In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 40 and Concerta2 B10, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from GoldenEar and Revel. 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 Revel Concerta2 B10 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.GoldenEar ForceField 40and Revel Concerta2 B10 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 Concerta2 B10 has a frequency range of 35-150 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 Concerta2 B10's min frequency of 35Hz.
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 Revel Concerta2 B10 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
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 Revel Concerta2 B10'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 Revel Concerta2 B10 has external dimensions of 420.0 x 377.0 x 440.0mm (16-1/2 x 14-13/16 x 17-5/16inch).
GoldenEar ForceField 40 is 38mm narrower and 42mm shorter than Revel Concerta2 B10 but it is also 45mm 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 Revel Concerta2 B10 is approximately 1658.8cm2 / 257.1inch2. The ForceField 40 requires 1% less surface area than the Concerta2 B10 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 Revel Concerta2 B10 weighs 21.36kg / 47lbs. This makes the Concerta2 B10 16% heavier than the ForceField 40.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 40 and Concerta2 B10'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 Revel Concerta2 B10?
Here are the items that come with the Concerta2 B10:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- Owners Manual
 Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
378mm
vs
420mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1644cm2
vs
1658cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1650USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
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 45mm further into the room. Revel Concerta2 B10 is 42mm taller.
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 40 |
Revel Concerta2 B10 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
800 watts |
| Frequency Response |
14-250 Hz |
35-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Anodized aluminum |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front and bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
378.0mm (14.9") |
420.0mm (16.5") |
| Width |
339.0mm (13.3") |
377.0mm (14.8") |
| Depth |
485.0mm (19.1") |
440.0mm (17.3") |
| Weight |
18.41kg (40.5lbs) |
21.36kg (47lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
A passive radiator subwoofer against a ported 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 35Hz. 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 800W RMS, about 1dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (10" against 10"). |
| Enclosure | depends | GoldenEar ForceField 40 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; Revel Concerta2 B10 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Phase control | B | Revel Concerta2 B10 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 Revel Concerta2 B10 fires front. 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. |
| Warranty | B | Revel Concerta2 B10 carries 5 years on parts against 3 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | A | GoldenEar ForceField 40 costs less - $1,199 against $1,650, about 27% less. |
A GoldenEar ForceField 40 B Revel Concerta2 B10
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let your room size and where the box can actually stand settle it.
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.