18SOUND ND32SG
18SOUND (Eighteen Sound) ND32SG — 2" / 2 inch Compression Driver · Tweeter / HF Driver · Neodymium · Glass Dome
3" voice coil · 8/16 Ω
Part no.: 42A-CHS-KD-18S-0013
18Sound ND32SG: 2" compression driver with glass dome, 3" voice coil, neodymium
The 18Sound ND32SG extends the ND32 family with an S version featuring a glass diaphragm. Like its siblings it is a 2" compression driver from the ND series with 3" voice coil and neodymium magnet, offered in 8 and 16 Ω. It is designed for two-way tops with a large woofer and for three-way systems that call for a 2" treble unit with high continuous power handling and a diaphragm beyond titanium or aluminium.
Glass combines two properties that otherwise tend to exclude each other in diaphragms: high stiffness and good internal damping. The dome therefore breaks up only far up the band, and when it does, the resonances stay shallow. The presence region sounds more controlled than with titanium, while the treble does not fall back as with soft polymers. The 3" coil brings the thermal capacity for high continuous levels, the neodymium motor the force at comparatively low weight. Relative to the ND32G, the ND32SG is the S variant of the same basic construction.
Use and enclosure
The 2" throat belongs on a 2" horn, in the 18Sound range one of the 2" models in the horns category. Other coverage patterns are found in the manufacturer's horns and waveguides category. For operation with a low crossover a large horn mouth is decisive: it keeps the midrange coverage together and ensures the driver is still loaded cleanly in the lower part of its band.
The crossover uses a steep high-pass, active 24 dB/octave, passive at least 12 dB/octave with a somewhat higher corner. A limiter on the HF branch is mandatory regardless of the amplifier. Partners are large woofers in two-way tops or a midrange unit in three-way systems. The efficiency of a 2" neodymium driver sits far above that of a woofer, so attenuation via DSP or an L-pad belongs in every plan. With two drivers on one amplifier channel the 16 Ω version is preferable.
What to look out for
- Available in 8 or 16 Ω: 16 Ω for two drivers in parallel on one channel.
- Glass diaphragm: stiff and damped, controlled presence region with full treble extension.
- 3" voice coil: high thermal reserve for continuous sound reinforcement use.
- Neodymium magnet: moderate weight for a 2" driver, good for flown systems.
- Large 2" horn, steep high-pass and limiter are prerequisites for a low crossover.
Frequently asked questions
ND32SG or ND32G, what is the difference?
Both are 2" drivers with glass diaphragm, 3" coil and neodymium motor in 8 or 16 Ω. The ND32SG is the S version of the same family. Which variant suits your horn and application is settled by the comparison in the driver database at 42.audio.
For which applications does a glass diaphragm make sense?
Wherever a 2" driver has to reproduce speech, vocals and acoustic instruments without the hardness of a titanium dome while keeping the treble extension. That applies to tops for theatres, churches and conference rooms as much as to demanding two-way systems.
How do I connect the ND32SG?
To an amplifier channel that works stably at the chosen impedance, with a steep high-pass and a limiter. Because of the high sensitivity, attenuation relative to the woofer is necessary, actively in the DSP or passively via an L-pad in the crossover.
18Sound ND32SG: 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 ND32SG is a compression driver 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 ND32SG with 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) | 8/16 |
| Abmessungen & Korb | |
|---|---|
| Voice coil (inch) | 3 |