Do most people prefer tight bass or non tight bass?

It totally depends on the music, sometimes I just want to feel the bass, other times I want to be able to discern the difference between a bass guitar and bass drum. 

Think most of the time, the bass resolution is in the recording. Some Hip-Hop will have bass boom, while some Blues will have tighter more accurate bass.

In general, for 2ch, I like sealed boxes, including my sub. Want the tighter more accurate sound. Now in my HT, I just want the room to shake, music accuracy is less important. 

I can sit and listen to my 2ch setup all day, at moderate volumes. Only done it a few times watching music on the TV in the HT room, but it does become fatiguing over time. Some of that might be the 13 speakers, and 2 x12 subs. 

For me it ultimately starts with the amp and how it controls the speaker drivers. Clearly the Damping Factor spec is key….I don’t think you need a huge number but as always more is better. The Mac at only 40 is the main culprit, that’s too low. Something around 200 is my minimum for DF. My current amp is 1100 DF at 20Hz, for most part I have very tight bass and articulated well. Some recordings have a bloated low end so nothing you can do with that. Over all I prefer a tight articulated bass that still gives me deep notes and pressurizes my room very well, and I still can hear the other instruments. 
You are hearing the difference so it does make for a choice of what you like or not. 

Ever hear a car rolling down the street with a booming bass?  You want the opposite of that.

@polklover

+1 

Hi-fi lore, was at one time you had to have a 15" woofer for good bass - due to the inherent low resonant frequency and large ability to move air - or something like that. These days smaller, faster 8" and less woofers are popular. Problem is they need long throw excursions to provide the volume at low frequencies that then increases distortion. Solution is, multiple small woofers to yield same area as a 15", but faster response with the same or less excursion travel.