This is why I bought a tubed SVS. Cone is down, ports are up. It only sits one way. Two less variables to worry about when placing the sub.
The room placement will matter, as others have said. Orientation might matter, depending on how high your crossover is. If you have a really high xo, like 120hz+, then the woofer orientation could matter as the upper-bass signals are a little bit directional. But if it's a low/normal xo, then it's hard to say for sure if it makes a difference.
IMHO, the driver-facing-you orientation is the way the designers probably intended for the sub to be placed. If for no other reason than usually all the hookups are on the backside. It's probably less pleasing to look at a mess of wires than it is to have the cone/mesh side visible.
But the only "right" way to set it up is the way that sounds best to you. Tinker with placements and orientation until you're happiest with the boomy-ness vs. accuracy battle. Don't forget about the infamous
sub crawl.
Then call it a day and enjoy your system.
