In this review, we will be comparing SuperSub X and SB-4000, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from GoldenEar and SVS. 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 SuperSub X and SVS SB-4000 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 SuperSub X and SVS SB-4000 have a totally different setup: the GoldenEar SuperSub X features 2 x 8-inch drivers whereas the SB-4000 features 1 x 13.5-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
SuperSub X has a frequency range of 12-250 Hz whereas SB-4000 has a frequency range of 19-310 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 12Hz, the SuperSub X can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SB-4000's min frequency of 19Hz.
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 SuperSub X 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 SVS SB-4000 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 SuperSub X's and SVS SB-4000's external dimensions. GoldenEar SuperSub X has external dimensions of 324.0 x 356.0 x 388.0mm (12-3/4inch x 14inch x 15-1/4inch) whereas SVS SB-4000 has external dimensions of 466.0 x 453.0 x 532.0mm (18-5/16 x 17-13/16 x 20-15/16inch).
SVS SB-4000 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 97mm wider, 142mm taller and 144mm deeper than GoldenEar SuperSub X.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of GoldenEar SuperSub X and SVS SB-4000 in scale.
Comparison image of GoldenEar SuperSub X and SVS SB-4000 Size and External Dimensions
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 SuperSub X is approximately 1381.3cm2 / 214.1inch2 and base area of the SVS SB-4000 is approximately 2410.0cm2 / 373.6inch2. The SuperSub X requires 43% less surface area than the SB-4000 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 SuperSub X weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs and the SVS SB-4000 weighs 46.50kg / 102.3lbs. This makes the SB-4000 156% heavier than the SuperSub X.
Here is a comparison of how SuperSub X and SB-4000'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 SuperSub X?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SuperSub X:
- Powered Subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of SVS SB-4000?
Here are the items that come with the SB-4000:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Remote control
- 4 Elastomer feet
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
12 Hz
vs
19 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Passive Radiator |
two 10.5-inch x 9.5-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
324mm
vs
466mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1381cm2
vs
2410cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1499USD
vs
1800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Woofer Size |
13.5 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
310 Hz
vs
250 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
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.
SVS SB-4000 needs about 74% more floor area. SVS SB-4000 stands 144mm further into the room. SVS SB-4000 is 142mm taller.
| General |
GoldenEar SuperSub X |
SVS SB-4000 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1400 watts |
1200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
12-250 Hz |
19-310 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1400-watt RMS |
1200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
13.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Fiber |
Composite/Glass Fiber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
side |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
324.0mm (12.8") |
466.0mm (18.3") |
| Width |
356.0mm (14") |
453.0mm (17.8") |
| Depth |
388.0mm (15.3") |
532.0mm (20.9") |
| Weight |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
46.50kg (102.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Acoustic Suspension |
| 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 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 SuperSub X goes deeper - 12Hz against 19Hz. 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 (1400W vs 1200W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | B | SVS SB-4000 moves more air: 13.5" against 2 x 8" is 1.42x the cone area, not the 1.19x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | GoldenEar SuperSub X is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; SVS SB-4000 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. |
| Phase control | B | SVS SB-4000 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 SuperSub X fires side and SVS SB-4000 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | GoldenEar SuperSub X is about 60% 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. |
| Warranty | B | SVS SB-4000 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 SuperSub X costs less - $1,499 against $1,800, about 17% less. |
A GoldenEar SuperSub X B SVS SB-4000
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: SVS SB-4000 measures better, GoldenEar SuperSub X costs about 17% 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 SuperSub X will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, SVS SB-4000 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - GoldenEar SuperSub X is the one that will actually go there, and a well-placed small subwoofer beats a badly-placed big one every time.
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.