In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 40 and Dynamo 1100X, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from GoldenEar and MartinLogan. 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 MartinLogan 1100X 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 40and MartinLogan 1100X have a single woofer setup however the GoldenEar ForceField 40's woofer is 10-inch whereas the MartinLogan 1100X features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
ForceField 40 has a frequency range of 14-250 Hz whereas Dynamo 1100X has a frequency range of 22-200 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 Dynamo 1100X's min frequency of 22Hz.
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 MartinLogan 1100X 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 40's and MartinLogan 1100X'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 MartinLogan 1100X has external dimensions of 435.0 x 381.0 x 410.0mm (17-1/8 x 15 x 16-1/8inch).
GoldenEar ForceField 40 is 42mm narrower and 57mm shorter than MartinLogan 1100X but it is also 75mm deeper.
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 MartinLogan 1100X is approximately 1562.1cm2 / 242.1inch2. The ForceField 40 requires 5% more surface area than the Dynamo 1100X 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 MartinLogan 1100X weighs 20.91kg / 46lbs. This makes the Dynamo 1100X 14% heavier than the ForceField 40.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 40 and Dynamo 1100X'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 subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Quick Start Guide
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 1100X?
Here are the items that come with the Dynamo 1100X:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- User-feets Manual
 Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
22 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
200 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
378mm
vs
435mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Base Surface Area |
1562cm2
vs
1644cm2
|
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.
Near-identical footprints. GoldenEar ForceField 40 stands 75mm further into the room. MartinLogan 1100X is 57mm taller.
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 40 |
MartinLogan Dynamo 1100X |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
650 watts |
| Frequency Response |
14-250 Hz |
22-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
650-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front and bottom |
front and bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
378.0mm (14.9") |
435.0mm (17.1") |
| Width |
339.0mm (13.3") |
381.0mm (15") |
| Depth |
485.0mm (19.1") |
410.0mm (16.1") |
| Weight |
18.41kg (40.5lbs) |
20.91kg (46lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Satin Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
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 40 goes deeper - 14Hz against 22Hz. 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 40 has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 650W RMS, about 1.9dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | MartinLogan 1100X 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 | depends | GoldenEar ForceField 40 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; MartinLogan 1100X 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 | B | MartinLogan 1100X 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 MartinLogan 1100X 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 | MartinLogan 1100X has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Price | A | GoldenEar ForceField 40 costs less - $1,199 against $1,500, about 20% less. |
A GoldenEar ForceField 40 B MartinLogan 1100X
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?
The usual trade-off: MartinLogan 1100X measures better, GoldenEar ForceField 40 costs about 20% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, GoldenEar ForceField 40 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, MartinLogan 1100X is usually the easier one to make sound right. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, MartinLogan 1100X 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.