In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 3 and SW-12, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from GoldenEar and Wharfedale. 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 Wharfedale SW-12 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 Wharfedale SW-12 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 Wharfedale SW-12 have a single woofer setup however the GoldenEar ForceField 3's woofer is 8-inch whereas the Wharfedale SW-12 features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
ForceField 3 has a frequency range of 18-250 Hz whereas SW-12 has a frequency range of 35-120 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 SW-12's min frequency of 35Hz.
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 Wharfedale SW-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.
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 Wharfedale SW-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 Wharfedale SW-12 has external dimensions of 480.0 x 402.0 x 512.0mm ( 18-7/8inch x 15-13/16inch x 20-1/8inch ) .
Wharfedale SW-12 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 109mm wider, 192mm taller and 80mm deeper than GoldenEar ForceField 3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of GoldenEar ForceField 3 and Wharfedale SW-12 in scale.
Comparison image of GoldenEar ForceField 3 and Wharfedale SW-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 Wharfedale SW-12 is approximately 2058.2cm2 / 319.0inch2. The ForceField 3 requires 38% less surface area than the SW-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 Wharfedale SW-12 weighs 21.54kg / 47.4lbs. This makes the SW-12 82% heavier than the ForceField 3.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 3 and SW-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 Subwoofer10-feet AC power cordOwners Manual
What's in the Box of Wharfedale SW-12?
Here are the items that come with the SW-12:
Powered subwooferGrille6.5-feet AC power cordUser-feets Manual
 Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250k Hz
vs
120k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
288mm
vs
480mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1265cm2 (293x432mm)
vs
2058cm2 (402x512mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 3 |
Wharfedale SW-12 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
300 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-250 Hz |
35-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
288.0mm (11.3") |
480.0mm (18.9") |
| Width |
293.0mm (11.5") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Depth |
432.0mm (17") |
512.0mm (20.2") |
| Weight |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
21.54kg (47.4lbs) |
| 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 |