Vertically Oriented 2x10 Cab - Front Ported?

[acidbass]

Does such a beast exist?

[bassbiscuits]

A Markbass Std104hf standing on its end would do it…?

[BassmanPaul]

The actual position on the box of the port is not important. My rear ported Acme B2 2x10 three way cabinets work very well stacked as a vertical 4x10. it's my standard configuration. 

 

Edited May 30, 2024 by BassmanPaul

[acidbass]

Cheers guys but as far as I can make out, neither of those boxes are front-ported. Appreciate the recommendations tho

[warwickhunt]

Why front porting specifically?  It has no impact on sound projection etc.

[barkin]

I used to have a front ported Ashdown 210.

[acidbass]

55 minutes ago, warwickhunt said:

Why front porting specifically?  It has no impact on sound projection etc.

To my ears, front porting sounds better. I have had the opportunity in the past to directly compare front ported with rear ported, and the front porting always wins. Also helps massively if a cab is in a 'live in' flightcase when touring, where rear ports would be blocked by the case itself.

 

There might be data to suggest otherwise but there is nothing to my ears that sounds better than luscious bass spilling out of a port in the same direction as the speaker is projecting.

[Downunderwonder]

SWR Goliath JR.

 

Eden.

 

Trace Elliot 2x8, punches like a 210.

 

Like they (mostly) said, doesn't matter sonically. Lows are non directional.

 

Could be a proxy for extra width in a vertical cab to have stability and/or avoid muffin top.

Edited May 28, 2024 by Downunderwonder

[TimR]

My warwick WCA 211 Pros are front ported.

 

 

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

4 hours ago, warwickhunt said:

Why front porting specifically?  It has no impact on sound projection etc.

Quite right. However, consider why some cabs are rear ported. For the most part it's because the cabs are too small to fit the ports on the front. In that case bass response won't be as strong as a larger cab, not because of the port location, but because the cab is smaller. I don't rear port cabs as I don't make them too small to give the best possible result.

[warwickhunt]

11 hours ago, acidbass said:

I have had the opportunity in the past to directly compare front ported with rear ported, and the front porting always wins.

 

Were they 'identical' cabs (drivers and physical dimensions) other than the port position?

 

 

11 hours ago, acidbass said:

 

...Also helps massively if a cab is in a 'live in' flightcase when touring, where rear ports would be blocked by the case itself.

 

That is an all together different matter.

 

8 hours ago, Bill Fitzmaurice said:

Quite right. However, consider why some cabs are rear ported. For the most part it's because the cabs are too small to fit the ports on the front. In that case bass response won't be as strong as a larger cab, not because of the port location, but because the cab is smaller. I don't rear port cabs as I don't make them too small to give the best possible result.

 

Agreed in which case the OP liked the tone of the cab potentially/partly/possibly due to the size as opposed to the porting location.  You could equally get a larger cab that was rear ported and that could/might sound as good OR a front ported cab that was smaller and it might sound worse!    

 

 

 

 

[acidbass]

Yes, as per post - it's very specifically a front-ported vertically oriented 2x10 cabinet that I am looking for

 

[BigRedX]

Surely everything about the cab design will contribute to the overall sound of that cab and not just the position or even the presence of the port?

[SimonK]

There's plenty of old Trace Elliot 2x10s that are front ported:

 

[obbm]

Dare I suggest a Bergantino CN210?

[acidbass]

15 minutes ago, obbm said:

Dare I suggest a Bergantino CN210?

Just checked out Bergs and the new NVX/NXT series look great!  Thanks for the recommendation

[Krysbass]

Another good sounding 2x10" front ported cab, (though sadly discontinued) is a Yamaha BBT210S.  I used a couple of these for some years as my gigging rig.  However, they are 4 ohm impedance, which may not suit everyone. 

[pete.young]

EBS Neo 210 is almost vertically aligned and front-ported. There's a used one in the classifieds if you're quick.

[BillyBass]

Vanderkley make front ported cabs.  Bassdirect and the Bass Gallery in London stock them, or at least could order them in for you if stock isn't available.  I've never played through them myself but they have a good reputation.

 

https://vanderkleyamp.com/cabinets/

 

 

[Bassman Rich]

On 28/05/2024 at 22:53, warwickhunt said:

Why front porting specifically?  It has no impact on sound projection etc.

This could very well be a numpty question, but here goes...

 

Doesn't it project sound behind the cab, ie towards the back corner of the room, where the band are, rather than forward, towards the audience ??

[Downunderwonder]

2 hours ago, Bassman Rich said:

This could very well be a numpty question, but here goes...

 

Doesn't it project sound behind the cab, ie towards the back corner of the room, where the band are, rather than forward, towards the audience ??

A cab with no damping may reflect some mids out the port but not usually enough to be BOTHERSOME.

 

The ports are there to tune the low end. The distance from the back to the front is short enough that the frequencies of interest have time to catch up around the front and still be in  phase with the speaker.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

3 hours ago, Bassman Rich said:

This could very well be a numpty question, but here goes...

 

Doesn't it project sound behind the cab, ie towards the back corner of the room, where the band are, rather than forward, towards the audience ??

It does, but it doesn't matter. Low frequency projection is 360 degrees. That means rear ports project as much sound to the front as they do the back. By the same token front ports, and for that matter the cone,  project as much sound to the back as they do the front. Dispersion only narrows to 180 degrees when the baffle width is one wavelength. At 100Hz that's 3.4 meters. At 50Hz it's 6.8 meters.

[acidbass]

There might be studies that say it doesn't matter, but to my ears, front porting sounds much better and I have tested this extensively in real world environments.

Edited August 20, 2024 by acidbass

[BigRedX]

5 hours ago, acidbass said:

There might be studies that say it doesn't matter, but to my ears, front porting sounds much better and I have tested this extensively in real world environments.

 

But were the cabs EXACTLY the same in EVERY respect other than fact the port faced the front or the back?

 

If not you can't say for sure that the port direction is the defining factor.

 

As has been said previously in this thread front porting generally requires a larger baffle area and therefore maybe a larger cab, and when you consider that a lot cabs are technically too small the increase in size might be what makes them sound better.

Edited August 20, 2024 by BigRedX

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

2 hours ago, acidbass said:

There might be studies that say it doesn't matter, but to my ears, front porting sounds much better and I have tested this extensively in real world environments.

How many of those tests involved measuring the results? The mere fact that you knew the cabs were front or rear ported would have influenced your perception. http://seanolive.blogspot.com/2009/04/dishonesty-of-sighted-audio-product.html