How do I use port bungs?

WARNING: Care must be taken not to insert the port bungs too far into the port, as this may result in the foam bung being lost inside the cabinet.

If the loudspeaker is to be installed in a small room, typically 9 sqM (80 sqFT), or a room known to reproduce an accentuated bass response, it may be desirable to fit port bungs. However, experimentation is recommended with the positioning of the loudspeaker in the room prior to fitting. To optimise performance from the loudspeaker, it is important to ensure the loudspeaker is not positioned too close to a wall or near the corners of a room.

If the positioning of the loudspeaker is predetermined by room aesthetics or layout, you find you have accentuated bass, or in the case speakers are to be sited in close proximity (less than the minimum suggested distances shown in the 2 Channel Positioning section) to a rear wall (such as on a bookshelf, positioned in a cabinet, or on a stand close to a wall), we recommend fitting port bungs to the ports. This will reduce the bass ‘boom’ sometimes termed as overhang and assist the loudspeakers to reproduce their best performance under these environmental conditions. ‘Boom’ is generally caused when bass energy from the loudspeaker ‘excites’ room modes and causes an accentuation at a particular frequency, or number of frequencies.

When fitting port bungs, the overall bass extension will not be reduced; however, bass energy/output around the port tuning frequency will be reduced. This has the effect of reducing bass ‘boom’ while increasing bass clarity and apparent agility. In all circumstances, experimentation is highly recommended.