If you listen to David Rawlings play with Gilliam Welch, David plays a small bodied arch top, Gillian a J45 or a dread, there's no question that the smaller guitar is louder but its an upper mid heavy sound that is mostly fundamental and less about overtones and sustain. Same for the Milk Carton Kids with Kenneth's 00 Martin against Joeys J45 (old j45s aren't typically quiet guitars).
In my own experience, larger/deeper bodies have more bass and a rounder, fuller sound that seems louder for the player but less so for the audience and smaller guitars have a more piercing sound that can sound really rich and full to the player, but not so full to the audience. So I guess Im in the 'myth' crowd.
BTw, small sound holes give more bass but less projection, just like porting in a speaker.
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