In this review, we will be comparing DS123 and ForceField 3, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from ELAC 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 ELAC DS123 and GoldenEar ForceField 3 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.
Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both ELAC DS123and GoldenEar ForceField 3 have a single woofer setup however the ELAC DS123's woofer is 12-inch whereas the GoldenEar ForceField 3 features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
DS123 has a frequency range of 28-150 Hz whereas ForceField 3 has a frequency range of 18-250 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the ForceField 3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the DS123's min frequency of 28Hz.
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
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
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 ELAC DS123's and GoldenEar ForceField 3's external dimensions. ELAC DS123 has external dimensions of 374.7 x 360.4 x 446.1mm () whereas GoldenEar ForceField 3 has external dimensions of 288.0 x 293.0 x 432.0mm (11-5/16inch x 11-1/2inch x 17inch).
ELAC DS123 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 67.4mm wider, 86.7mm taller and 14.1mm deeper than GoldenEar ForceField 3.
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 ELAC DS123 is approximately 1607.7cm2 / 249.2inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 3 is approximately 1265.8cm2 / 196.2inch2. The DS123 requires 27% more surface area than the ForceField 3 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 ELAC DS123 weighs 13.70kg / 30.1lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 3 weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs. This makes the DS123 16% heavier than the ForceField 3.
Here is a comparison of how DS123 and ForceField 3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
288mm
vs
374mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1265cm2
vs
1607cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
Size, drawn to scale
Both subwoofers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same floor and pushed back to the same wall, so the bigger one visibly takes more of the room.
ELAC DS123 needs about 27% more floor area. ELAC DS123 is 87mm taller.
| General |
ELAC DS123 |
GoldenEar ForceField 3 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
28-150 Hz |
18-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
400-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
374.7mm (14.8") |
288.0mm (11.3") |
| Width |
360.4mm (14.2") |
293.0mm (11.5") |
| Depth |
446.1mm (17.6") |
432.0mm (17") |
| Weight |
13.70kg (30.1lbs) |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Passive Radiator |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
A sealed subwoofer against a passive radiator one. That is the most consequential line on this page: it decides how the bass rolls off, how it behaves in a small room, and how much output you get for the size of the box.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | GoldenEar ForceField 3 goes deeper - 18Hz against 28Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | GoldenEar ForceField 3 has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 200W RMS, about 7dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | ELAC DS123 moves more air: 12" against 8" is 2.25x the cone area, not the 1.5x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | ELAC DS123 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; GoldenEar ForceField 3 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Cabinet size | depends | GoldenEar ForceField 3 is about 39% smaller by volume. In a subwoofer that is a real trade rather than a preference: box volume is how you get output low down without a bigger amplifier. |
| Warranty | B | GoldenEar ForceField 3 carries 3 years on parts against 1 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | evenly matched | Priced within a few per cent of each other. |
A ELAC DS123 B GoldenEar ForceField 3
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both subwoofers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
GoldenEar ForceField 3 has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, GoldenEar ForceField 3 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, ELAC DS123 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - GoldenEar ForceField 3 is the one that will actually go there, and a well-placed small subwoofer beats a badly-placed big one every time.
One thing outweighs everything above: where the subwoofer stands. Room modes can add or remove 10dB or more at a given seat, which is far larger than any difference on this page. Before spending more, try the sub in two or three positions - the crawl test, where you put it in the listening seat and crawl the room to find where the bass sounds best, costs nothing and usually beats an upgrade.