I am having a custom cabinet built and need to find a great 18" 4 ohm speaker that will run nice with 2800 watts thanks guys
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Looking for a great 18" 4 ohm speaker
- Thread starter realbadgroove
- Start date
- May 9, 2008
- 4,081
- 1,236
- Disclosures
- Proprietor Springvale Studios
I think 2800 watts is a lot for one eighteen in bass guitar amplification.
That being said if this is for a sub bass cab with a crossover frequency in the order of say 100 Hz.
There are plenty of 18" ice competition subs out there that will "absorb"
up to 6000 watts sine wave.
The best way of getting good bass guitar low frequency performance is to use multiple drivers of good efficiency and wide frequency response rather than just one of very restricted bandwidth (due to the weight of reciprocating parts needed to handle that kind of X max/wattage).
Imagine the size and weight of the voice coil assembly needed to handle 2800 watts and then think of how difficult it is to move that back and forth at even reasonable bass guitar mid frequencies.
That said if you restrict power handling to say 300 watts in an eighteen, you are going to be able to design a light weight voice coil and appropriate supple suspension parts and get reasonable bass with fine spl and midrange performance as well. Thinks classic Acoustic 301 1 X 18 folded horn cab.
Is it tonally destructive to have a crossover at the center of power of the instrument you seek to amplify?.
Maybe not!? but its certainly inviting disaster.
That being said if this is for a sub bass cab with a crossover frequency in the order of say 100 Hz.
There are plenty of 18" ice competition subs out there that will "absorb"
up to 6000 watts sine wave.
The best way of getting good bass guitar low frequency performance is to use multiple drivers of good efficiency and wide frequency response rather than just one of very restricted bandwidth (due to the weight of reciprocating parts needed to handle that kind of X max/wattage).
Imagine the size and weight of the voice coil assembly needed to handle 2800 watts and then think of how difficult it is to move that back and forth at even reasonable bass guitar mid frequencies.
That said if you restrict power handling to say 300 watts in an eighteen, you are going to be able to design a light weight voice coil and appropriate supple suspension parts and get reasonable bass with fine spl and midrange performance as well. Thinks classic Acoustic 301 1 X 18 folded horn cab.
Is it tonally destructive to have a crossover at the center of power of the instrument you seek to amplify?.
Maybe not!? but its certainly inviting disaster.
I would check out electro-voice or jbl. I'm guessing its going to have to be a speaker designed for sound system use. You are going to need a crossover.
Good luck with that. Be sure to include the video, complete with "smell surround" when you finish the beast.
Too little information.
What are your goals?
Why an 18"?
What 2800 watt amp?
What type of application?
Your cabinet should be designed and built around the TS specs of the driver.
What are your goals?
Why an 18"?
What 2800 watt amp?
What type of application?
Your cabinet should be designed and built around the TS specs of the driver.
I bought one of these in the 15" version and it is surprisingly good:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I am having a custom cabinet built by a awesome company that I have been in contact with for a few years that normally do not build cabs for dudes like me. the 2800 watts is just because I have two crest cc 2800 amps and had hoped to avoid spending money on a new amp. After doing live sound for many years I know what speakers take to power 2 JBL 2241s run really nice with 2800 watts the 2242s take more around the 3200-4000 range. High end ev also takes lots of power. The 2241 would work fine but they are 8 ohm and thus I would need to buy a power amp that would run the speaker without any clipping at 8 ohms. A amp has to work really hard to push power to a 8 ohm load. Oh and classic guy thats all fine and well but I need big low deep tight bass not 300 watt light fender bass tone. The drivers that I am looking at thus far are eminence Omega 18C and Ciare 18.00SW the Ciare's specs are pretty amazing and I think that 2800 watts would be about right for the driver. The Eminence driver would only take about 2000 watts. I had hoped that you guys could give me some other options instead of telling me I am crazy and or wrong in my thinking, yes 2800 watts is lots of power for one speaker but I already have the amp so buying a speaker that would run smooth at 2800 at 4 ohms would save me money. I could go with a lower watt speaker and buy another amp but why do that.
- Feb 16, 2008
- 21,240
- 23,634
- Disclosures
- John K Custom Basses
Rick Auricchio
Registered Bass Offender
Why would you have to buy another amp? It has a level control that you can turn down.
Well, how much power your transducer will take is highly depending on the application; ie box type, box size, box tuning (if applicable) crossover setting etc etc.
I run a number of Ciare NDC 18 in my PA rig, powered by QSC RMX 5050. Two woofers per channel, yielding 1250 W per woofer. In my application the woofers will run out of excursion in the bottom notes (32 Hz) before the amp clips.
There are some 18" woofers with heavier cone, longer excursion and bigger motor but I am not sure how well they will work in your application.
Cerwin Vega Stroker (the "old" model SC189) was also available for Car Audio with 4 Ohm VC. I have a couple of these woofers too, an they take a lot of power and abuse. However, you have to REALLY keep things under control, or you will tear them apart with low frequency transients or "rumble". (They are more compliant and linear - "unforgiving"/sensitive than most PA woofers.) A very steep HP filter, and a brickwall limiter might do the trick, though.
Maybe the newer JBL woofers from the Line arrays (don't remember the number) come with a 2x 8 Ohm VC? They do not normally sell their current top of the line transducers, though, until a newer model is released...
/Alexander
I run a number of Ciare NDC 18 in my PA rig, powered by QSC RMX 5050. Two woofers per channel, yielding 1250 W per woofer. In my application the woofers will run out of excursion in the bottom notes (32 Hz) before the amp clips.
There are some 18" woofers with heavier cone, longer excursion and bigger motor but I am not sure how well they will work in your application.
Cerwin Vega Stroker (the "old" model SC189) was also available for Car Audio with 4 Ohm VC. I have a couple of these woofers too, an they take a lot of power and abuse. However, you have to REALLY keep things under control, or you will tear them apart with low frequency transients or "rumble". (They are more compliant and linear - "unforgiving"/sensitive than most PA woofers.) A very steep HP filter, and a brickwall limiter might do the trick, though.
Maybe the newer JBL woofers from the Line arrays (don't remember the number) come with a 2x 8 Ohm VC? They do not normally sell their current top of the line transducers, though, until a newer model is released...
/Alexander
