In this review, we will be comparing L10cs and ForceField 3, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from JBL and GoldenEar. 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 JBL L10cs and GoldenEar ForceField 3 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 JBL L10csand GoldenEar ForceField 3 have a single woofer setup however the JBL L10cs's woofer is 10-inch whereas the GoldenEar ForceField 3 features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
L10cs has a frequency range of 32-150 Hz whereas ForceField 3 has a frequency range of 18-250 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the ForceField 3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the L10cs's min frequency of 32Hz.
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 JBL L10cs has a Bass Reflex type cabinet. 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. On the other hand the GoldenEar ForceField 3 have Passive Radiator type enclosure. 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
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 JBL L10cs's and GoldenEar ForceField 3's external dimensions. JBL L10cs has external dimensions of 391.0 x 337.0 x 413.0mm (15-3/8inch x 13-1/4inch x 16-1/4inch) whereas GoldenEar ForceField 3 has external dimensions of 288.0 x 293.0 x 432.0mm (11-5/16inch x 11-1/2inch x 17inch).
GoldenEar ForceField 3 is 44mm narrower and 103mm shorter than JBL L10cs but it is also 19mm 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 JBL L10cs is approximately 1391.8cm2 / 215.7inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 3 is approximately 1265.8cm2 / 196.2inch2. The L10cs requires 10% more surface area than the ForceField 3 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 JBL L10cs weighs 14.09kg / 31lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 3 weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs. This makes the L10cs 19% heavier than the ForceField 3.
Here is a comparison of how L10cs and ForceField 3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of JBL L10cs?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L10cs:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 4 Spikes
- Quick Start Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of GoldenEar ForceField 3?
Here are the items that come with the ForceField 3:
- Powered Subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
288mm
vs
391mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1265cm2
vs
1391cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
699USD
|
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.
JBL L10cs needs about 10% more floor area. GoldenEar ForceField 3 stands 19mm further into the room. JBL L10cs is 103mm taller.
| General |
JBL L10cs |
GoldenEar ForceField 3 |
| Brand |
JBL |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
250 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
32-150 Hz |
18-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
250-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
500-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polycellulose |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
391.0mm (15.4") |
288.0mm (11.3") |
| Width |
337.0mm (13.3") |
293.0mm (11.5") |
| Depth |
413.0mm (16.3") |
432.0mm (17") |
| Weight |
14.09kg (31lbs) |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Available Colors |
Natural Walnut,Black Walnut |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
A ported subwoofer against a passive radiator 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 | B | GoldenEar ForceField 3 goes deeper - 18Hz against 32Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | GoldenEar ForceField 3 has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 250W RMS, about 6dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | JBL L10cs moves more air: 10" against 8" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | JBL L10cs is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning; GoldenEar ForceField 3 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet. 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 | GoldenEar ForceField 3 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. |
| Phase control | A | JBL L10cs has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Driver placement | depends | JBL L10cs fires down and GoldenEar ForceField 3 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 ForceField 3 is about 33% 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 | GoldenEar ForceField 3 carries 3 years on parts against 1 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | GoldenEar ForceField 3 costs less - $599 against $699, about 14% less. |
A JBL L10cs B GoldenEar ForceField 3
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?
GoldenEar ForceField 3 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take JBL L10cs if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, GoldenEar ForceField 3 is the only one of these two you can connect at all. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - GoldenEar ForceField 3 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.