In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 30 and SuperCube 4000, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from GoldenEar and Definitive Technology. 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 30 and DT SuperCube 4000 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.GoldenEar ForceField 30and DT SuperCube 4000 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 8" drivers.
Frequency Response
ForceField 30 has a frequency range of 18-250 Hz whereas SuperCube 4000 has a frequency range of 16-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 16Hz, the SuperCube 4000 can go slightly deeper then the ForceField 30'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 30 and DT SuperCube 4000 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 30's and DT SuperCube 4000's external dimensions. GoldenEar ForceField 30 has external dimensions of 324.0 x 291.0 x 421.0mm (12-3/4inch x 11-7/16inch x 16-9/16inch) whereas DT SuperCube 4000 has external dimensions of 302.0 x 281.0 x 318.0mm (11-7/8 x 11-1/16 x 12-1/2inch).
GoldenEar ForceField 30 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 10mm wider, 22mm taller and 103mm deeper than DT SuperCube 4000.
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 30 is approximately 1225.1cm2 / 189.9inch2 and base area of the DT SuperCube 4000 is approximately 893.6cm2 / 138.5inch2. The ForceField 30 requires 37% more surface area than the SuperCube 4000 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 30 weighs 14.32kg / 31.5lbs and the DT SuperCube 4000 weighs 11.36kg / 25lbs. This makes the ForceField 30 26% heavier than the SuperCube 4000.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 30 and SuperCube 4000'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 30?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ForceField 30:
- Powered subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Quick Start Guide
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of DT SuperCube 4000?
Here are the items that come with the SuperCube 4000:
- 8-inch Powered subwoofer
- 7-feet AC power cord
- Remote control (CR2025 battery installed)
- 4 Threaded rubber-feet
- 4 Spike feet (hex-nut attached)
- Owners Manual
- SC4000 Booklet
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
200 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Low Frequency Response |
16 Hz
vs
18 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
302mm
vs
324mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
893cm2
vs
1225cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
899USD
|
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.
GoldenEar ForceField 30 needs about 37% more floor area. GoldenEar ForceField 30 stands 103mm further into the room. GoldenEar ForceField 30 is 22mm taller.
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 30 |
Definitive Technology SuperCube 4000 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Definitive Technology |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
1200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-250 Hz |
16-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
1200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
40-150 Hz and 40-150 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front and bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
324.0mm (12.8") |
302.0mm (11.9") |
| Width |
291.0mm (11.5") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
421.0mm (16.6") |
318.0mm (12.5") |
| Weight |
14.32kg (31.5lbs) |
11.36kg (25lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
No single best subwoofer here. Your room, where the box can physically go, and whether this is mainly for films or mainly for music will settle it long before the specs do.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (18Hz vs 16Hz). |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (1000W vs 1200W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (8" against 8"). |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are passive radiator designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Speaker-level inputs | B | DT SuperCube 4000 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 | DT SuperCube 4000 has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Driver placement | depends | GoldenEar ForceField 30 fires front/down and DT SuperCube 4000 fires front. 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 | DT SuperCube 4000 is about 32% 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 | DT SuperCube 4000 costs less - $799 against $899, about 11% less. |
A GoldenEar ForceField 30 B DT SuperCube 4000
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?
DT SuperCube 4000 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take GoldenEar ForceField 30 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, DT SuperCube 4000 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 - DT SuperCube 4000 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.