I'm glad you are enjoying your studio two π speakers. You're right to suggest that tower two π speakers need bracing. The studio two's don't but the tower two's really do.As for port length and baffle thickness, the port needs to be 1 7/8" long entrance to exit. So if the baffle is 3/4" thick then the port tube should extend that another 1 1/8" for a total of 1 7/8". All the cabinetmakers I've used have cut the baffle so that the duct fits snug inside the baffle cutout, so the duct was actually as long as specified. But I've heard that some fit the duct flush to the baffle and glue it on edge. At any rate, the port length is 1 7/8" entrance to exit.