This.While a properly designed, and tuned box will sound great and get loud, most people don't go through the trouble. They just get a sealed box and say, "ITZ FOR SQ". A ported box can get the same quality as a sealed box (depending on the driver, that is.)
Some drivers (Such as every DD sub ever made) are designed to be in a ported enclosure.
Anyone who sums it up as "Sealed for SQ, Ported is for going loud" is just wrong and ignorant.
An enclosure tuned lower will have a nice low response and a nice even roll off and flat response... A sealed enclosure with have a low response (Low response being that it's loud at lower frequencies.) and have a nice flat roll off response. That's why people associate sealed enclosures with SQ. Because of the over-all flat response given.
However, a ported enclosure can get the same flat response if designed correctly.
There are WAYY too many factors to consider, which is why anyone who says anything definitive is just wrong.
Exactly.