In this review, we will be comparing SB-1000 Pro and ForceField 30, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from SVS 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro 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 SVS SB-1000 Proand GoldenEar ForceField 30 have a single woofer setup however the SVS SB-1000 Pro's woofer is 12-inch whereas the GoldenEar ForceField 30 features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SB-1000 Pro has a frequency range of 20-270 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 SB-1000 Pro'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 SVS SB-1000 Pro 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro's and GoldenEar ForceField 30's external dimensions. SVS SB-1000 Pro has external dimensions of 343.0 x 331.0 x 402.0mm (13-1/2inch x 13inch x 15-13/16inch) 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 40mm narrower and 19mm shorter than SVS SB-1000 Pro but it is also 19mm 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro is approximately 1330.6cm2 / 206.2inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 30 is approximately 1225.1cm2 / 189.9inch2. The SB-1000 Pro requires 9% 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 30 weighs 14.32kg / 31.5lbs. This makes the ForceField 30 21% heavier than the SB-1000 Pro.
Here is a comparison of how SB-1000 Pro 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SB-1000 Pro:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Quick Start Guide
- Brochure
- SVS Support 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 |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
270 Hz
vs
250 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
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 |
 Height |
324mm
vs
343mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1225cm2
vs
1330cm2
|
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.
SVS SB-1000 Pro needs about 9% more floor area. GoldenEar ForceField 30 stands 19mm further into the room. SVS SB-1000 Pro is 19mm taller.
| General |
SVS SB-1000 Pro |
GoldenEar ForceField 30 |
| Brand |
SVS |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
325 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
20-270 Hz |
18-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
325-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
820-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Fiber-composite |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front and bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
343.0mm (13.5") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Width |
331.0mm (13") |
291.0mm (11.5") |
| Depth |
402.0mm (15.8") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
14.32kg (31.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Passive Radiator |
| Available Colors |
Black,White |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 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 325W RMS, about 4.9dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | SVS SB-1000 Pro moves more air: 12" against 8" is 2.25x the cone area, not the 1.5x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | SVS SB-1000 Pro 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 | SVS SB-1000 Pro 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro 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 | SVS SB-1000 Pro has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Driver placement | depends | SVS SB-1000 Pro fires front and GoldenEar ForceField 30 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. |
| Warranty | A | SVS SB-1000 Pro carries 5 years on parts against 3 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | A | SVS SB-1000 Pro costs less - $600 against $899, about 33% less. |
A SVS SB-1000 Pro 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?
SVS SB-1000 Pro is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take GoldenEar ForceField 30 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. 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, SVS SB-1000 Pro is usually the easier one to make sound right. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, SVS SB-1000 Pro 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.