18SOUND 12ND730
18SOUND (Eighteen Sound) 12ND730 — 12" / 12 inch · Woofer/Midrange (WM) · Bass · Neodymium
3" voice coil · 8 Ω
Part no.: 42A-CHS-TT-18S-0066
Documents
18SOUND 12ND730 — 12" · Woofer
400 W AES · 98 dB Sensitivity · Frequency range 53 Hz – 5000 Hz
Technical data
- Diameter: 12 "
- Voice coil: 3 "
- Power handling: 400 W AES
- Sensitivity: 98 dB
- Impedance: 8 Ω
- Magnet: Neo
- Weight: 3.8 kg
- Mounting depth: 132 mm
- Frequency range: 53 – 5000 Hz
Datasheet (PDF) · Manufacturer page
Series: ND · Part no.: 42A-CHS-TT-18S-0066
18Sound 12ND730: lightweight 12" neodymium woofer with 98 dB for sub-supported tops
If you want a 12" top that stays light and still gets loud, the 18Sound 12ND730 comes up quickly. The neodymium woofer from the ND series weighs 3.8 kg, delivers 98 dB sensitivity and is rated at 400 W AES for music use. Its working range runs from 53 to 5,000 Hz, which also makes it a candidate for the low-mid section of 3-way systems.
The parameters tell the story of an efficiency driver: with only 55 g moving mass, 19.2 Tm of motor force and a Qts of 0.23, the 12ND730 is built for speed and output rather than deep bass. The large Vas of 90 l at a 45 Hz resonance shows a soft suspension, and the 6.5 mm Xmax defines the excursion limit. In practice the woofer sounds very direct above its tuning frequency and is happiest leaving deep bass to a subwoofer.
Use and enclosure
The EBP of 188 clearly favours bass reflex or horn loading. As a bass-reflex guideline you get around 20 l net tuned to 71 Hz with an f3 near 92 Hz – a compact top for satellite systems or monitors that starts working at the sub crossover. A sealed box of 11 l ends up with a system resonance of 138 Hz and is only interesting as a midrange chamber in a 3-way design. The enclosure calculator on 42.audio lets you run both options with your own dimensions.
Thanks to the range up to 5,000 Hz you have room to place the crossover to the HF horn. The 1.73 mH inductance does produce a pronounced impedance rise that a passive network has to compensate; with active crossovers this is a non-issue. A compression driver with a matching horn from the 18Sound Horns & Waveguides category completes the woofer into a 2-way system.
What to look out for
- Only 3.8 kg thanks to neodymium – ideal for portable tops and rigging weight limits.
- 400 W AES into 8 Ω: the amplifier doesn't need to be huge, 98 dB does the work.
- Xmax 6.5 mm – quickly used up in full-range operation without a sub.
- Mounting depth 132 mm, shallow enough for slim monitor cabinets.
- Le 1.73 mH: remember impedance linearisation with a passive crossover.
Frequently asked questions
Can the 12ND730 work as a full-range woofer without a subwoofer?
Only to a degree. With f3 around 92 Hz in 20 l bass reflex it lacks deep bass, and the 6.5 mm Xmax reaches its limit quickly with strong low end. As a top above a sub or as a low-mid driver it makes full use of its 98 dB.
How does it compare with the Beyma 12LEX1300Nd?
Both sit at 45 Hz resonance with a Qts around 0.23 to 0.24, so they're similarly tightly driven. The Beyma has a much smaller Vas of 43 l versus 90 l for the 12ND730, so it tends to tolerate smaller boxes. Compare both directly in the driver database on 42.audio.
Which amplifier suits the 12ND730?
A channel with about 400 W into 8 Ω is plenty; with 98 dB sensitivity you don't need more for high levels. More important is a high-pass filter below the tuning frequency so excursion doesn't run away with a 6.5 mm Xmax.
18Sound 12ND730: 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 12ND730 is a 12-inch woofer with neodymium magnet from the ND 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 12ND730 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 | 0.23 |
| Electrical Q Qes | 0.24 |
| Mechanical Q Qms | 5.13 |
| Equivalent volume Vas | 90.0 l |
| Moving mass Mms | 55.0 g |
| Cone area Sd | 531 cm² |
| Linear excursion Xmax | 6.5 mm |
| Force factor BL | 19.2 Tm |
| DC resistance Re | 5.6 Ω |
| Voice coil inductance Le | 1.73 mH |
Enclosure suggestion
The EBP of 188 suggests a bass-reflex enclosure. EBP = fs / Qes = 45 / 0.24
Sealed (Qtc 0.707)
- Enclosure volume Vb
- 10.7 l
- System resonance Fc
- 138 Hz
- Cut-off frequency F3
- 138 Hz
Bass reflex (QB3 after Small)recommended
- Enclosure volume Vb
- 14.1 l
- Tuning frequency Fb
- 80 Hz
- Cut-off frequency F3
- 102 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 %.
- B&C Speakers 12TBX100fs 44 Hz · Qts 0.23 · Vas 41.1 l · in the database
- B&C Speakers 12PLB76fs 50 Hz · Qts 0.23 · Vas 75 l · in the database
- Beyma 12LEX1300Ndfs 45 Hz · Qts 0.24 · Vas 43 l · in the shop
- FaitalPRO 12FH510fs 45 Hz · Qts 0.24 · Vas 81.3 l · in the database
- FaitalPRO 12FH500fs 45 Hz · Qts 0.22 · Vas 80.3 l · in the database
- FaitalPRO 12FX600fs 48 Hz · Qts 0.24 · Vas 44.4 l · in the database
Specifications
| Allgemein | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | 18SOUND |
| Category | Low Frequency |
| Series | ND |
| Magnet | Neo |
| Impedance (Ω) | 8 |
| Power handling (W) | 400 |
| Sensitivity (dB) | 98 |
| Frequency from (Hz) | 53 |
| Frequency to (Hz) | 5000 |
| Abmessungen & Korb | |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 12 |
| Voice coil (inch) | 3 |
| Mounting depth (mm) | 132 |
| Weight (kg) | 3.8 |
| Thiele-Small-Parameter | |
|---|---|
| Re (Ω) | 5.6 |
| Le (mH) | 1.73 |
| Fs (Hz) | 45 |
| Qms | 5.13 |
| Qes | 0.24 |
| Qts | 0.23 |
| Vas (l) | 90 |
| Xmax (mm) | 6.5 |
| BL (Tm) | 19.2 |
| Mms (kg) | 0.055 |
| Sd (m²) | 0.0531 |