In this review, we will be comparing Varro RS700-SB and ForceField 4, 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 Varro RS700-SB 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 ELAC Varro RS700-SBand GoldenEar ForceField 4 have a single woofer setup however the ELAC Varro RS700-SB's woofer is 12-inch whereas the GoldenEar ForceField 4 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Varro RS700-SB has a frequency range of 17-150 Hz whereas ForceField 4 has a frequency range of 14-250 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 14Hz, the ForceField 4 can go slightly deeper then the Varro RS700-SB's min frequency of 17Hz.
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
Cabinet Type
The ELAC Varro RS700-SB has a Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. Acoustic Suspension aka Sealed type subwoofers have enclosures that are sealed hence no ports or holes exists on the cabinet. Sealed designs helps to provide more accurate and tight bass responses compared to ported 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 ELAC Varro RS700-SB's and GoldenEar ForceField 4's external dimensions. ELAC Varro RS700-SB has external dimensions of 439.0 x 418.0 x 420.0mm (17-1/4inch x 16-7/16inch x 16-1/2inch) 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 78mm narrower and 108mm shorter than ELAC Varro RS700-SB but it is also 62mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Varro RS700-SB and GoldenEar ForceField 4 in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Varro RS700-SB and GoldenEar ForceField 4 Size and External Dimensions
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 Varro RS700-SB is approximately 1755.6cm2 / 272.1inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 4 is approximately 1638.8cm2 / 254.0inch2. The Varro RS700-SB requires 7% 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 ELAC Varro RS700-SB weighs 25.35kg / 55.8lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 4 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the Varro RS700-SB 74% heavier than the ForceField 4.
Here is a comparison of how Varro RS700-SB and ForceField 4's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of ELAC Varro RS700-SB?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Varro RS700-SB:
- Grill
- Power Cord
- 4 Spikes
What's in the Box of GoldenEar ForceField 4?
Here are the items that come with the ForceField 4:
- Powered Subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
| Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
17 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
331mm
vs
439mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1638cm2
vs
1755cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ELAC Varro RS700-SB |
GoldenEar ForceField 4 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
700 watts |
1200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
17-150 Hz |
14-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
700-watt RMS |
1200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1400-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
439.0mm (17.3") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Width |
418.0mm (16.5") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Depth |
420.0mm (16.5") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Weight |
25.35kg (55.8lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| USB Port |
USB-A port for firmware updates |
n/a |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
n/a |
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 4 goes deeper - 14Hz against 17Hz. 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 4 has the bigger amplifier - 1200W against 700W RMS, about 2.3dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | ELAC Varro RS700-SB moves more air: 12" against 10" is 1.44x the cone area, not the 1.2x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | ELAC Varro RS700-SB is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; GoldenEar ForceField 4 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. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only ELAC Varro RS700-SB offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Phase control | A | ELAC Varro RS700-SB has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Cabinet size | depends | GoldenEar ForceField 4 is about 30% 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 4 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 | B | GoldenEar ForceField 4 costs less - $799 against $1,499, about 47% less. |
A ELAC Varro RS700-SB B GoldenEar ForceField 4
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 4 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 4 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, ELAC Varro RS700-SB is usually the easier one to make sound right. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $799 each, two GoldenEar ForceField 4 cost about $1,598 against $1,499 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
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.