In this review, we will be comparing Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer and ForceField 4, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Aperion and GoldenEar. Being Powered subwoofers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features of Aperion Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer and GoldenEar ForceField 4 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
The sections below take each area in turn: driver and amplifier, frequency response, physical size and connectivity.
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Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both Aperion Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwooferand GoldenEar ForceField 4 have a single woofer setup however the Aperion Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer's woofer is 12-inch whereas the GoldenEar ForceField 4 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer has a frequency range of 19-195 Hz whereas ForceField 4 has a frequency range of 14-250 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 14Hz, the ForceField 4 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer's min frequency of 19Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Subwoofer class in our database.
Low Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer
Cabinet Type
The Aperion Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer has a Bass Reflex type cabinet. Bass Reflex type subwoofers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs. On the other hand the GoldenEar ForceField 4 have Passive Radiator type enclosure. Passive Radiator type subwoofers sports a non-powered cone that moves in response to the main woofer to move air out in order to generate stronger bass in a smaller body compared to ported or sealed designs.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Aperion Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer's and GoldenEar ForceField 4's external dimensions. Aperion Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer has external dimensions of 469.9 x 401.3 x 439.9mm (18.5 x 15.8 x 17.32inch) whereas GoldenEar ForceField 4 has external dimensions of 331.0 x 340.0 x 482.0mm (13inch x 13-3/8inch x 18-15/16inch).
GoldenEar ForceField 4 is 61.3mm narrower and 138.9mm shorter than Aperion Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer but it is also 42.1mm deeper.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Aperion Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer is approximately 1765.3cm2 / 273.6inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 4 is approximately 1638.8cm2 / 254.0inch2. The Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer requires 8% more surface area than the ForceField 4 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a subwoofer may become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often to find the optimal positioning, also known as 'Subwoofer Crawling'. The Aperion Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer weighs 24.49kg / 53.9lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 4 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer 68% heavier than the ForceField 4.
Here is a comparison of how Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer and ForceField 4's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
19 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250k Hz
vs
195k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
331mm
vs
469mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1638cm2
vs
1765cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Aperion Daedalus DS12 Class D 12" Powered Subwoofer |
GoldenEar ForceField 4 |
| Brand |
Aperion |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
250 watts |
1200 watts |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
19-195 Hz |
14-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
250-watt RMS |
1200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
469.9mm (18.5") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Width |
401.3mm (15.8") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Depth |
439.9mm (17.3") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Weight |
24.49kg (53.9lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
3 Years |