In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 40 and Radius 390, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from GoldenEar and Monitor Audio . 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 Monitor Audio Radius 390 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 Monitor Audio Radius 390 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these subwoofers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.GoldenEar ForceField 40and Monitor Audio Radius 390 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 Radius 390 has a frequency range of 30-120 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 Radius 390's min frequency of 30Hz.
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
Both GoldenEar ForceField 40 and Monitor Audio Radius 390 have Passive Radiator type cabinets. 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.
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 Monitor Audio Radius 390'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 Monitor Audio Radius 390 has external dimensions of 348.0 x 331.0 x 385.0mm ( 13-11/16 x 13 x 15-1/8inch) .
GoldenEar ForceField 40 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 8mm wider, 30mm taller and 100mm deeper than Monitor Audio Radius 390.
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 Monitor Audio Radius 390 is approximately 1274.4cm2 / 197.5inch2. The ForceField 40 requires 29% more surface area than the Radius 390 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 Monitor Audio Radius 390 weighs 13.77kg / 30.3lbs. This makes the ForceField 40 34% heavier than the Radius 390.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 40 and Radius 390'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 Monitor Audio Radius 390?
Here are the items that come with the Radius 390:
Powered sub6-feet AC power cord10.75-feet Mono minijack cableOwners ManualImportant Safety Instructions
 Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250k Hz
vs
120k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
348mm
vs
378mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1274cm2 (331x385mm)
vs
1644cm2 (339x485mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1150USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 40 |
Monitor Audio Radius 390 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
220 watts |
| Frequency Response |
14-250 Hz |
30-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
220-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
C-CAM |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front and bottom |
side |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
378.0mm (14.9") |
348.0mm (13.7") |
| Width |
339.0mm (13.3") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Depth |
485.0mm (19.1") |
385.0mm (15.2") |
| Weight |
18.41kg (40.5lbs) |
13.77kg (30.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
2 Years |