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Sealed vs Ported sub for Home Theater in this room layout

theonline3333

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I just got a Denon s760h avr and Emotiva B1+ Front L and R and C1+ for center with Neumi Bs5s for surrounds. I am looking at the svs sb1000 or pb1000 for the sub.

I am in an apartment on second floor of three floors and one shared wall in living room with one neighbor and I do not want to annoy neighbors. I am the only person listening and I sit about 10 feet from tv. I may try putting the sub near me to be able to run it lower and I plan to get isolation pad for under it(and some mdf) and the feet too. I got some great advice about that. Then while researching sealed vs ported I wonder if the layout of my room will make a difference.

This is not great for scale. The room is about 12 feet wide and I sit about 10 feet from tv and the back wall of kitchen is about 25 or so feet behind me. The shared wall is the right wall. I had been thinking sealed sub may be better for me since I want to keep things more quiet but want to make sure the open back layout of my room is not a problem for that. I am probably going to put the sub right behind my listening position or between front left speaker and center unless you recommend otherwise.
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DVDdoug

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Do you have frequency response curves for both speakers?

If you can find room simulation software (I've never used any) you can measure the room modes and then try to avoid a bump in speaker response that lines-up with a bump (anti-node) in room response. And if you have a speaker bump that lines-up with a room node (a "dip") that could be a good thing. (A good subwoofer will usually only have a bump of 1 or 2 dB.)

This an over-generalization but a ported speaker is more likely to have a bump, a lower -3dB point, and then a faster roll-off. The sealed speaker is more likely to have a smoother response, a roll-off that starts at a higher frequency. Then a slower-roll-off so at some point the curves cross with the sealed speaker putting out more energy at very-low frequencies, but maybe still not "useful" output... That is, neither speaker may have useful output where the sealed speaker starts beating the ported speaker.

and I do not want to annoy neighbors.
This may have already been suggested, but you might consider bass shakers for your chairs/couch. Then you can probably figure-out how to isolate those from the floor.
 

Indy

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The general rule of thumb is that the bigger the area, go ported. If you don't want to annoy neighbors, go sealed and turn down the sub volume in the Denon. The speakers aren't going to have huge spl.
 
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theonline3333

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Thanks everyone. I decided that it would probably be better for me to not do a sub in the apartment. I ordered a bass shaker instead. I know it is not the same but it is the best I can do for now.
 

Indy

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Smart move. Bass travels omnidirectional. I don't live in an apartment. There's nothing worse than pissing off somebody that lives close to you especially if you plan on living there awhile.
 
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