The Question that every audiophile probably has an opinion about. My feeling is that a well designed speaker is just that. Most designs these days tend to be tuned ports, for what reason I'm not sure, but any sealed speakers I have owned have needed a large amount of power to bring out there best. As I understand a sealed box needs to be quite a bit larger than a vented design to achieve the same bass extention. Larger boxes in general equal poorer sound stage and imaging.
The reason, as I understand it, for the proac speakers having straws stuffed into the port was not to increase bass responce but to increase friction in the port at higher volumes so that the woofer didn't break-up, and yes in much the same way that stuffing a transmition line's horn/port with insulating material.
The reason, as I understand it, for the proac speakers having straws stuffed into the port was not to increase bass responce but to increase friction in the port at higher volumes so that the woofer didn't break-up, and yes in much the same way that stuffing a transmition line's horn/port with insulating material.