In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 40 and Dynamo 1600X, 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 1600X 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 1600X have a single woofer setup however the GoldenEar ForceField 40's woofer is 10-inch whereas the MartinLogan 1600X features a 15-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
ForceField 40 has a frequency range of 14-250 Hz whereas Dynamo 1600X has a frequency range of 20-200 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 1600X's min frequency of 20Hz.
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 1600X 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 1600X'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 1600X has external dimensions of 510.0 x 456.0 x 470.0mm (20-1/16 x 17-15/16 x 18-1/2inch).
GoldenEar ForceField 40 is 117mm narrower and 132mm shorter than MartinLogan 1600X but it is also 15mm 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 1600X is approximately 2143.2cm2 / 332.2inch2. The ForceField 40 requires 23% less surface area than the Dynamo 1600X 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 40 weighs 18.41kg / 40.5lbs and the MartinLogan 1600X weighs 25.91kg / 57lbs. This makes the Dynamo 1600X 41% heavier than the ForceField 40.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 40 and Dynamo 1600X'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 1600X?
Here are the items that come with the Dynamo 1600X:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- User-feets Manual
 Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
20 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
200 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
378mm
vs
510mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1644cm2
vs
2143cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
2000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 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.
MartinLogan 1600X needs about 30% more floor area. GoldenEar ForceField 40 stands 15mm further into the room. MartinLogan 1600X is 132mm taller.
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 40 |
MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
900 watts |
| Frequency Response |
14-250 Hz |
20-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
900-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
15" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front and bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
378.0mm (14.9") |
510.0mm (20.1") |
| Width |
339.0mm (13.3") |
456.0mm (18") |
| Depth |
485.0mm (19.1") |
470.0mm (18.5") |
| Weight |
18.41kg (40.5lbs) |
25.91kg (57lbs) |
| 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 20Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (1000W vs 900W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | B | MartinLogan 1600X moves more air: 15" against 10" is 2.25x the cone area, not the 1.5x 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 1600X 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. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only MartinLogan 1600X 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 1600X 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 40 fires front/down and MartinLogan 1600X fires 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 | GoldenEar ForceField 40 is about 43% 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. |
| Price | A | GoldenEar ForceField 40 costs less - $1,199 against $2,000, about 40% less. |
A GoldenEar ForceField 40 B MartinLogan 1600X
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?
MartinLogan 1600X is ahead, but on only 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 67% more. GoldenEar ForceField 40 is the sensible buy unless your room is large enough to need the extra. 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 1600X is usually the easier one to make sound right. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $1,199 each, two GoldenEar ForceField 40 cost about $2,398 against $2,000 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
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.