musttune the front chamber to the exact center of the passband or the box will sound like total garbage. The center of the passband corresponds directly to the sealed box resonant frequency or fc of the rear chamber. If for some reason the port is of the incorrect dimensions and tunes the front chambe…
“Universal” Bandpass Designs
- The term “universal bandpass” itself is really an oxymoron (like “fresh-frozen”, “jumbo-shrimp”, “one size fits all”, etc.) in that there truly is no one design that will work with all drivers! To imply that such a design is feasible is to totally ignore the very nature of bandpass enclosures: they are extremely driver sensitive and enclosure sensitive! If you have read all of this tutorial up until thi…