In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 30 and A120P, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from GoldenEar and JBL. 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 JBL Stage A120P 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 30and JBL Stage A120P have a single woofer setup however the GoldenEar ForceField 30's woofer is 8-inch whereas the JBL Stage A120P features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
ForceField 30 has a frequency range of 18-250 Hz whereas A120P has a frequency range of 32-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the ForceField 30 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the A120P's min frequency of 32Hz.
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 30 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 JBL Stage A120P have Bass reflex type enclosure.
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 JBL Stage A120P'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 JBL Stage A120P has external dimensions of 415.0 x 393.0 x 475.0mm (16-5/16 x 15-7/16 x 18-11/16inch).
JBL Stage A120P is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 102mm wider, 91mm taller and 54mm deeper than GoldenEar ForceField 30.
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 JBL Stage A120P is approximately 1866.8cm2 / 289.4inch2. The ForceField 30 requires 34% less surface area than the A120P 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 30 weighs 14.32kg / 31.5lbs and the JBL Stage A120P weighs 18.68kg / 41.1lbs. This makes the A120P 30% heavier than the ForceField 30.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 30 and A120P'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 JBL Stage A120P?
Here are the items that come with the A120P:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 4 Spike feet
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card
- Important Safety Instructions
 Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
324mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1225cm2
vs
1866cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
300USD
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.
JBL Stage A120P needs about 52% more floor area. JBL Stage A120P stands 54mm further into the room. JBL Stage A120P is 91mm taller.
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 30 |
JBL Stage A120P |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
250 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-250 Hz |
32-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
250-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polycellulose |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front and bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
324.0mm (12.8") |
415.0mm (16.3") |
| Width |
291.0mm (11.5") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Depth |
421.0mm (16.6") |
475.0mm (18.7") |
| Weight |
14.32kg (31.5lbs) |
18.68kg (41.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
1 Year |
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 30 goes deeper - 18Hz against 32Hz. 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 30 has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 250W RMS, about 6dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | JBL Stage A120P 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 30 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; JBL Stage A120P 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. |
| Phase control | B | JBL Stage A120P 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 JBL Stage A120P 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 | GoldenEar ForceField 30 is about 49% 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. |
| Warranty | A | GoldenEar ForceField 30 carries 3 years on parts against 1 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | JBL Stage A120P costs less - $300 against $899, about 67% less. |
A GoldenEar ForceField 30 B JBL Stage A120P
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 30 is ahead, but on only 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 3x the price. JBL Stage A120P is the sensible buy unless your room is large enough to need the extra. 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 $300 each, two JBL Stage A120P cost about $600 against $899 for one of the other, which is worth a thought. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - GoldenEar ForceField 30 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.