In this review, we will be comparing Gravis II and ForceField 4, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Sonus faber 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 Sonus faber Gravis II 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.Sonus faber Gravis IIand GoldenEar ForceField 4 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
Gravis II has a frequency range of 25-120 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 Gravis II's min frequency of 25Hz.
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
Both Sonus faber Gravis II and GoldenEar ForceField 4 have Passive Radiator type cabinets. 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 Sonus faber Gravis II's and GoldenEar ForceField 4's external dimensions. Sonus faber Gravis II has external dimensions of 407.0 x 358.0 x 435.0mm (16inch x 14-1/16inch x 17-1/8inch) 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 18mm narrower and 76mm shorter than Sonus faber Gravis II but it is also 47mm 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.
Near-identical footprints. GoldenEar ForceField 4 is 47mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Gravis II is 76mm 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 Sonus faber Gravis II is approximately 1557.3cm2 / 241.4inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 4 is approximately 1638.8cm2 / 254.0inch2. The Gravis II requires 5% less surface area than the ForceField 4 which gives it a small advantage 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 Sonus faber Gravis II weighs 21.50kg / 47.3lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 4 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the Gravis II 48% heavier than the ForceField 4.
Here is a comparison of how Gravis II and ForceField 4's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of Sonus faber Gravis II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Gravis II:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 33-feet Speakon cable
- Owners Manual
- Environmental Information
What's in the Box of GoldenEar ForceField 4?
Here are the items that come with the ForceField 4:
- Powered Subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
 Passive Radiator |
2 x 10-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Base Surface Area |
1557cm2
vs
1638cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
25 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
331mm
vs
407mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1499USD
|
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.
Near-identical footprints. GoldenEar ForceField 4 stands 47mm further into the room. Sonus faber Gravis II is 76mm taller.
| General |
Sonus faber Gravis II |
GoldenEar ForceField 4 |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
350 watts |
1200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
25-120 Hz |
14-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
350-watt RMS |
1200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Treated Paper |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
407.0mm (16") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Width |
358.0mm (14.1") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Depth |
435.0mm (17.1") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Weight |
21.50kg (47.3lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Available Colors |
Piano Black,Matte White |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Yr/3 Yr registered |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Yr/3 Yr registered |
3 Years |
Different price classes - Sonus faber Gravis II costs roughly 1.9x 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 25Hz. 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 350W RMS, about 5.4dB 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. |
| Phase control | A | Sonus faber Gravis II has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Driver placement | depends | Sonus faber Gravis II fires front/down and GoldenEar ForceField 4 fires front. 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 | B | GoldenEar ForceField 4 carries 3 years on parts against 2 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | GoldenEar ForceField 4 costs less - $799 against $1,499, about 47% less. |
A Sonus faber Gravis II 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 Sonus faber Gravis II 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 $1,499 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.