Do passive radiators give more output than a port?
Yes and No. The best a passive radiator can do is to be equivalent to a port with roughly the same diameter. An 8″ port is better than a 8″ passive radiator in theory since the port does not have a significant Vas or Qms. However passive radiators create specifications that are far beyond what any realistic port can achieve. A port equivalent to most large passives cannot be used typically unless the cabinet was larger than most living rooms. The most extreme example is the dual 15″ 1400g passive radiator cabinets. A port equivalent to these would be over 18″ in diameter and 46 FEET in length! This is where the passive radiator works best, in situations that ports cannot be used under any circumstances. The example 18″ port cited would have incredible output compared to a standard 4″ port if it could be made to work, however the port size is not feasible while the passive radiator is.
