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18SOUND 12NDA520

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18SOUND (Eighteen Sound) 12NDA520 — 12" / 12 inch · Midrange with Lower Midrange (ML) · Midrange · Neodymium
2.5" voice coil · 8 Ω
Part no.: 42A-CHS-MT-18S-0015

299.00 € 299.0 EUR 299.00 €

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  • Frequency to (Hz)
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18SOUND 12NDA520 — 12" · Midrange Driver

300 W AES · 100.5 dB Sensitivity · Frequency range 55 Hz – 6000 Hz

Technical data

  • Diameter: 12 "
  • Voice coil: 2.5 "
  • Power handling: 300 W AES
  • Sensitivity: 100.5 dB
  • Impedance: 8 Ω
  • Magnet: Neo
  • Weight: 3 kg
  • Mounting depth: 125 mm
  • Frequency range: 55 – 6000 Hz

Datasheet (PDF) · Manufacturer page

Series: NDA · Part no.: 42A-CHS-MT-18S-0015

18Sound 12NDA520: lightweight 12" midrange with 100.5 dB at only 3 kg

Three kilograms for a 12" driver rated at 300 W AES – the 12NDA520 from the NDA series by 18Sound (Eighteen Sound) is built around weight. The neodymium motor is the starting point, and a moving mass of 36 g carries the idea over to the cone. The result is a sensitivity of 100.5 dB and an operating range of 55 Hz to 6,000 Hz, which extends unusually far upward for a midrange driver with lower-mid duties.

The small-signal parameters show the direction: Fs 50 Hz, Qts 0.27 and a Vas of 111 l indicate a compliant suspension and a light cone controlled by a motor with BL 14.4 Tm. Xmax is 4 mm – enough for lower-mid work in a top cabinet, not a figure for bass duty. The 2.5" voice coil and a mounting depth of 125 mm fit the concept of a shallow, light driver for systems that get carried and flown.

Use and enclosure

In a three-way cabinet the 12NDA520 works best as a midrange in a sealed midrange chamber, for which the guideline suggests about 19 l with a system resonance of 131 Hz. Everything below goes to the woofer, everything above to a horn or dome – with an operating range up to 6,000 Hz there is plenty of room for choosing the upper crossover point, which should still sit well below that limit. As the lower-mid engine in a two-way top, the bass reflex guideline gives the starting point: 39 l tuned to 68 Hz, f3 around 81 Hz. The EBP of 179 argues clearly for reflex or horn loading rather than a sealed box when extension is required; the enclosure calculator on 42.audio handles the fine-tuning.

At 100.5 dB the driver sits close in level to many compression drivers, so the crossover only needs light attenuation on the tweeter – good for amplifier headroom and the dynamics of the whole system.

What to look out for

  • 8 Ω nominal with Re 5.2 Ω: no problem for any amp, also two in parallel on a stable amplifier.
  • 3 kg and 125 mm mounting depth – suited to flown cabinets and monitors with little internal space.
  • Xmax 4 mm: fine for lower mids in a top, not a candidate for subwoofer work.
  • Moving mass 36 g and 100.5 dB: high efficiency, which calls for a high-pass filter below the tuning.

Frequently asked questions

Can I run the 12NDA520 in a two-way top without a subwoofer?

For speech and music with limited bass content, yes: in the 39 l bass reflex guideline, f3 sits around 81 Hz. For full-range music with kick and bass a subwoofer underneath is advisable, so that the 4 mm Xmax does not become the bottleneck.

How much amplifier power does the driver need?

The 300 W AES rating at 8 Ω is the reference. Thanks to 100.5 dB sensitivity, the 12NDA520 reaches high levels with considerably less power; more important than headroom is a clean high-pass that protects the cone below the tuning frequency.

What separates the 12NDA520 from the B&C 12NDL76?

Both sit at Fs 50 Hz and Qts 0.27, but the 12NDL76 has a smaller Vas of 69 l versus 111 l for the 12NDA520. That means a softer suspension on the 18Sound and somewhat larger enclosures for the same alignment. You will find both drivers in the 42.audio database.

18Sound 12NDA520: 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 12NDA520 is a 12-inch midrange driver with neodymium magnet from the NDA 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 12NDA520 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 fs50 Hz
Total Q Qts0.27
Electrical Q Qes0.28
Mechanical Q Qms5.5
Equivalent volume Vas111.0 l
Moving mass Mms36.0 g
Cone area Sd531 cm²
Linear excursion Xmax4 mm
Force factor BL14.4 Tm
DC resistance Re5.2 Ω
Voice coil inductance Le0.03 mH

Enclosure suggestion

The EBP of 179 suggests a bass-reflex enclosure. EBP = fs / Qes = 50 / 0.28

Sealed (Qtc 0.707)

Enclosure volume Vb
19.0 l
System resonance Fc
131 Hz
Cut-off frequency F3
131 Hz

Bass reflex (QB3 after Small)recommended

Enclosure volume Vb
29.5 l
Tuning frequency Fb
75 Hz
Cut-off frequency F3
90 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 Mid Frequency
Series NDA
Magnet Neo
Impedance (Ω) 8
Power handling (W) 300
Sensitivity (dB) 100.5
Frequency from (Hz) 55
Frequency to (Hz) 6000
Abmessungen & Korb
Diameter 12
Voice coil (inch) 2.5
Mounting depth (mm) 125
Weight (kg) 3
Thiele-Small-Parameter
Re (Ω) 5.2
Le (mH) 0.03
Fs (Hz) 50
Qms 5.5
Qes 0.28
Qts 0.27
Vas (l) 111
Xmax (mm) 4
BL (Tm) 14.4
Mms (kg) 0.036
Sd (m²) 0.0531