In this review, we will be comparing HT 1205 MKII and ForceField 4, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from REL 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 REL HT 1205 MKII 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.Both REL HT 1205 MKIIand GoldenEar ForceField 4 have a single woofer setup however the REL HT 1205 MKII's woofer is 12-inch whereas the GoldenEar ForceField 4 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
HT 1205 MKII 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 HT 1205 MKII'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 REL HT 1205 MKII's and GoldenEar ForceField 4's external dimensions. REL HT 1205 MKII has external dimensions of 387.4 x 412.8 x 485.8mm () 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).
REL HT 1205 MKII is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 72.8mm wider, 56.4mm taller and 3.8mm deeper than GoldenEar ForceField 4.
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 REL HT 1205 MKII is approximately 2005.4cm2 / 310.8inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 4 is approximately 1638.8cm2 / 254.0inch2. The HT 1205 MKII requires 22% 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 REL HT 1205 MKII weighs 19.60kg / 43.1lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 4 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the HT 1205 MKII 35% heavier than the ForceField 4.
Here is a comparison of how HT 1205 MKII and ForceField 4'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 |
331mm
vs
387mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1638cm2
vs
2005cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
899USD
|
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.
REL HT 1205 MKII needs about 22% more floor area. REL HT 1205 MKII is 56mm taller.
| General |
REL HT 1205 MKII |
GoldenEar ForceField 4 |
| Brand |
REL |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
22-200 Hz |
14-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
1200-watt RMS |
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 |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
387.4mm (15.3") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Width |
412.8mm (16.3") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Depth |
485.8mm (19.1") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Weight |
19.60kg (43.1lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Passive Radiator |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 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 | 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 500W RMS, about 3.8dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | REL HT 1205 MKII 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 | REL HT 1205 MKII is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; GoldenEar ForceField 4 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 4 is about 30% 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 $899, about 11% less. |
A REL HT 1205 MKII 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 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 4 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, REL HT 1205 MKII is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - GoldenEar ForceField 4 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.