In this review, we will be comparing Kube 10 MIE and ForceField 3, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from KEF 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 KEF Kube 10 MIE and GoldenEar ForceField 3 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into details in order to better understand how the KEF Kube 10 MIE and GoldenEar ForceField 3 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.Both KEF Kube 10 MIEand GoldenEar ForceField 3 have a single woofer setup however the KEF Kube 10 MIE's woofer is 10-inch whereas the GoldenEar ForceField 3 features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Kube 10 MIE has a frequency range of 20-140 Hz whereas ForceField 3 has a frequency range of 18-250 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the ForceField 3 can go slightly deeper then the Kube 10 MIE'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 KEF Kube 10 MIE has a Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. 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. 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
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 KEF Kube 10 MIE's and GoldenEar ForceField 3's external dimensions. KEF Kube 10 MIE has external dimensions of 370 x 353 x 370 mm ( 14.6 x 13.9 x 14.6 in) 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 60mm narrower and 82mm shorter than KEF Kube 10 MIE but it is also 62mm 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 KEF Kube 10 MIE is approximately 1306.1cm2 / 202.4inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 3 is approximately 1265.8cm2 / 196.2inch2. The Kube 10 MIE requires 3% 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 KEF Kube 10 MIE weighs 15.40kg / 33.9lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 3 weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs. This makes the Kube 10 MIE 30% heavier than the ForceField 3.
Here is a comparison of how Kube 10 MIE 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 KEF Kube 10 MIE?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kube 10 MIE:
Kube 10 MIE subwoofer Power cord Euroblock speaker level connector User manual and warranty information
What's in the Box of GoldenEar ForceField 3?
Here are the items that come with the ForceField 3:
Powered Subwoofer10-feet AC power cordOwners Manual
Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
20 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
High Frequency Response |
250k Hz
vs
140k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
Height |
288mm
vs
370mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
1265cm2 (293x432mm)
vs
1306cm2 (353x370mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
General |
KEF Kube 10 MIE |
GoldenEar ForceField 3 |
Brand |
KEF |
GoldenEar |
Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
Max Amplifier Output |
300 watts |
1000 watts |
Frequency Response |
20-140 Hz |
18-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
Watts RMS (Continuous) |
300-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Crossover Frequency |
40-140 Hz |
n/a |
Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
370.0mm (14.6") |
288.0mm (11.3") |
Width |
353.0mm (13.9") |
293.0mm (11.5") |
Depth |
370.0mm (14.6") |
432.0mm (17") |
Weight |
15.40kg (33.9lbs) |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Passive Radiator |
Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
3 Years |
Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
3 Years |