> Surely there's some analogy in how the human ear breaks down frequencies in the cochlea and how a speaker produces them in a similar shape?
A false analogy, at best. The sound is produced entirely by the speaker, which sits at the front of the speaker; the "nautilus" shape is simply a resonant chamber.
> the "nautilus" shape is simply a resonant chamber.
From what I've read, it's the opposite of a resonant chamber, it's filled with wool to absorb any sound which could be reflected from enclosure. It's special shape ensures that each frequency emitted by driver is absorbed at different place to ensure no harmonics, THE only sound emitted from this speaker is made by front of membrane.
A false analogy, at best. The sound is produced entirely by the speaker, which sits at the front of the speaker; the "nautilus" shape is simply a resonant chamber.