In this review, we will be comparing Dynamo 12 and ForceField 40, 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 Dynamo 12 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 MartinLogan Dynamo 12and GoldenEar ForceField 40 have a single woofer setup however the MartinLogan Dynamo 12's woofer is 12-inch whereas the GoldenEar ForceField 40 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Dynamo 12 has a frequency range of 22-200 Hz whereas ForceField 40 has a frequency range of 14-250 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 14Hz, the ForceField 40 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Dynamo 12'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 Dynamo 12's and GoldenEar ForceField 40's external dimensions. MartinLogan Dynamo 12 has external dimensions of 425.5 x 400.1 x 455.6mm () 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 61.1mm narrower and 47.5mm shorter than MartinLogan Dynamo 12 but it is also 29.4mm 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 Dynamo 12 needs about 11% more floor or shelf area. GoldenEar ForceField 40 is 29mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan Dynamo 12 is 48mm 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 Dynamo 12 is approximately 1822.9cm2 / 282.5inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 40 is approximately 1644.2cm2 / 254.9inch2. The Dynamo 12 requires 11% 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 MartinLogan Dynamo 12 weighs 27.90kg / 61.4lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 40 weighs 18.41kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the Dynamo 12 52% heavier than the ForceField 40.
Here is a comparison of how Dynamo 12 and ForceField 40's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
22 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
200 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
378mm
vs
425mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1644cm2
vs
1822cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1600USD
|
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 Dynamo 12 needs about 11% more floor area. GoldenEar ForceField 40 stands 29mm further into the room. MartinLogan Dynamo 12 is 48mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Dynamo 12 |
GoldenEar ForceField 40 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
22-200 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 |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front and bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
425.5mm (16.8") |
378.0mm (14.9") |
| Width |
400.1mm (15.8") |
339.0mm (13.3") |
| Depth |
455.6mm (17.9") |
485.0mm (19.1") |
| Weight |
27.90kg (61.4lbs) |
18.41kg (40.5lbs) |
| 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 |
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 | B | GoldenEar ForceField 40 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 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 | MartinLogan Dynamo 12 moves more air: 12" against 10" is 1.44x the cone area, not the 1.2x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | MartinLogan Dynamo 12 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | GoldenEar ForceField 40 is about 20% 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 $1,600, about 25% less. |
A MartinLogan Dynamo 12 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?
GoldenEar ForceField 40 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 40 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, MartinLogan Dynamo 12 is usually the easier one to make sound right.
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.