In this review, we will be comparing Nova 10 and ForceField 40, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Wharfedale 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 Wharfedale Nova 10 and GoldenEar ForceField 40 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.Wharfedale Nova 10and GoldenEar ForceField 40 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
Nova 10 has a frequency range of 29 Hz (-6dB) 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 Nova 10's min frequency of 29Hz.
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 Wharfedale Nova 10 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
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 Wharfedale Nova 10's and GoldenEar ForceField 40's external dimensions. Wharfedale Nova 10 has external dimensions of 391.0 x 363.0 x 408.0mm (15.39inch x 14.29inch x 16.06inch) 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 24mm narrower and 13mm shorter than Wharfedale Nova 10 but it is also 77mm 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.
GoldenEar ForceField 40 needs about 11% more floor or shelf area. GoldenEar ForceField 40 is 77mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale Nova 10 is 13mm 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 Wharfedale Nova 10 is approximately 1481.0cm2 / 229.6inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 40 is approximately 1644.2cm2 / 254.9inch2. The Nova 10 requires 10% 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 Wharfedale Nova 10 weighs 22.20kg / 48.8lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 40 weighs 18.41kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the Nova 10 21% heavier than the ForceField 40.
Here is a comparison of how Nova 10 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 Wharfedale Nova 10?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Nova 10:
- Subwoofer
- Power cord
- Manual
- Rubber feet pads
What's in the Box of GoldenEar ForceField 40?
Here are the items that come with the ForceField 40:
- Powered subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Quick Start Guide
- Owners Manual
 Passive Radiator |
1 x 10-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Base Surface Area |
1481cm2
vs
1644cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
29 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
378mm
vs
391mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
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 40 needs about 11% more floor area. GoldenEar ForceField 40 stands 77mm further into the room. Wharfedale Nova 10 is 13mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale Nova 10 |
GoldenEar ForceField 40 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
230 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
29 Hz (-6dB) |
14-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
230-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
500-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front and bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
391.0mm (15.4") |
378.0mm (14.9") |
| Width |
363.0mm (14.3") |
339.0mm (13.3") |
| Depth |
408.0mm (16.1") |
485.0mm (19.1") |
| Weight |
22.20kg (48.8lbs) |
18.41kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
Matte Black |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| USB Port |
USB port for firmware updates |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
3 Years |
No single best subwoofer here. Your room, where the box can physically go, and whether this is mainly for films or mainly for music will settle it long before the specs do.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | GoldenEar ForceField 40 goes deeper - 14Hz against 29Hz. 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 40 has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 230W RMS, about 6.4dB 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. |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | Wharfedale Nova 10 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. |
| Phase control | A | Wharfedale Nova 10 has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Driver placement | depends | Wharfedale Nova 10 fires front and GoldenEar ForceField 40 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. |
| Price | B | GoldenEar ForceField 40 costs less - $1,199 against $1,299, about 8% less. |
A Wharfedale Nova 10 B GoldenEar ForceField 40
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. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, Wharfedale Nova 10 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.