How to determine how much port area you need?

[SQMonte]

I'm trying to design a box for my SA-12's but have no idea how much port area I need or should have. I have got the box volume and tuning where I want it but that doesn't necessarily mean I have enough port area, right? So how do I find out how much port area I should have?

[TeamHT]

I'm plastered, it's 530 in the AM, and I am getting home. That being said, port area really depends on you and your goals. People say 12-16sq " per ^3, others 18-22sq. I have found the bigger you go, the more peakier your response which may not even be a bad thing. Smaller can help yield a flatter response. Some even use port area to help overcome port noise, and others will figure cone area and power before factoring how much port area.

[SQMonte]

I'm plastered, it's 530 in the AM, and I am getting home. That being said, port area really depends on you and your goals. People say 12-16sq " per ^3, others 18-22sq. I have found the bigger you go, the more peakier your response which may not even be a bad thing. Smaller can help yield a flatter response. Some even use port area to help overcome port noise, and others will figure cone area and power before factoring how much port area.

Wow, i'm just under 12sq.in per ^3....3 4" aero's for 37.68sq.in.....12 per would be 42sq.in......is this a deal breaker? I'm not trying to do work on the meter, just want a loud daily setup.....my current box has about 16sq.in. of port per cube.....would coming in at just under 12 per negate the gains from firing forward and sealing off?

[ChrisLun]

SA's like 15 sq.in per cube....and 1.5-2.0^3 per sub depending on power....for your (2) subs I would build at 3.0^3 after woofer and port displacement with 45 sq inches of port area, at 34Hz

[SQMonte]

SA's like 15 sq.in per cube....and 1.5-2.0^3 per sub depending on power....for your (2) subs I would build at 3.0^3 after woofer and port displacement with 45 sq inches of port area, at 34Hz

Is it unrealistic to expect to get louder and keep my lows just being building a different box in a different configuration?

[SnowDrifter]

SA's like 15 sq.in per cube....and 1.5-2.0^3 per sub depending on power....for your (2) subs I would build at 3.0^3 after woofer and port displacement with 45 sq inches of port area, at 34Hz

Is it unrealistic to expect to get louder and keep my lows just being building a different box in a different configuration?

Not unrealistic at all

Its not about tuning point, its about f3. You could tune higher with the more port area and keep the same f3, but it would be louder. In other words: louder, just as low

[Autruche]

Running 2 SA12s I take it? I'd do 3.5-4 cubes net with 4 4" aeros, or about 55-65 square inches of slot port. Probably tune 32-35Hz, depending on how low you want to play. Oh, and remember you don't need as much port area when running aeros as you would with a slot port.

[fecupe2001]

port area really depends on you and your goals. People say 12-16sq " per ^3, others 18-22sq. I have found the bigger you go, the more peakier your response which may not even be a bad thing. Smaller can help yield a flatter response.

That´s exactly my opinion, i´ve been testing a lot of thing in the past couple of years and got the same results that my boy HT gets, the bigger i go with port area the peakier the box gets, but you can use that on your favor, my current box is PEAKY as hell, 3 6" aeroports (thanks to my boy strongman) for only 2 12´s , my bandwith it´s stupid small, i can only get loud from 39 to 46 hz at the most, and you know what, I FUCKING LOVE IT!!!i don´t play rock, pop or techno music, i only wanted to get loud around those frequencies that are the ones i love to listen to, and i can asure you this, there isn´t anyone on my country that gets as loud as i do with 2 12´s and 1600 watts

Said all that, yes depends on your goal, my next box is gonna have a big ass port are but with a very low tuning, only looking to get loud from 35 to 45 hz at the most, don´t care about any other frequencies

and remember you don't need as much port area when running aeros as you would with a slot port.

You just got a great input from a guy with great knowledge

[mad mike]

I have 2 solo x 18s i was tring to figer out what size box and what size port is going in a 82 cutlass can some one help me thanks

[SQMonte]

Thanks guys for all the input, appreciate it.

I've decided to go with a single 6" aero.