In this review, we will be comparing Thetis 340 and ForceField 4, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Triangle 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 Triangle Thetis 340 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.Triangle Thetis 340and GoldenEar ForceField 4 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
Thetis 340 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 Thetis 340'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
The Triangle Thetis 340 has a Bass Reflex type cabinet. Bass Reflex type subwoofers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs. On the other hand the GoldenEar ForceField 4 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 Triangle Thetis 340's and GoldenEar ForceField 4's external dimensions. Triangle Thetis 340 has external dimensions of 380.0 x 340.0 x 340.0mm (14-15/16 x 13-3/8 x 13-3/8inch) 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).
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.
GoldenEar ForceField 4 needs about 42% more floor or shelf area. GoldenEar ForceField 4 is 142mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Triangle Thetis 340 is 49mm 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 Triangle Thetis 340 is approximately 1156.0cm2 / 179.2inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 4 is approximately 1638.8cm2 / 254.0inch2. The Thetis 340 requires 29% 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 Triangle Thetis 340 weighs 16.10kg / 35.4lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 4 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the Thetis 340 11% heavier than the ForceField 4.
Here is a comparison of how Thetis 340 and ForceField 4's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Base Surface Area |
1156cm2
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
380mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
825USD
|
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.
GoldenEar ForceField 4 needs about 42% more floor area. GoldenEar ForceField 4 stands 142mm further into the room. Triangle Thetis 340 is 49mm taller.
| General |
Triangle Thetis 340 |
GoldenEar ForceField 4 |
| Brand |
Triangle |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
250 watts |
1200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
25-120 Hz |
14-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
250-watt RMS |
1200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
400-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
380.0mm (15") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Width |
340.0mm (13.4") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Depth |
340.0mm (13.4") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Weight |
16.10kg (35.4lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
A ported 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 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 250W RMS, about 6.8dB 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 | depends | Triangle Thetis 340 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning; 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. |
| Phase control | A | Triangle Thetis 340 has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Driver placement | depends | Triangle Thetis 340 fires 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Triangle Thetis 340 is about 19% 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. |
| Warranty | A | Triangle Thetis 340 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 | evenly matched | Priced within a few per cent of each other. |
A Triangle Thetis 340 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let your room size and where the box can actually stand settle it.
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.