Yes-given the same woofer-one that had a EDP that lends it’s self to sealed and ported boxes-the ported box will always be LARGER.
Amazing how many assume just the opposite.
I would certainly recommend any audiophile to get and read a copy of Dickason’s Speaker Cookbook.
Also Weems-designing and building speakers.
It keeps you away from the huge misinformation on speaker design, and implementation.
I prefer sealed myself-overhauled my ESS AMT3’s with woofers, and sealed the boxes (trial and error-even with woofers that had the correct Theil Parameters to work in the box-some integrated poorly with the supporting drivers).
But frankly, making a correctly ported box, without expensive testing equipment to get the tuning spot on, is darn near impossible. Damping a sealed box, by ear, with aid of a simple damping tester is much easier.
I assume Klipsch certainly tuned these with the proper equipment-no doubt in my mind. The Heresy is their best selling Heritage model, has been for years, and help keep them afloat during the rough years.
Good competition for the reissued JBL’s.
IMHO the biggest news is the new midrange, updated tweeter horn, better, and more even dispersion and updated crossover. As Klipsch mentions-smoother, less peaky response, and better driver integration.
All issues that reduce it’s marketability.
I haven’t hear one yet-but remember the III’s very well-should be interesting.
Just guessing from my memory-but these changes clearly address the issues I had with the Heresy III’s. The bass frankly wasn’t one of them-but I never played bass heavy material @ high volumes either. I would rather have tight bass-over extended boomy bass. But there is still away to get tight bass with a port-not sealed but close.
Each design decision had tradeoffs, particularly with bass.