Constricting speaker ports?

[JoeDJ]

I have a pair of "Polk monitor 30" ported speakers (combinned with a fairly good powered subwoofer) that are ported to the rear.
Due to my room arangements etc, I have them set up in a corner on either side of my TV... elevated about 13 inches with them upside down with the tweeter on top. Obviously, it's not a great spot for them.

My problem is, the rear ports facing the corner and wall augment the mid/low bass and make things sound a bit "muddy" no matter how I EQ them or adjust my sub.

So I just took someone's suggestion and "stuffed" a pice of foam rubber in the ports and the sound is now much better. Bass now seems crisper accross the whole spectrum and everything sounds much cleaner.
Also, the sys now sounds more balanced at all volume levels.

Are there any potential problems with doing this?
can it harm the speaker, etc?

[Inductor]

No, unless you are using power in the max (there's a limit of power for driver+enclosure of Xlimit), not at moderate levels as you say, that sound is much cleaner.
I did that to my Focals Chorus 826 w/2 Ports, I cancel one, the other is firing down.

[revboden]

Originally Posted by JoeDJ

Are there any potential problems with doing this?
can it harm the speaker, etc?

No and No If anything It'll help especially at high levels unless cooling is an issue, which it might be with those drivers... keep it moderate and you'll be fine.

Why anyone would port a box that size is beyond me.

[JoeDJ]

The speakers can still more or less "breathe" through the ports. They just now output very little sound from them.
I did not think it would harm anything but, I just wanted to varify that.
I still have to readjust my EQ and sub which should make them sound even better.

Why anyone would port a box that size is beyond me.

It's most likely because the world seems to have gone "bass crazy"

[JoeDJ]

As it turns out, so far, I wound up with basically the same graphic EQ curve and sub settings as before with just a little more boost in the lower freqs.

Before, as I moved about my listening area, the aparent bass output varied greatly and I was thinking of moving my sub. However it's in the most optimum place as far as convience and aesthetics are concerned.
However now, the aparent bass output stays more or less constant as I move about Another benefit of blocking the ports as evidently that was the cause of that problem, not the sub placement.

FWIW...
I'm old school and even though I take into consideration all the "new" speaker science, etc. I still remember the time when speaker design was still an art form and basically, whatever worked was OK.
Ater all, we all hear with our ears, not with some speaker theory, concept etc and most/much of the sound that reaches our ears is reflected anyway.

[lduarte1973]

i covered the port of my sub and sounds much better now , no boominess , tighter bass