My experience is that is all about distortion, filtering and acoustics. You can`t compare subs if they are not set up at the very same spot. You are listening to the room as well and it is impossible to select to listen to just the subs behaviours. I have never understood the difference between a cinema sub and a sub for music. The sub should just reproduce the signal from the input as accurate as possible. If you want more slam, adjust that in the filter, if you want more accurate signal avoid room problems and set the signal level to an appropriate level. The same goes for size, I have not came across subs that are to “much”, to bad Yes but not one giving to much bass and impossible to control. Control and adjust the placement, volume and the filtering and normally bigger gives a better result.
Regards
Harry