Airtightness of enclosures is waaay overrated. The air uses the way of the least resistance. If you enclosure is vented in any way, you'll most likely never hear any leaks ever. Friedemann Hausdorf (chief engineer of Visaton) drilled 1 cm holes in a vented enclosure and you hardly can see any change in the response, close to the measurement repeat error, which makes it impossible to hear it, especally in the range it's located (in the bass, where the ear is quite insensitive).
On 'sealed' enclosures you'll probably hear chuffing on larger holes since that's the least resistance for the air at some frequency and it will preferrably take that way then. 'Sealed' enclosures can't be 100% airtight anyway because changing atmospheric pressure changes would cause a membrane offset and unlinear excursions (=distortion) because of the non-centered coil and, more important, asymmetrical suspension behaviour in the magnet field. No, don't drill holes in your box
The enclosure just has to be able to be that non-airtight it can equalize long-term air pressure changes, not the (very short term, like in ms) pressure changes of the drivers. Particle board, MPX, MDF etc is just fine with that. Just don't get mad on sealing every possible surface, it's wasted effort, money and you won't get it 100% airtight anyway.
What does matter, however, is if the drivers aren't mounted tightly. If the drivers are able to vibrate (or flex in itself), it does matter. If you don't use self-locking nuts, loctite and/or your baffle caves in more or less (particle board, MDF etc DOES), sealing tape is your best friend. Since it does not cost much, I'd really recommend it. If you are on your last dime, you can use the thin packing foam etc instead, even if it is not in one continuous part, since air tightness isn't priority #1.
One last note: If the sound of your speaker lacks in clarity, resolution or details you're missing, it's well worth checking and re-tighting the screws/nuts and/or reseating the foam tape. I've seen even speakers where the drive in nuts were sunk in the particle board over time. Fixing these holes is quite easy by just glueing small rectangle boards over the caved in parts and re-bore the holes and use new drive-in nuts.
On 'sealed' enclosures you'll probably hear chuffing on larger holes since that's the least resistance for the air at some frequency and it will preferrably take that way then. 'Sealed' enclosures can't be 100% airtight anyway because changing atmospheric pressure changes would cause a membrane offset and unlinear excursions (=distortion) because of the non-centered coil and, more important, asymmetrical suspension behaviour in the magnet field. No, don't drill holes in your box
The enclosure just has to be able to be that non-airtight it can equalize long-term air pressure changes, not the (very short term, like in ms) pressure changes of the drivers. Particle board, MPX, MDF etc is just fine with that. Just don't get mad on sealing every possible surface, it's wasted effort, money and you won't get it 100% airtight anyway.What does matter, however, is if the drivers aren't mounted tightly. If the drivers are able to vibrate (or flex in itself), it does matter. If you don't use self-locking nuts, loctite and/or your baffle caves in more or less (particle board, MDF etc DOES), sealing tape is your best friend. Since it does not cost much, I'd really recommend it. If you are on your last dime, you can use the thin packing foam etc instead, even if it is not in one continuous part, since air tightness isn't priority #1.
One last note: If the sound of your speaker lacks in clarity, resolution or details you're missing, it's well worth checking and re-tighting the screws/nuts and/or reseating the foam tape. I've seen even speakers where the drive in nuts were sunk in the particle board over time. Fixing these holes is quite easy by just glueing small rectangle boards over the caved in parts and re-bore the holes and use new drive-in nuts.
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