What does this seller mean by "ported back" on a cab?

[Young Angus]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3728338962&category=10171

As you can see an item in this auction is an empty cab, and the seller has said that it comes with a "ported back" with several 3 inch holes. What is he talking about?

[HolyDirt]

Re: What does this seller mean by "ported back" on a cab?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....category=10171

As you can see an item in this auction is an empty cab, and the seller has said that it comes with a "ported back" with several 3 inch holes. What is he talking about?

it means he cut a buncha small, 3" holes in the back of the cabinet, ported is when something has a buncha holes to release something.

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: What does this seller mean by "ported back" on a cab?

It is a construction that controls the airvolume that affects the speakers movement.
Most guitarspeakers wants openbacks or completely closed cabs, ports are mostly used in Hifi and PA stuff.

[Young Angus]

Re: What does this seller mean by "ported back" on a cab?

Will a ported back affect tone?

[HolyDirt]

Re: What does this seller mean by "ported back" on a cab?

Will a ported back affect tone?

greatly, the tone will be between a closed back cab and an open back cab, learning a little towards the open back, imo

[Hellion]

Re: What does this seller mean by "ported back" on a cab?

Ported cabinets are a little like open back cabs. They do give a bit more "open" sound to the instrument. Closed back cabs can be a little like a light beam at times. My main 212 cab doesn't focus for 15 feet so up close it doesn't sound all that loud, whereas 20 feet away, you're parting hair and ripping off heads. The ports open it up a little and allow some sound to escape the back as well.

[Pandemonium]

Re: What does this seller mean by "ported back" on a cab?

I've got a ported cab for one 15" designed for guitar I made off a set of plans I got from JBL back in '74. It sounds great, brings out the bass, but not too much like a ported bass cab will. Outside of hi-fi and PA cabinets bass cabs are where porting is generally used. If it's not done exactly right it'll do more harm than good, and the formula is extremely complicated, so if this one's a DIY job he probably just screwed it up, hard to say though.