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.
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 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
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 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 Subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of GoldenEar ForceField 40?
Here are the items that come with the ForceField 40:
- Powered subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Quick Start Guide
- Owners Manual
 Height |
288mm
vs
378mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1265cm2
vs
1644cm2
|
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 |
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.
GoldenEar ForceField 40 needs about 30% more floor area. GoldenEar ForceField 40 stands 53mm further into the room. GoldenEar ForceField 40 is 90mm taller.
| 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 |
Siblings in GoldenEar's ForceField range - same design thinking, different size. It comes down to your room and your budget.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | GoldenEar ForceField 40 goes deeper - 14Hz against 18Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (1000W vs 1000W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | B | GoldenEar ForceField 40 moves more air: 10" against 8" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are passive radiator designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | GoldenEar ForceField 3 takes a speaker-level connection as well as line level. That is what lets it work with an integrated amplifier or a vintage receiver that has no subwoofer output at all. |
| Driver placement | depends | GoldenEar ForceField 3 fires front and GoldenEar ForceField 40 fires front/down. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Cabinet size | depends | GoldenEar ForceField 3 is about 41% 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. |
| Price | A | GoldenEar ForceField 3 costs less - $599 against $1,199, about 50% less. |
A GoldenEar ForceField 3 B GoldenEar ForceField 40
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 40 is ahead, but on only 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 100% more. GoldenEar ForceField 3 is the sensible buy unless your room is large enough to need the extra. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, GoldenEar ForceField 3 is the only one of these two you can connect at all. 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 $599 each, two GoldenEar ForceField 3 cost about $1,198 against $1,199 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.