18SOUND 12LW1400
18SOUND (Eighteen Sound) 12LW1400 — 12" / 12 inch · Woofer · Bass · Ferrite Magnet
4" voice coil · 8 Ω
Part no.: 42A-CHS-TT-18S-0023
Documents
18SOUND 12LW1400 — 12" · Woofer
900 W AES · 96 dB Sensitivity · Frequency range 51 Hz – 4000 Hz
Technical data
- Diameter: 12 "
- Voice coil: 4 "
- Power handling: 900 W AES
- Sensitivity: 96 dB
- Impedance: 8 Ω
- Magnet: Ferrite
- Weight: 10.9 kg
- Mounting depth: 141 mm
- Frequency range: 51 – 4000 Hz
Datasheet (PDF) · Manufacturer page
Series: LW · Part no.: 42A-CHS-TT-18S-0023
18Sound 12LW1400: 12" woofer with 4" voice coil, 900 W AES and 8.25 mm Xmax
The 18Sound 12LW1400 is a pure woofer from the LW series, designed for subwoofers and bass sections where a 12" driver has to take continuous load. The 4" voice coil is unusually large for this size and allows 900 W AES; together with the ferrite magnet delivering BL of 20 Tm the driver weighs 10.9 kg. Xmax of 8.25 mm on a cone area of 531 cm² gives a displacement volume intended for compact vented subwoofers in rental and installation use.
The parameters are balanced: Fs 45 Hz, Qts 0.3 and Vas 55 l. That makes the 12LW1400 easy to align in medium-sized vented boxes. 96 dB sensitivity is a good figure for a 12" woofer with 88 g moving mass, and the frequency range of 51 to 4,000 Hz reaches far enough to use it as a mid-woofer in large 2-way tops as well. Le of 1.5 mH is normal for a 4" coil and calls for care with very high crossover points.
Use and enclosure
As a subwoofer or bass section a vented box is the right choice: guide value 26 l with fb 56 Hz and f3 63 Hz. That is a compact cabinet for a 12" driver which, with 900 W AES and 8.25 mm of travel, delivers high levels in the kick and upper bass. If you want more extension, go beyond the guide volume and tune lower; the enclosure calculator at 42.audio shows the effect on f3 and excursion. A sealed box of 12 l at fc 106 Hz is the guide value for mid-woofer duty above a subwoofer, but the EBP of 141 shows that vented remains the main application.
Crossover to the top end: the range ends at 4,000 Hz, and in a 2-way top you will cross well below that to a 1.4" or 2" compression driver on a horn from the 18Sound range. At 42.audio you can compare the Beyma 12LEX1000Fe with Fs 49 Hz, Qts 0.3 and Vas 38.4 l and the Beyma 12WRS400 with Fs 42 Hz, Qts 0.29 and Vas 91 l, which needs a much larger box.
What to look out for
- 4" voice coil, 900 W AES: designed for continuous use in rental.
- 10.9 kg: a ferrite heavyweight, plan cabinet and handles accordingly.
- Xmax 8.25 mm: high-pass above 51 Hz protects at subwoofer levels.
- 8 Ω, Re 5.2 Ω: standard load, two in parallel at 4 Ω.
- Mounting depth 141 mm: fits common vented subs.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 12LW1400 suitable as a rental subwoofer?
Yes, 900 W AES through the 4" coil and 8.25 mm Xmax are made for continuous duty. In the vented guide value of 26 l at fb 56 Hz it delivers high kick-bass levels; for more extension enlarge the volume and tune lower.
Which amplifier suits the 12LW1400?
A channel around the 900 W AES rating into 8 Ω exploits the driver fully, though at 96 dB sensitivity less is enough for high levels. A high-pass below the tuning frequency is essential so excursion does not grow uncontrolled under the port tuning.
12LW1400 or Beyma 12LEX1000Fe?
Both have Qts 0.3 and similar Fs of 45 versus 49 Hz. The 12LEX1000Fe has a stiffer suspension with Vas 38.4 l compared with 55 l for the 12LW1400, so slightly smaller boxes. The 4" coil with 900 W AES is the argument for the 18Sound.
18Sound 12LW1400: manufacturer, spellings and classification
18Sound, 18 Sound and Eighteensound all refer to the same manufacturer: Eighteen Sound S.r.l. of Reggio Emilia, Italy. The 12LW1400 is a 12-inch woofer with ferrite magnet from the LW series, available from 42.audio, 18Sound dealer in Germany, with datasheet and full specifications in the driver database.
At 42.audio you get the 18SOUND 12LW1400 with datasheet PDF, all key data in the driver database and the enclosure calculator. More drivers from this manufacturer: Atlas 18Sound.
Thiele-Small parameters
| Nominal impedance | 8 Ω |
|---|---|
| Resonance frequency fs | 45 Hz |
| Total Q Qts | 0.3 |
| Electrical Q Qes | 0.32 |
| Mechanical Q Qms | 5 |
| Equivalent volume Vas | 55.0 l |
| Moving mass Mms | 88.0 g |
| Cone area Sd | 531 cm² |
| Linear excursion Xmax | 8.25 mm |
| Force factor BL | 20 Tm |
| DC resistance Re | 5.2 Ω |
| Voice coil inductance Le | 1.5 mH |
Enclosure suggestion
The EBP of 141 suggests a bass-reflex enclosure. EBP = fs / Qes = 45 / 0.32
Sealed (Qtc 0.707)
- Enclosure volume Vb
- 12.1 l
- System resonance Fc
- 106 Hz
- Cut-off frequency F3
- 106 Hz
Bass reflex (QB3 after Small)recommended
- Enclosure volume Vb
- 20.7 l
- Tuning frequency Fb
- 61 Hz
- Cut-off frequency F3
- 69 Hz
Vb is the required net internal volume, Fb the tuning frequency of the reflex port and F3 the frequency at which the level has dropped by 3 dB. Calculated approximation after Small. A starting point for simulation, not a finished build plan.
Comparable drivers
Same size, same type, Qts within ±30 %.
- FaitalPRO 12HP1030fs 45 Hz · Qts 0.3 · Vas 35.9 l · in the database
- Beyma 12LEX1000Fefs 49 Hz · Qts 0.3 · Vas 38.4 l · in the shop
- B&C Speakers 12FL76fs 50 Hz · Qts 0.3 · Vas 57 l · in the database
- B&C Speakers 12CL64fs 52 Hz · Qts 0.3 · Vas 64 l · in the database
- Beyma 12WRS400fs 42 Hz · Qts 0.29 · Vas 91 l · in the shop
- FaitalPRO 12HP1060fs 45 Hz · Qts 0.28 · Vas 36.9 l · in the database
Specifications
| Allgemein | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | 18SOUND |
| Category | Low Frequency |
| Series | LW |
| Magnet | Ferrite |
| Impedance (Ω) | 8 |
| Power handling (W) | 900 |
| Sensitivity (dB) | 96 |
| Frequency from (Hz) | 51 |
| Frequency to (Hz) | 4000 |
| Abmessungen & Korb | |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 12 |
| Voice coil (inch) | 4 |
| Mounting depth (mm) | 141 |
| Weight (kg) | 10.9 |
| Thiele-Small-Parameter | |
|---|---|
| Re (Ω) | 5.2 |
| Le (mH) | 1.5 |
| Fs (Hz) | 45 |
| Qms | 5 |
| Qes | 0.32 |
| Qts | 0.3 |
| Vas (l) | 55 |
| Xmax (mm) | 8.25 |
| BL (Tm) | 20 |
| Mms (kg) | 0.088 |
| Sd (m²) | 0.0531 |