In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 4 and Debut 2.0 SUB3030, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from GoldenEar and ELAC. 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 4 and ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 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.
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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 4and ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 have a single woofer setup however the GoldenEar ForceField 4's woofer is 10-inch whereas the ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
ForceField 4 has a frequency range of 14-250 Hz whereas Debut 2.0 SUB3030 has a frequency range of 25-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 14Hz, the ForceField 4 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Debut 2.0 SUB3030's min frequency of 25Hz.
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 4 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 ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 have Passive radiator 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 4's and ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030's external dimensions. GoldenEar ForceField 4 has external dimensions of 331.0 x 340.0 x 482.0mm (13inch x 13-3/8inch x 18-15/16inch) whereas ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 has external dimensions of 462.0 x 451.0 x 464.0mm (18-3/16 x 17-3/4 x 18-1/4inch).
GoldenEar ForceField 4 is 111mm narrower and 131mm shorter than ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 but it is also 18mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of GoldenEar ForceField 4 and ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 in scale.
Comparison image of GoldenEar ForceField 4 and ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 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 4 is approximately 1638.8cm2 / 254.0inch2 and base area of the ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 is approximately 2092.6cm2 / 324.4inch2. The ForceField 4 requires 22% less surface area than the Debut 2.0 SUB3030 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 4 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs and the ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 weighs 22.80kg / 50.2lbs. This makes the Debut 2.0 SUB3030 57% heavier than the ForceField 4.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 4 and Debut 2.0 SUB3030'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 4?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ForceField 4:
- Powered Subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030?
Here are the items that come with the Debut 2.0 SUB3030:
- Powered subwoofer
- 9-feet AC power cord
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Hex-nuts
- Operating Instructions
 Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
25 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
331mm
vs
462mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1638cm2
vs
2092cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 4 |
ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1200 watts |
500 watts |
| Frequency Response |
14-250 Hz |
25-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1200-watt RMS |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Doped Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
331.0mm (13") |
462.0mm (18.2") |
| Width |
340.0mm (13.4") |
451.0mm (17.8") |
| Depth |
482.0mm (19") |
464.0mm (18.3") |
| Weight |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
22.80kg (50.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive radiator |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
1 Year |
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 | A | GoldenEar ForceField 4 goes deeper - 14Hz against 25Hz. 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 4 has the bigger amplifier - 1200W against 500W RMS, about 3.8dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 moves more air: 12" against 10" is 1.44x the cone area, not the 1.2x 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 4 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 | ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 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 4 is about 44% 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 4 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 | A | GoldenEar ForceField 4 costs less - $799 against $900, about 11% less. |
A GoldenEar ForceField 4 B ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030
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 4 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3030 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, GoldenEar ForceField 4 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 4 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.