Audio Systems: Audiobahn system, audiobahn a8002t, 1997 chrysler concorde

Question
I want to make a system based on 2 12's and an Audiobahn A8002T amp, which is 800 watts rms total, and can run 400 to each amp.  I was thinking of using either 2 audiobahn AW120T 's or 2 audiobahn AW121T 's.  This may get complicated, but here goes:  The 120's seem like they'd go better with the amp, but according to sounddomain.com, they wouldn't go very well in a sealed box, which I was hoping for since they're smaller than ported boxes.   Also, are ported boxes *a lot* bigger than sealed ones?  I know that ported boxes would have better bass and lower the power handling of speakers, but I'm not sure by how much.  So, the 121's would naturally be better, right?  But, at 550 watts rms a piece, wouldn't that be too much for the amp?  I really wouldn't care about its "full potential" but I just don't want it to sound crappy.  Why wouldn't the 120's go good in a sealed box though?  What would you recommend?  They're only $10 difference, so price really doesn't matter to me, but which one would go better w/ that amp, and which box would I have to get that can still fit in the trunk?  The trunk is big, but the opening for it is small.  I have a 1997 Chrysler Concorde.

Thanks!
Jamahl Knight

Answer
Jamahl,
Ported boxes are larger than sealed boxes, yes. But the benefits you get out of a ported box are usually worth the extra amount of space that it takes up. It's not usually a 'massive' difference in box size, but its' size depends on how you want the box tuned. Given what you've told me, you could really go with the 120's or 121's and be happy. I would recommend the 121's specifically because their RMS rating is higher than what the sub would receive. That way you know if the amp is pushing out as much power as it can, the sub can handle it without any potential problems cropping up. And also given the price difference, you'd want a sub that's a little tougher. You won't get the 'optimal performance' since the amp will only be able to push 400 watts to each sub, but you'll be able to switch out the amp for a more powerful one in the future (like a 1000 watt amp) without changing the box or the subs. Also, I couldn't tell you why the 120's don't sound as good in a sealed box. I've never heard of this before, since most boxes are of the sealed variety anyway. I hope this helps you with your decision.

Best Of Luck,
Alan