In this review, we will be comparing Kube 10 MIE and ForceField 30, 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 30 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 KEF Kube 10 MIEand GoldenEar ForceField 30 have a single woofer setup however the KEF Kube 10 MIE's woofer is 10-inch whereas the GoldenEar ForceField 30 features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Kube 10 MIE has a frequency range of 20-140 Hz whereas ForceField 30 has a frequency range of 18-250 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the ForceField 30 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 30 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 KEF Kube 10 MIE's and GoldenEar ForceField 30'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 30 has external dimensions of 324.0 x 291.0 x 421.0mm (12-3/4inch x 11-7/16inch x 16-9/16inch).
GoldenEar ForceField 30 is 62mm narrower and 46mm shorter than KEF Kube 10 MIE but it is also 51mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers 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 surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Near-identical footprints. GoldenEar ForceField 30 is 51mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. KEF Kube 10 MIE is 46mm taller.
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 30 is approximately 1225.1cm2 / 189.9inch2. The Kube 10 MIE requires 7% more surface area than the ForceField 30 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 30 weighs 14.32kg / 31.5lbs. This makes the Kube 10 MIE 8% heavier than the ForceField 30.
Here is a comparison of how Kube 10 MIE and ForceField 30'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 30?
Here are the items that come with the ForceField 30:
- Powered subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Quick Start Guide
- Owners Manual
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
899USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 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 |
250 Hz
vs
140 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
324mm
vs
370mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1225cm2
vs
1306cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
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 30 stands 51mm further into the room. KEF Kube 10 MIE is 46mm taller.
| General |
KEF Kube 10 MIE |
GoldenEar ForceField 30 |
| 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 and bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
370.0mm (14.6") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Width |
353.0mm (13.9") |
291.0mm (11.5") |
| Depth |
370.0mm (14.6") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
15.40kg (33.9lbs) |
14.32kg (31.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Passive Radiator |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
3 Years |
A sealed 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 | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (20Hz vs 18Hz). |
| Amplifier power | B | GoldenEar ForceField 30 has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 300W RMS, about 5.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | KEF Kube 10 MIE 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 | KEF Kube 10 MIE is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; GoldenEar ForceField 30 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 | A | KEF Kube 10 MIE 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. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only KEF Kube 10 MIE offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Phase control | A | KEF Kube 10 MIE has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Cabinet size | depends | GoldenEar ForceField 30 is about 18% 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 30 carries 3 years on parts against 2 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | A | KEF Kube 10 MIE costs less - $799 against $899, about 11% less. |
A KEF Kube 10 MIE B GoldenEar ForceField 30
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?
KEF Kube 10 MIE has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, GoldenEar ForceField 30 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, KEF Kube 10 MIE is usually the easier one to make sound right. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, KEF Kube 10 MIE is the only one of these two you can connect at all.
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.