18SOUND ND1050
18SOUND (Eighteen Sound) ND1050 — 1" / 1 inch Compression Driver · Tweeter / HF Driver · Neodymium · Titanium Dome
1.75" voice coil · 8 Ω
Part no.: 42A-CHS-KD-18S-0045
Documents
18SOUND ND1050 — Compression Driver
50 W AES · 110 dB Sensitivity · Frequency range 1600 Hz – 20000 Hz
Technical data
- Diameter: 1 "
- Voice coil: 1.75 "
- Power handling: 50 W AES
- Sensitivity: 110 dB
- Impedance: 8 Ω
- Magnet: Neodymium
- Weight: 0.55 kg
- Mounting depth: 41 mm
- Frequency range: 1600 – 20000 Hz
- Cone material: Titanium - Pen
- Exit: 25 mm (1.0 in)
- Rec. crossover: 1.6 kHz
Datasheet (PDF) · Manufacturer page
Series: ND · Part no.: 42A-CHS-KD-18S-0045
18Sound ND1050: 1" compression driver with 110 dB at only 0.55 kg
110 dB sensitivity from a driver that weighs 0.55 kg – that is the essence of the 18Sound ND1050. This 1" compression driver from Eighteen Sound's ND range relies on a neodymium motor, a 1.75" voice coil and a titanium dome. Impedance is 8 Ω, power handling 50 W AES, and the operating range runs from 1.6 kHz to 20,000 Hz.
It was developed for loudspeakers where weight matters but the high end still needs headroom: line array modules, lightweight tops for mobile use, and equally active monitors and installation boxes. The step from smaller coils to a 1.75" voice coil is decisive within the 1" class. More winding area means better heat dissipation and therefore higher continuous power handling, and the larger diaphragm behind the phase plug pushes efficiency up. That all of this fits into 41 mm of mounting depth makes the driver attractive for shallow enclosures.
Use and enclosure
The throat exit is 25 mm, the standard for 1" horns. Matching horns and waveguides from 18Sound are listed at 42.audio in the Horns & Waveguides category; for arrays these are typically horns with narrow vertical coverage, for single tops more symmetrical patterns.
The crossover frequency should not fall below the recommended 1.6 kHz. With 50 W AES the ND1050 has headroom, but a titanium dome on a 1.75" coil will thank you if the high-pass works steeply at high levels and the crossover sits slightly higher. In active systems you can also place a peak limiter on the HF channel; in passive operation a series resistor or L-pad for level matching to the woofer is almost always required, because hardly any cone driver reaches 110 dB.
What to look out for
- 0.55 kg: minimal mass for arrays, flown loads and mobile tops.
- 8 Ω and 110 dB: small amplifier channels are sufficient; plan level matching to the woofer.
- 41 mm mounting depth: fits shallow cabinets and densely packed array modules.
- 50 W AES on a 1.75" voice coil: crossover from 1.6 kHz, steep high-pass recommended.
Frequently asked questions
Can I run two ND1050 in parallel on one channel?
Yes, two drivers at 8 Ω give 4 Ω, which most power amplifiers drive without trouble. Make sure horn length and alignment are identical so the drivers do not cancel each other in the transition region.
Where is the ND1050 a better fit than heavier 1" drivers?
Anywhere something is flown, carried or built into tight modules. At 0.55 kg and 41 mm depth the driver can be packed into line arrays with several elements per module without weight and centre of gravity getting out of hand.
Which crossover point and slope?
Not below 1.6 kHz; at high levels preferably above. A filter with 24 dB/octave keeps low-frequency energy reliably away from the diaphragm. The datasheet PDF and the driver database at 42.audio provide the curves for fine-tuning.
At 42.audio you get the 18SOUND ND1050 with datasheet PDF, all key data in the driver database. More drivers from this manufacturer: Atlas 18Sound.
Specifications
| Allgemein | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | 18SOUND |
| Category | Compression Driver |
| Series | ND |
| Magnet | Neodymium |
| Impedance (Ω) | 8 |
| Power handling (W) | 50 |
| Sensitivity (dB) | 110 |
| Frequency from (Hz) | 1600 |
| Frequency to (Hz) | 20000 |
| Abmessungen & Korb | |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 1 |
| Voice coil (inch) | 1.75 |
| Mounting depth (mm) | 41 |
| Weight (kg) | 0.55 |