[Jolly]

   I have been following this thread intently, although I was busy the last few days and I am catching up. Thank you to all those who have given their opinions and actually listened to Omega Single Driver and Omega 1.5's.

[pstrisik]

I posted links to order those 3" sponge balls.  Don't do it!!  Mine arrived.  They are 3" exactly, but super soft.  They don't make a good enough seal.  Sorry! 

They are marketed as magician supplies.  They are soft enough that you can close your hand on them and they will be invisible in your closed fist.  They even come with instructions for some tricks.   

......Pete

[RDavidson]

Magician gear has to meet the strictest of manufacturing tolerances.

[pstrisik]

Magician gear has to meet the strictest of manufacturing tolerances.

True.  One wouldn't want things to only partially disappear!   

Today is change over from snow tires day for me at Costco (wouldn't you know it started snowing this morning?!).  I'm going to stop at the pet store as I'll bet a good size firmer ball may be available there. 

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Maybe I'll find one............
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[pstrisik]

Found port plugs at PetSmart!

They look like regular tennis balls, but they are bigger.  ~3.25-3.5".  Fit very snugly in the ports.  Kong brand - AST1 SqueakAir Balls Large
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[RDavidson]

I suggest attaching some kind of strap or something around them, so that you can easily remove the balls too. Maybe just a thin ribbon of cloth or something like that would work.

[pstrisik]

I suggest attaching some kind of strap or something around them, so that you can easily remove the balls too. Maybe just a thin ribbon of cloth or something like that would work.

There's not room and might compromise the seal, though thin cloth would minimize that risk.  They come out reasonably easily with fingers though.  I could push them in further and they would be more difficult to remove without a cord, but the seal is great as you see them.  I don't anticipate removing and reinserting very often.

[screener]

Curious as to what benefits you might be hearing with these!

[pstrisik]

Curious as to what benefits you might be hearing with these!

https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=163194.msg1736020#msg1736020

[RDavidson]

There's not room and might compromise the seal, though thin cloth would minimize that risk.  They come out reasonably easily with fingers though.  I could push them in further and they would be more difficult to remove without a cord, but the seal is great as you see them.  I don't anticipate removing and reinserting very often.

Yeah, I suppose the risk isn't that bad if they fit tightly. Just have to be careful to let them stick out of the port enough that they can be easily removed. Question is, is the port reachable from inside the cabinet, just in case you have to remove a driver and push the ball out of the port.

[pstrisik]

Yeah, I suppose the risk isn't that bad if they fit tightly. Just have to be careful to let them stick out of the port enough that they can be easily removed. Question is, is the port reachable from inside the cabinet, just in case you have to remove a driver and push the ball out of the port.

Shouldn't have to remove a driver, the port is screwed on from the outside.  But it has mesh covering the inside opening of the port anyway.  I would have try pretty hard to push the ball in further.  Worst case, I have to puncture the ball and use something in that hole to pull it. 

If I did put a "removal cord" in, maybe by using a small anchor screw, and use the screw to tighten a cord to it.  Have other projects first though!

[RDavidson]

Yeah. Just trying to help save headaches later and also good food for thought for others thinking about experimenting with putting foam balls in their speakers' ports too.

Since those aren't magician grade, they won't disappear from the ports if they somehow get stuck.

[Canada Rob]

Interesting topic - plugging bass ports.  I just got an Energy S8.3 sub given to me in leu of a debt owed and thought I would try it in my system to augment my CAMs (as I had no sub).  It's a ported home theatre sub, so I wasn't expecting the nice tight integrated bass that Louis' subs are famous for.  Attack on the notes and percussion was good, but the overhang was not good - too slow and a tad boomy.  Admittedly, it takes a fast sub to keep up with any Omega.

I had some 4" thick high density gray foam kicking around (the type found in high end camera cases like Pellican) so I cut out a 5" disc to stuff into the 2.5" bass port - nothing ventured, nothing gained.  It made a major difference, really tightening up the bass and eliminating most, if not all of the overhang.  Until I can afford a 12" short throw sub from Louis, this should get me by.

A good piece of music to use to hear if the sub is synchronized with the speakers is Yello, Goldrush.  It'll tell you immediately whether your sub is dialled in.