In this review, we will be comparing RP-1600CSW and ForceField 40, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Klipsch 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 Klipsch RP-1600CSW and GoldenEar ForceField 40 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 Klipsch RP-1600CSWand GoldenEar ForceField 40 have a single woofer setup however the Klipsch RP-1600CSW's woofer is 16-inch whereas the GoldenEar ForceField 40 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
RP-1600CSW has a frequency range of 14.5-175 Hz whereas ForceField 40 has a frequency range of 14-250 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 14Hz, the ForceField 40 can go slightly deeper then the RP-1600CSW's min frequency of 15Hz.
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 Klipsch RP-1600CSW 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 40 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 Klipsch RP-1600CSW's and GoldenEar ForceField 40's external dimensions. Klipsch RP-1600CSW has external dimensions of 488.2 x 465.6 x 465.6mm (19.22inch x 18.33inch x 18.33inch) whereas 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).
GoldenEar ForceField 40 is 126.6mm narrower and 110.2mm shorter than Klipsch RP-1600CSW but it is also 19.4mm 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 Klipsch RP-1600CSW is approximately 2167.8cm2 / 336.0inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 40 is approximately 1644.2cm2 / 254.9inch2. The RP-1600CSW requires 32% more surface area than the ForceField 40 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 Klipsch RP-1600CSW weighs 35.74kg / 78.6lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 40 weighs 18.41kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the RP-1600CSW 94% heavier than the ForceField 40.
Here is a comparison of how RP-1600CSW and ForceField 40's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
16 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
| Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
15 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
175 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
378mm
vs
488mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1644cm2
vs
2167cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1500USD
|
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.
Klipsch RP-1600CSW needs about 32% more floor area. GoldenEar ForceField 40 stands 19mm further into the room. Klipsch RP-1600CSW is 110mm taller.
| General |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-1600CSW |
GoldenEar ForceField 40 |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
800 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
14.5-175 Hz |
14-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
800-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1600-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
16" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front and bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
488.2mm (19.2") |
378.0mm (14.9") |
| Width |
465.6mm (18.3") |
339.0mm (13.3") |
| Depth |
465.6mm (18.3") |
485.0mm (19.1") |
| Weight |
35.74kg (78.6lbs) |
18.41kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF with Vinyl |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Ebony |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
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 (15Hz vs 14Hz). |
| Amplifier power | B | 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 | A | Klipsch RP-1600CSW moves more air: 16" against 10" is 2.56x the cone area, not the 1.6x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | Klipsch RP-1600CSW is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; GoldenEar ForceField 40 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. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only Klipsch RP-1600CSW 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 | Klipsch RP-1600CSW has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Driver placement | depends | Klipsch RP-1600CSW fires front and GoldenEar ForceField 40 fires front/down. 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 40 is about 41% 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. |
| Price | B | GoldenEar ForceField 40 costs less - $1,199 against $1,500, about 20% less. |
A Klipsch RP-1600CSW B GoldenEar ForceField 40
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: Klipsch RP-1600CSW measures better, GoldenEar ForceField 40 costs about 20% 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 ForceField 40 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, Klipsch RP-1600CSW is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - GoldenEar ForceField 40 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.