In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 40 and ASW610XP, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from GoldenEar and Bowers Wilkins. 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 40 and B&W ASW610XP 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 40 and B&W ASW610XP 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.GoldenEar ForceField 40and B&W ASW610XP have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
ForceField 40 has a frequency range of 14-250 Hz whereas ASW610XP has a frequency range of 25-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 14Hz, the ForceField 40 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ASW610XP'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 40 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 B&W ASW610XP 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
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 40's and B&W ASW610XP's external dimensions. GoldenEar ForceField 40 has external dimensions of 378.0 x 339.0 x 485.0mm ( 14-7/8inch x 13-5/16inch x 19-1/16inch ) whereas B&W ASW610XP has external dimensions of 337.0 x 328.0 x 410.0mm ( 13-1/4 x 12-7/8 x 16-1/8inch) .
GoldenEar ForceField 40 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 11mm wider, 41mm taller and 75mm deeper than B&W ASW610XP.
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 40 is approximately 1644.2cm2 / 254.9inch2 and base area of the B&W ASW610XP is approximately 1344.8cm2 / 208.4inch2. The ForceField 40 requires 22% more surface area than the ASW610XP 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 40 weighs 18.41kg / 40.5lbs and the B&W ASW610XP weighs 18.69kg / 41.1lbs. This makes the ASW610XP 2% heavier than the ForceField 40.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 40 and ASW610XP'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 40?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ForceField 40:
Powered subwoofer10-feet AC power cordQuick Start GuideOwners Manual
What's in the Box of B&W ASW610XP?
Here are the items that come with the ASW610XP:
Powered subwooferGrille6.5-feet AC power cord4 Rubber feet4 Spike feet4 Lock-nutsManualBowers & Wilkins brochureWarranty Information
 Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
25 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250k Hz
vs
140k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Height |
337mm
vs
378mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1344cm2
vs
1644cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 40 |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW610XP |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
500 watts |
| Frequency Response |
14-250 Hz |
25-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Paper/Aramid Fiber/Resin |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front and bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
378.0mm (14.9") |
337.0mm (13.3") |
| Width |
339.0mm (13.3") |
328.0mm (12.9") |
| Depth |
485.0mm (19.1") |
410.0mm (16.1") |
| Weight |
18.41kg (40.5lbs) |
18.69kg (41.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
2 Years |