As I look back on various speakers I've had over the years, the very best sound, particularly in lower registers, came from sealed designs. This was true with big living room speaker systems; and it's true in the last 2-3 powered monitor set-ups on my desktop/nearfield system. It's also true with subs, where I find sealed to sound best.
Yes, this assessment is 100% subjective; I've done no testing apart from whatever my ears reveal to me.
Currently in my desktop setup, I've just purchased a high-quality 2-way speaker, a sealed design, said to have particularly bass for a speaker this size (ATC SCM12 Pro). That, plus a class D amplifier recently purchased (strongly influenced by positive reviews/comments regarding its musicality) will be my first amp+passives experience on the desktop. I have high hopes. In the case of the ATC, not only do I expect cleaner/clearer/tighter bass than w/previous ported & powered monitors--but hope to also get some of the renowned ATC clarity & detail in the mids & highs (said to be accurate by not bright).
I was relatively interested in several powered studio monitors that feature passive radiators, but feel I might do better with audiophile passive designs (this ATC can be considered a hybrid--it's the professional version of their very similar "hifi" model, the SCM11 v2, but reviewers usually comment on its "musicality" (an extreme rarity in the pro world to see that word).
Wish me luck!
