Wayne Parham Messages: 18748 Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
I like to recess the drivers because I think they look better that way. But they don't have to be offset. The difference is not significant acoustically.
Same thing with roundover. You can do it but it does not make an acoustically significant difference.
I should mention that there is some debate on the effects of loudspeaker cabinet edge diffraction. Been a debate for decades. To tell the truth, I used to always round the corners but stopped after a few years. There's some more information at the link below. I used to think it was worthwhile to round the cabinet edges but have since changed my mind. But it certainly doesn't hurt to do it.
About the port, you can do it any way you want as long as the overall length from entrance to exit is right. That said, I've always liked cutting the hole to match the O.D. of the carboard tube and sliding it in the wood. This allows more surface area for the glue to hold the duct. Put veneer on afterwards so it covers the edge of the port. I usually pain the inside of the port black too.