Dynaudio 18S

Dynaudio’s 18S is a serious, pro-grade subwoofer that gets you tightly down to 16Hz. You’ll feel the crush of a well-recorded kick drum. The full weight of a 5-string bass. You’ll also be able to identify any low-frequency mud that needs to be cleaned up. To properly record frequencies this low, you’ve got to be able to hear them. Adding the 18S to your monitoring setup opens up a new world of performance that lets you record, mix, and master with meticulous accuracy — and deliver tracks that translate perfectly to the world beyond your studio. Employing dual-opposing 9.5″ long-throw MSP+ Hybrid Drive units and 500 watts of Class D amplification, the 18S features intelligent DSP that seamlessly tailors its performance to popular Dynaudio high-end monitors, for true full-range monitoring that will help you make better recordings.

Advanced DSP automatically mates with popular Dynaudio monitors

The 18S is engineered with Dynaudio’s advanced DSP modeling technology that acoustically mates the 18S to any of the company’s pro studio monitors from the BM and LYD series and above, essentially turning a two-way speaker into a three-way system. And if you combine the 18S with an LYD 48 stereo or surround setup, you’ll have a four-way monitoring system. Tight integration of your full-range speakers with your sub is key for critical accuracy during the recording, mixing, and mastering process. For Dynaudio, this involved assessing the acoustical characteristics of each of their popular high-end studio monitors and creating customized performance maps for each one. You select the specific Dynaudio speakers you are using from the 18S display’s menu, and the appropriate roll off will be applied automatically. The process is also future-proof: when Dynaudio adds new monitors to their range, 18S firmware updates that include the new speakers’ performance maps will be made available — so your monitoring system can grow according to your needs.

Flexible time- and phase-aligned integration into any studio setup

The 18S is fitted with a selection of RCA and XLR connections for flexible integration into your studio setup and includes a number of handy features to assist with integration into more advanced systems. This includes your ability to set a time delay to ensure the subwoofer and main speakers are working in perfect synchronicity. Simply enter the distance from the sub to the speakers, and the 18S automatically adjusts itself using time and phase delays. Also onboard is a three-way parametric equalizer to defeat room modes that could adversely affect the accuracy of your recordings.

Dual-opposing driver design for power and punch

In the 18S, two new drivers reside at either end of the cabinet, which is wider than it is deep for placement convenience. Delivering a powerful one-two punch is a pair of Dynaudio’s cutting-edge MSP+ Hybrid Drive units in a dual-opposing configuration, powered by a 500-watt Class D amplifier.

Hear every nuance and produce mixes that translate

For for the 18S, Dynaudio designed a brand-new driver they call the MSP+ Hybrid Drive. It’s made from aluminum rather than the company’s usual magnesium silicate polymer. It’s effectively a sandwich, with paper backing and an MSP dust-cap on the front. In recent years, the efficacy of sandwich construction has proven its worth for subwoofers, which typically require a more critical balance between stiffness, lightness, and damping than standard speaker drivers. Aside from the technology under the hood, Sweetwater can confirm that the 18S’s performance is exemplary. It’s a sub that integrates seamlessly with your Dynaudio monitors and lets you work with unfettered creative freedom, confident that you’re hearing every nuance — and that your mixes will translate to any playback system.

Features:

• Onboard 500-watt Class D amplifier
• Preset speaker crossover filters
• Dual-opposing driver design principle
• Two 9.5″ MSP+ Hybrid Drive long-throw woofers for accurate low-frequency reproduction
• Flexible time- and phase-aligned integration into any studio setup
• Frequency response: 16Hz—230Hz ±3dB
• Advanced DSP with updatable presets for a range of Dynaudio pro studio monitors
• Built-in 3-band parametric EQ
• Master/Slave feature for daisy-chaining multiple subs
• I/O connectors: balanced XLR, unbalanced RCA
• Auto On/Off for energy conservation