In this review, we will be comparing Gravis II and ForceField 40, 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 40 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into details in order to better understand how the Sonus faber Gravis II and GoldenEar ForceField 40 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these subwoofers is the better choice for you.
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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 40 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 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 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 40 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
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 40'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 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 19mm narrower and 29mm shorter than Sonus faber Gravis II but it is also 50mm 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 Sonus faber Gravis II is approximately 1557.3cm2 / 241.4inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 40 is approximately 1644.2cm2 / 254.9inch2. The Gravis II requires 5% less surface area than the ForceField 40 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 40 weighs 18.41kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the Gravis II 17% heavier than the ForceField 40.
Here is a comparison of how Gravis II and ForceField 40'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 subwooferGrille6-feet AC power cord33-feet Speakon cableOwners ManualEnvironmental Information
What's in the Box of GoldenEar ForceField 40?
Here are the items that come with the ForceField 40:
Powered subwoofer10-feet AC power cordQuick Start GuideOwners Manual
 Passive Radiator |
2 x 10-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Base Surface Area |
1557cm2 (358x435mm)
vs
1644cm2 (339x485mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
1-way
vs
-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
25 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250k Hz
vs
120k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
378mm
vs
407mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Gravis II |
GoldenEar ForceField 40 |
| Brand |
Sonus Faber |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
350 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
25-120 Hz |
14-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
350-watt RMS |
1000-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 and bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
407.0mm (16") |
378.0mm (14.9") |
| Width |
358.0mm (14.1") |
339.0mm (13.3") |
| Depth |
435.0mm (17.1") |
485.0mm (19.1") |
| Weight |
21.50kg (47.3lbs) |
18.41kg (40.5lbs) |
| 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 |