In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 3 and HTS 12, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from GoldenEar and Polk Audio. 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 Polk HTS 12 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 Polk HTS 12 have a single woofer setup however the GoldenEar ForceField 3's woofer is 8-inch whereas the Polk HTS 12 features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
ForceField 3 has a frequency range of 18-250 Hz whereas HTS 12 has a frequency range of 28-120 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 HTS 12'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 Polk HTS 12 have Bass Reflex type enclosure. Bass Reflex type subwoofers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
Polk HTS 12 Port
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 Polk HTS 12'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 Polk HTS 12 has external dimensions of 478.0 x 437.0 x 510.0mm (18-13/16 x 17-3/16 x 20-1/16inch).
Polk HTS 12 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 144mm wider, 190mm taller and 78mm deeper than GoldenEar ForceField 3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of GoldenEar ForceField 3 and Polk HTS 12 in scale.
Comparison image of GoldenEar ForceField 3 and Polk HTS 12 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 Polk HTS 12 is approximately 2228.7cm2 / 345.4inch2. The ForceField 3 requires 43% less surface area than the HTS 12 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 Polk HTS 12 weighs 22.68kg / 49.9lbs. This makes the HTS 12 92% heavier than the ForceField 3.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 3 and HTS 12'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 Polk HTS 12?
Here are the items that come with the HTS 12:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 8-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration sheet
 Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
288mm
vs
478mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1265cm2
vs
2228cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
549USD
vs
599USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
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.
Polk HTS 12 needs about 76% more floor area. Polk HTS 12 stands 78mm further into the room. Polk HTS 12 is 190mm taller.
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 3 |
Polk Audio HTS 12 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-250 Hz |
28-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
400-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
288.0mm (11.3") |
478.0mm (18.8") |
| Width |
293.0mm (11.5") |
437.0mm (17.2") |
| Depth |
432.0mm (17") |
510.0mm (20.1") |
| Weight |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
22.68kg (49.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
A passive radiator subwoofer against a ported 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 | A | 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 | A | 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 | B | Polk HTS 12 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 | GoldenEar ForceField 3 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; Polk HTS 12 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| 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. |
| Phase control | B | Polk HTS 12 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 3 is about 66% 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 | B | Polk HTS 12 costs less - $549 against $599, about 8% less. |
A GoldenEar ForceField 3 B Polk HTS 12
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?
The usual trade-off: GoldenEar ForceField 3 measures better, Polk HTS 12 costs about 8% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. 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. 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.