In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 3 and ForceField 40, two Powered Subwoofer speakers by 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 GoldenEar ForceField 3 and GoldenEar ForceField 40 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 GoldenEar ForceField 40 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 GoldenEar ForceField 40 have a single woofer setup however the GoldenEar ForceField 3's woofer is 8-inch whereas the GoldenEar ForceField 40 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
ForceField 3 has a frequency range of 18-250 Hz whereas ForceField 40 has a frequency range of 14-250 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 14Hz, the ForceField 40 can go slightly deeper then the ForceField 3's min frequency of 18Hz.
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
Both GoldenEar ForceField 3 and GoldenEar ForceField 40 have Passive Radiator type cabinets. 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
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 GoldenEar ForceField 40'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 GoldenEar ForceField 40 has external dimensions of 378.0 x 339.0 x 485.0mm ( 14-7/8inch x 13-5/16inch x 19-1/16inch ) .
GoldenEar ForceField 40 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 46mm wider, 90mm taller and 53mm 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 GoldenEar ForceField 3 is approximately 1265.8cm2 / 196.2inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 40 is approximately 1644.2cm2 / 254.9inch2. The ForceField 3 requires 23% less surface area than the ForceField 40 which gives it a small advantage 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 GoldenEar ForceField 40 weighs 18.41kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the ForceField 40 56% heavier than the ForceField 3.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 3 and ForceField 40'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 GoldenEar ForceField 40?
Here are the items that come with the ForceField 40:
Powered subwoofer10-feet AC power cordQuick Start GuideOwners Manual
 Height |
288mm
vs
378mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1265cm2 (293x432mm)
vs
1644cm2 (339x485mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
18 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 3 |
GoldenEar ForceField 40 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-250 Hz |
14-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front and bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
288.0mm (11.3") |
378.0mm (14.9") |
| Width |
293.0mm (11.5") |
339.0mm (13.3") |
| Depth |
432.0mm (17") |
485.0mm (19.1") |
| Weight |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
18.41kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |