In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 3 and Muro SUB2020, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from GoldenEar and ELAC. 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 GoldenEar ForceField 3 and ELAC Muro SUB2020 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into details in order to better understand how the GoldenEar ForceField 3 and ELAC Muro SUB2020 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these subwoofers is the better choice for you.
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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 GoldenEar ForceField 3and ELAC Muro SUB2020 have a single woofer setup however the GoldenEar ForceField 3's woofer is 8-inch whereas the ELAC Muro SUB2020 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
ForceField 3 has a frequency range of 18-250 Hz whereas Muro SUB2020 has a frequency range of 28-200 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 Muro SUB2020'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
Cabinet Type
The GoldenEar ForceField 3 has a Passive Radiator type cabinet. 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. On the other hand the ELAC Muro SUB2020 have Acoustic Suspension type enclosure. 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.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare GoldenEar ForceField 3's and ELAC Muro SUB2020's external dimensions. GoldenEar ForceField 3 has external dimensions of 288.0 x 293.0 x 432.0mm ( 11-5/16inch x 11-1/2inch x 17inch ) whereas ELAC Muro SUB2020 has external dimensions of 399.0 x 185.0 x 515.0mm ( 15-11/16 x 7-1/4 x 20-1/4inch) .
GoldenEar ForceField 3 is 111mm shorter and 83mm less deeper than ELAC Muro SUB2020 but it is also 108mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of GoldenEar ForceField 3 and ELAC Muro SUB2020 in scale.
Comparison image of GoldenEar ForceField 3 and ELAC Muro SUB2020 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 GoldenEar ForceField 3 is approximately 1265.8cm2 / 196.2inch2 and base area of the ELAC Muro SUB2020 is approximately 952.8cm2 / 147.7inch2. The ForceField 3 requires 33% more surface area than the Muro SUB2020 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 GoldenEar ForceField 3 weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs and the ELAC Muro SUB2020 weighs 12.73kg / 28lbs. This makes the Muro SUB2020 8% heavier than the ForceField 3.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 3 and Muro SUB2020's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of GoldenEar ForceField 3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ForceField 3:
Powered Subwoofer10-feet AC power cordOwners Manual
What's in the Box of ELAC Muro SUB2020?
Here are the items that come with the Muro SUB2020:
Powered subwoofer8-feet AC power cord4 Cone feet2 Brackets2 Machine screws2 Wood screws2 Washers2 Wall anchorsOperating Instructions
 Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250k Hz
vs
200k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
288mm
vs
399mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
1000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Base Surface Area |
952cm2 (185x515mm)
vs
1265cm2 (293x432mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 3 |
ELAC Muro SUB2020 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-250 Hz |
28-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Woven Cellulose Fiber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
side or bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
288.0mm (11.3") |
399.0mm (15.7") |
| Width |
293.0mm (11.5") |
185.0mm (7.3") |
| Depth |
432.0mm (17") |
515.0mm (20.3") |
| Weight |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
12.73kg (28lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
1 Year |