Sealed systems, on the other hand, require high-compliance drivers. If a small sealed box is to be used, the cone should be constructed of fairly heavy material and be capable of long excursions. The reduced excursion properties of vented systems allow the use of a much tighter cone. This results in less distortion, better transient response, and better cone control. Additionally, these drivers tend to be more efficient because of their lighter paper cones.
Most manufacturers offer charts that specify the recommended volume required for their speakers.
As you probably have guessed, large woofers will almost always out-perform small woofers in any installation. The reasons for this are simple. Acoustic output is directly related to the volume of air displaced by the cone. This displacement is similar to the bore and stroke of a piston in an engine. In the case of a woofer, the bore is the area of the speaker cone and the stroke is the excursion.