In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 4 and Sub Air, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from GoldenEar and Focal. 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 Focal Sub Air 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 4 and Focal Sub Air compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these subwoofers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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 Focal Sub Air have a single woofer setup however the GoldenEar ForceField 4's woofer is 10-inch whereas the Focal Sub Air features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
ForceField 4 has a frequency range of 14-250 Hz whereas Sub Air has a frequency range of 40-200 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 Sub Air's min frequency of 40Hz.
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 Focal Sub Air 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 4's and Focal Sub Air'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 Focal Sub Air has external dimensions of 410.0 x 362.0 x 162.0mm ( 16-1/8 x 14-1/4 x 6-3/8inch) .
GoldenEar ForceField 4 is 22mm narrower and 79mm shorter than Focal Sub Air but it is also 320mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of GoldenEar ForceField 4 and Focal Sub Air in scale.
Comparison image of GoldenEar ForceField 4 and Focal Sub Air 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 Focal Sub Air is approximately 586.4cm2 / 90.9inch2. The ForceField 4 requires 179% more surface area than the Sub Air 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 Focal Sub Air weighs 7.73kg / 17lbs. This makes the ForceField 4 88% heavier than the Sub Air.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 4 and Sub Air'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 Subwoofer10-feet AC power cordOwners Manual
What's in the Box of Focal Sub Air?
Here are the items that come with the Sub Air:
Wireless powered subwooferWireless transmitterAC power adapter (attached 6-feet DC cord)AC power plug insert (2-prong)8-feet AC power cord4 Rubber feet2 BracketsFour M4 x 10mm machine screwsFour M4 x 17mm machine screws4 Wood-screws4 Wall-anchorsUser Manual
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250k Hz
vs
200k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
331mm
vs
410mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1299USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Base Surface Area |
586cm2 (362x162mm)
vs
1638cm2 (340x482mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Wireless Operation |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 4 |
Focal Sub Air |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1200 watts |
110 watts |
| Frequency Response |
14-250 Hz |
40-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1200-watt RMS |
110-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Cellulose Pulp |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
331.0mm (13") |
410.0mm (16.1") |
| Width |
340.0mm (13.4") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
482.0mm (19") |
162.0mm (6.4") |
| Weight |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
7.73kg (17lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |