18SOUND ND32ST
18SOUND (Eighteen Sound) ND32ST — 2" / 2 inch Compression Driver · Tweeter / HF Driver · Neodymium · Titanium Dome
3" voice coil · 8 Ω
Part no.: 42A-CHS-KD-18S-0032
Documents
18SOUND ND32ST — Compression Driver
120 W AES · 112 dB Sensitivity · Frequency range 800 Hz – 20000 Hz
Technical data
- Diameter: 2 "
- Voice coil: 3 "
- Power handling: 120 W AES
- Sensitivity: 112 dB
- Impedance: 8 Ω
- Magnet: Neodymium
- Weight: 2.8 kg
- Mounting depth: 53 mm
- Frequency range: 800 – 20000 Hz
- Cone material: Titanium
- Exit: 50 mm (2.0 in)
- Rec. crossover: 1.2 kHz
Datasheet (PDF) · Manufacturer page
Series: ND · Part no.: 42A-CHS-KD-18S-0032
18Sound ND32ST: 2" neodymium driver with 112 dB, 120 W AES and 3" titanium diaphragm
112 dB sensitivity, 120 W AES power handling and a working range from 800 Hz to 20,000 Hz: those are the headline figures of the ND32ST, a 2" compression driver from the ND neodymium series by 18Sound (Eighteen Sound). Its titanium diaphragm is driven by a 3" voice coil, and the 50 mm exit accepts any 2" horn with a standard bolt-on flange.
Within the ND32 family, the S in the type name marks the version with the larger magnet assembly. You notice it on the scale – 2.8 kg is substantial for a neodymium driver – but you also get the reserves a 2" driver needs for low crossover points: more force on the coil means tighter control of the diaphragm at the bottom of its range and a distortion spectrum that rises later at high levels. At only 53 mm depth the driver stays compact enough for slim mid-high modules.
Use and enclosure
The natural home of the ND32ST is a two-way full-range cabinet with a large woofer, or the mid-high horn in a horn stack. 18Sound recommends 1.2 kHz as the crossover frequency, and that is a sensible figure: it sits well above the 800 Hz lower limit, so diaphragm and coil never operate near their largest excursion at full level. Crossing lower is only advisable with steep filters (24 dB/octave or more) and a horn that still loads the driver down there.
The matching 2" horn from the same manufacturer is the XR2064C; further options are listed in 18Sound's Horns & Waveguides category. Nominal impedance is 8 Ω. Active operation with DSP, limiter and a high-pass ahead of the power amp is the safest route – 120 W AES is a lot for a high-frequency driver, but it applies to filtered programme material, not to low bass or switch-on thumps.
What to look out for
- 8 Ω impedance – treat it like any 8 Ω load on the amplifier channel, just with far lower power demand.
- 2" exit (50 mm) – choose a horn with a 2" throat; adapters to smaller horns cost top-end detail.
- 53 mm depth helps with shallow mid-high modules and mounting behind tight horn flanges.
- 2.8 kg – make sure the horn flange and its bolts are up to it, the driver hangs on the horn.
- Titanium diaphragm on a 3" coil: robust, but never high-pass below 800 Hz.
Frequently asked questions
How low can I cross the ND32ST?
The lower limit is 800 Hz, the recommendation is 1.2 kHz. For sustained high-level use the recommendation is the better starting point; the limit is a figure for steep filters and horns with enough mouth area.
ND32ST or ND32T – what is the difference?
Both are 2" drivers with a titanium diaphragm and a 3" coil from the ND series. The ND32ST is the version with the larger motor and more weight; the ND32T is the lighter base version. If you need the headroom and control at low crossover points, take the ST.
Which amplifier do I need?
Little power, plenty of control. 112 dB sensitivity means even small amplifiers reach high levels. More important than watts are a limiter and a high-pass filter that keeps low frequencies away from the driver.
At 42.audio you get the 18SOUND ND32ST 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) | 120 |
| Sensitivity (dB) | 112 |
| Frequency from (Hz) | 800 |
| Frequency to (Hz) | 20000 |
| Abmessungen & Korb | |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 2 |
| Voice coil (inch) | 3 |
| Mounting depth (mm) | 53 |
| Weight (kg) | 2.8 |