In this review, we will be comparing MiniVee X and ForceField 4, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Velodyne 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 Velodyne MiniVee X 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 Velodyne MiniVee Xand GoldenEar ForceField 4 have a single woofer setup however the Velodyne MiniVee X's woofer is 8-inch whereas the GoldenEar ForceField 4 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
MiniVee X has a frequency range of 32-180 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 MiniVee X's min frequency of 32Hz.
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 Velodyne MiniVee X's and GoldenEar ForceField 4's external dimensions. Velodyne MiniVee X has external dimensions of 300 x 290 x 290 mm () 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 clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 50mm wider, 31mm taller and 192mm deeper than Velodyne MiniVee X.
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 95% more floor or shelf area. GoldenEar ForceField 4 is 192mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. GoldenEar ForceField 4 is 31mm 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 Velodyne MiniVee X is approximately 841.0cm2 / 130.4inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 4 is approximately 1638.8cm2 / 254.0inch2. The MiniVee X requires 49% 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 Velodyne MiniVee X weighs 15.00kg / 33lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 4 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the MiniVee X 3% heavier than the ForceField 4.
Here is a comparison of how MiniVee X and ForceField 4's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Passive Radiator |
8" passive radiator, force-cancelling
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
| App-Based Control |
Auto EQ SUB (iOS, Android)
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
300mm
vs
331mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
841cm2
vs
1638cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
180 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1299USD
|
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 95% more floor area. GoldenEar ForceField 4 stands 192mm further into the room. GoldenEar ForceField 4 is 31mm taller.
| General |
Velodyne MiniVee X |
GoldenEar ForceField 4 |
| Brand |
Velodyne |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
32-180 Hz |
14-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
350-watt RMS |
1200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
800-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
300.0mm (11.8") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Width |
290.0mm (11.4") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Depth |
290.0mm (11.4") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Weight |
15.00kg (33lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
High-gloss black, high-gloss white, or transparent acrylic |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
High-gloss black, high-gloss white, transparent acrylic (limited edition) |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| USB Port |
5V/1A, powers the Wi-Connect II receiver only |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
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 32Hz. 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 | B | GoldenEar ForceField 4 moves more air: 10" against 8" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | Velodyne MiniVee X 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. |
| Phase control | A | Velodyne MiniVee X has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Velodyne MiniVee X is about 53% 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 $1,299, about 38% less. |
A Velodyne MiniVee X 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 Velodyne MiniVee X if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. 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, Velodyne MiniVee X is usually the easier one to make sound right. 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 $1,299 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.