In this review, we will be comparing Abyss 10 and ForceField 4, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from MartinLogan 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 MartinLogan Abyss 10 and GoldenEar ForceField 4 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.MartinLogan Abyss 10and GoldenEar ForceField 4 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
Abyss 10 has a frequency range of 22-200 Hz whereas ForceField 4 has a frequency range of 14-250 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 14Hz, the ForceField 4 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Abyss 10's min frequency of 22Hz.
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
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 MartinLogan Abyss 10's and GoldenEar ForceField 4's external dimensions. MartinLogan Abyss 10 has external dimensions of 392.1 x 406.4 x 438.2mm () whereas GoldenEar ForceField 4 has external dimensions of 331.0 x 340.0 x 482.0mm (13inch x 13-3/8inch x 18-15/16inch).
GoldenEar ForceField 4 is 66.4mm narrower and 61.1mm shorter than MartinLogan Abyss 10 but it is also 43.8mm 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.
MartinLogan Abyss 10 needs about 9% more floor or shelf area. GoldenEar ForceField 4 is 44mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan Abyss 10 is 61mm 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 MartinLogan Abyss 10 is approximately 1780.8cm2 / 276.0inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 4 is approximately 1638.8cm2 / 254.0inch2. The Abyss 10 requires 9% more surface area than the ForceField 4 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 MartinLogan Abyss 10 weighs 25.22kg / 55.5lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 4 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the Abyss 10 73% heavier than the ForceField 4.
Here is a comparison of how Abyss 10 and ForceField 4's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
22 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
200 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
331mm
vs
392mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1638cm2
vs
1780cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1900USD
|
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.
MartinLogan Abyss 10 needs about 9% more floor area. GoldenEar ForceField 4 stands 44mm further into the room. MartinLogan Abyss 10 is 61mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Abyss 10 |
GoldenEar ForceField 4 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
22-200 Hz |
14-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
800-watt RMS |
1200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1600-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
392.1mm (15.4") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Width |
406.4mm (16") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Depth |
438.2mm (17.3") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Weight |
25.22kg (55.5lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Passive Radiator |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years w/ registration |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years w/ registration |
3 Years |
Different price classes - MartinLogan Abyss 10 costs roughly 2.4x what GoldenEar ForceField 4 does. Before paying it, read the note below about two smaller subwoofers.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | GoldenEar ForceField 4 goes deeper - 14Hz against 22Hz. 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 4 has the bigger amplifier - 1200W against 800W RMS, about 1.8dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (10" against 10"). |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are passive radiator designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Cabinet size | depends | GoldenEar ForceField 4 is about 22% 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 4 costs less - $799 against $1,900, about 58% less. |
A MartinLogan Abyss 10 B GoldenEar ForceField 4
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 4 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take MartinLogan Abyss 10 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $799 each, two GoldenEar ForceField 4 cost about $1,598 against $1,900 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
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.