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18SOUND 12LW801/800

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18SOUND (Eighteen Sound) 12LW801/800 — 12" / 12 inch · Woofer/Midrange (WM) · Bass · Ferrite
3" voice coil · 8 Ω
Part no.: 42A-CHS-TT-18S-0024

259.00 € 259.0 EUR 259.00 €

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  • Impedance (Ω)
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  • Frequency to (Hz)
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18SOUND 12LW801/800 — 12" · Woofer

500 W AES · 96 dB Sensitivity · Frequency range 40 Hz – 4000 Hz

Technical data

  • Diameter: 12 "
  • Voice coil: 3 "
  • Power handling: 500 W AES
  • Sensitivity: 96 dB
  • Impedance: 8 Ω
  • Magnet: Ferrite
  • Weight: 8.1 kg
  • Mounting depth: 159 mm
  • Frequency range: 40 – 4000 Hz

Datasheet (PDF) · Manufacturer page

Series: LW · Part no.: 42A-CHS-TT-18S-0024

18Sound 12LW801/800: 12" ferrite woofer with 3" voice coil for compact bass-reflex tops

The 18Sound 12LW801/800 is a 12" woofer from the LW series with a ferrite magnet and a 3" voice coil, built as a woofer/midrange for sound-reinforcement cabinets. With 500 W AES, 96 dB sensitivity and a usable range of 40 to 4,000 Hz it covers the bass and lower midrange of a 2-way box on its own, so you don't have to hand over to another driver in the fundamental range.

Among the 12" drivers from 18Sound the 12LW801 is the classic ferrite workhorse: 8.1 kg, a 20.3 Tm motor, 84 g moving mass and a Qts of 0.33 at a resonance of 54 Hz. The Vas of 41 l is on the small side for a twelve, which points to a fairly stiff suspension – a driver that stays under control in small enclosures. The 8 mm Xmax leaves enough excursion headroom to turn the power rating into real bass output.

Use and enclosure

With an EBP of 159 the 12LW801 belongs in a bass-reflex enclosure. As a guideline derived from the Thiele-Small parameters you end up with roughly 26 l net tuned to 62 Hz, giving a lower cutoff around 66 Hz – typical for a compact top that hands over to a subwoofer below that. Sealed, it would be about 11 l with a system resonance of 116 Hz, which only makes sense as a midrange chamber in a 3-way design. Run the exact alignment through the enclosure calculator on 42.audio.

The voice-coil inductance of 1.7 mH is what you expect from a 3" motor; impedance rises noticeably above the fundamental range. In a 2-way box with a compression driver and horn from the 18Sound range, place the crossover well below the 4,000 Hz upper limit and include impedance linearisation in a passive network so the filter slope behaves the way you calculated it.

What to look out for

  • 8 Ω nominal, Re 5 Ω – any amplifier channel that cleanly delivers 500 W into 8 Ω will do.
  • Mounting depth 159 mm: allow for magnet and terminal clearance in the cabinet depth.
  • 8.1 kg ferrite motor – a top with two of them is no longer a lightweight.
  • Le 1.7 mH: plan for impedance compensation with a passive crossover.
  • Xmax 8 mm at 500 W AES – solid excursion headroom for bass-reflex use.

Frequently asked questions

How does the 12LW801 differ from the 12W750?

Both are 12" ferrite drivers with a 3" voice coil and the same Qts of 0.33. The 12W750 has a much larger Vas of 61 l and therefore needs a bigger reflex box. With 41 l Vas and a 40 Hz lower limit the 12LW801 is the pick for smaller cabinets with a bit more extension.

Is the 12LW801 enough without a subwoofer?

For speech and moderate music levels in a 26 l bass-reflex box with f3 around 66 Hz, yes. For bass-heavy music at full load a crossover to a sub makes sense: it relieves excursion and keeps the 500 W free for kick and lower mids.

What volume does it need in a bass-reflex box?

The guideline is about 26 l net with a tuning frequency of 62 Hz. Treat it as a starting point from the Thiele-Small parameters; port length, damping and internal layout are best set with the enclosure calculator on 42.audio. The datasheet PDF is on the product page.

18Sound 12LW801/800: 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 12LW801/800 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 12LW801/800 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 impedance8 Ω
Resonance frequency fs54 Hz
Total Q Qts0.33
Electrical Q Qes0.34
Mechanical Q Qms9
Equivalent volume Vas41.0 l
Moving mass Mms84.0 g
Cone area Sd531 cm²
Linear excursion Xmax8 mm
Force factor BL20.3 Tm
DC resistance Re5 Ω
Voice coil inductance Le1.7 mH

Enclosure suggestion

The EBP of 159 suggests a bass-reflex enclosure. EBP = fs / Qes = 54 / 0.34

Sealed (Qtc 0.707)

Enclosure volume Vb
11.4 l
System resonance Fc
116 Hz
Cut-off frequency F3
116 Hz

Bass reflex (QB3 after Small)recommended

Enclosure volume Vb
21.1 l
Tuning frequency Fb
66 Hz
Cut-off frequency F3
72 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 %.

Specifications

Allgemein
Manufacturer 18SOUND
Category Low Frequency
Series LW
Magnet Ferrite
Impedance (Ω) 8
Power handling (W) 500
Sensitivity (dB) 96
Frequency from (Hz) 40
Frequency to (Hz) 4000
Abmessungen & Korb
Diameter 12
Voice coil (inch) 3
Mounting depth (mm) 159
Weight (kg) 8.1
Thiele-Small-Parameter
Re (Ω) 5
Le (mH) 1.7
Fs (Hz) 54
Qms 9
Qes 0.34
Qts 0.33
Vas (l) 41
Xmax (mm) 8
BL (Tm) 20.3
Mms (kg) 0.084
Sd (m²) 0.0531