In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 4 and Muro SUB2020, 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 Muro SUB2020 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 4and ELAC Muro SUB2020 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
ForceField 4 has a frequency range of 14-250 Hz whereas Muro SUB2020 has a frequency range of 28-200 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 Muro SUB2020'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 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 Muro SUB2020 have Acoustic Suspension type enclosure. Acoustic Suspension aka Sealed type subwoofers have enclosures that are sealed hence no ports or holes exists on the cabinet. Sealed designs helps to provide more accurate and tight bass responses compared to ported 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 4's and ELAC Muro SUB2020'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 Muro SUB2020 has external dimensions of 399.0 x 185.0 x 515.0mm (15-11/16 x 7-1/4 x 20-1/4inch).
GoldenEar ForceField 4 is 68mm shorter and 33mm less deeper than ELAC Muro SUB2020 but it is also 155mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of GoldenEar ForceField 4 and ELAC Muro SUB2020 in scale.
Comparison image of GoldenEar ForceField 4 and ELAC Muro SUB2020 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 Muro SUB2020 is approximately 952.8cm2 / 147.7inch2. The ForceField 4 requires 72% more surface area than the Muro SUB2020 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 4 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs and the ELAC Muro SUB2020 weighs 12.73kg / 28lbs. This makes the ForceField 4 14% heavier than the Muro SUB2020.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 4 and Muro SUB2020'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 Muro SUB2020?
Here are the items that come with the Muro SUB2020:
- Powered subwoofer
- 8-feet AC power cord
- 4 Cone feet
- 2 Brackets
- 2 Machine screws
- 2 Wood screws
- 2 Washers
- 2 Wall anchors
- Operating Instructions
 Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
200 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
331mm
vs
399mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Base Surface Area |
952cm2
vs
1638cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
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 4 needs about 72% more floor area. ELAC Muro SUB2020 stands 33mm further into the room. ELAC Muro SUB2020 is 68mm taller.
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 4 |
ELAC Muro SUB2020 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1200 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
14-250 Hz |
28-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1200-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Woven Cellulose Fiber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
side or bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
331.0mm (13") |
399.0mm (15.7") |
| Width |
340.0mm (13.4") |
185.0mm (7.3") |
| Depth |
482.0mm (19") |
515.0mm (20.3") |
| Weight |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
12.73kg (28lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
1 Year |
A passive radiator subwoofer against a sealed 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 4 goes deeper - 14Hz 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 4 has the bigger amplifier - 1200W against 200W RMS, about 7.8dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (10" against 10"). |
| Enclosure | depends | GoldenEar ForceField 4 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; ELAC Muro SUB2020 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room. 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 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. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only ELAC Muro SUB2020 offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Phase control | B | ELAC Muro SUB2020 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 4 fires front and ELAC Muro SUB2020 fires side or down. 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 | ELAC Muro SUB2020 is about 30% 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 $1,000, about 20% less. |
A GoldenEar ForceField 4 B ELAC Muro SUB2020
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 Muro SUB2020 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, GoldenEar ForceField 4 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, ELAC Muro SUB2020 is usually the easier one to make sound right. 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.
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.