Velodyne Acoustics Digital Drive 18 Plus Subwoofers

Velodyne Acoustics Digital Drive 18 Plus — Ultimate Low-Frequency Precision & Power

The Digital Drive 18 Plus (DD‑18+) is the flagship 18″ model in Velodyne’s elite Digital Drive Plus series. Engineered for large rooms, critical listening, and cinematic applications, it delivers controlled, ultra‑deep bass with advanced digital driver control and high output capability.

Key Features & Specifications

• Driver / Woofer
   18″ forward‑firing cone (fiberglass/Rohacell laminate) 

• Amplifier / Power
   Class D amplifier
   • 1,250 W RMS continuous power 
   • 3,000 W dynamic / peak power 

• Frequency Response
   • Overall: 8.8 Hz – 300 Hz 
   • ±3 dB: 14.4 Hz – 120 Hz 

• Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)
   < 0.5% (typical) 

• Crossover & Filter Controls
   • High-pass crossover: 80 or 100 Hz @ 6 dB/octave 
   • Low-pass crossover: adjustable from 40 to 199 Hz (1 Hz increments), selectable slope (default: 80 Hz @ 24 dB/octave) 
   • Phase: 0°–180° in 15° steps 
   • Polarity: adjustable (+ / −) 

• Magnet / Voice Coil / Cone
   • Magnet structure: ~39.7 lb (~18 kg) 
   • Voice coil: six-layer, 75 mm 
   • Cone: fiberglass / Rohacell laminate 

• Inputs & Outputs / Connectivity
   • LFE (Mono) line-level input (RCA), balanced (XLR) 
   • Stereo L & R inputs (RCA & XLR) 
   • Microphone input (mini XLR) for room calibration / Auto-EQ 
   • Speaker-level input options (bare wire, banana, spade) 
   • Line-level pass-through (RCA & XLR), high-pass outputs (RCA & XLR) 

• Controls & Calibration
   • Front-panel volume, crossover, Auto-EQ interface 
   • Rear settings: line-level, speaker-level, high-pass, power controls 
   • Auto room compensation / “automatic room correction” (via included mic and software) 
   • Adjustable low-pass slope, phase, delay capabilities 

• Acoustic / Output
   • 105 dB SPL at 10″, 1% THD (measured) 
   • Automatic room-compensation / calibration band: 15–200 Hz 

• Physical / Mechanical
   • Dimensions (H × W × D): 22.7″ × 20.7″ × 25.6″ (≈ 58 × 53 × 65 cm) 
   • Shipping / net weight: ~64.4 kg 
   • Finishes: Black Gloss Ebony, but also Satin Cherry, Walnut options 

• Other Features
   • Digital diaphragm (servo) control sampling the driver motion at ~16,000 samples/sec for distortion suppression and motion correction 
   • Full-feature remote control, USB / software connectivity for fine-tuning 
   • RS-232, Ethernet, IR control options in some models (for integration into control systems) 

In Practice / Listening Context

• In large rooms or professional theater spaces, the DD‑18+ can produce extremely deep bass (down to ~14 Hz at ±3 dB) with authority and control, making it ideal for serious AV or music systems.

• Its high peak and continuous power, along with digital servo control, helps maintain low distortion even at heavy output levels—keeping sub-bass tight yet expressive.

• The **adjustability—crossover, phase, slope, calibration—**makes it flexible to integrate with various main speaker systems and acoustic environments.

• The sealed (forward-firing) design combined with digital control tends to yield tighter, less “boomy” bass compared to ported models, especially in challenging rooms.

• For users who want granular control and an elevated performance ceiling, its feature set (Auto-EQ, remote & software tuning, input flexibility) gives a strong level of system integration and customization.