18sound kit18 question

cravings wrote: just do more sb180s then?

Bremen_99 wrote: Personally, I have changed my mind countless times about what to build. I will say, I thought I cared more about sub 35hz than I actually do after testing, figuring out that 40hz and up is actually where the weight and tonality kind of is, and bass impact, and that is opening up more options. Actually one cabinet that I am seriously considering if I go the no compromise route (as in, stupid amount of plywood and hard to move, for maybe 6-8 more db, for the price of extension and ease of transit etc) are the sound agency SAPFX-LW118, as it is built around the driver you have, If I was you i'd look into it. I wouldn't be convinced about "40hz horns" earlier but now after more testing I think I prefer as body impact and midbass tonality is my aesthetic preference. which happens more in the 40hz-90. They can go up to 120 very linear so could meet your tops easy at 100. https://soundagency.fr/docs/sapfx118-lw-pratique-performant-et-nerveux/ In your position it would be very tempting to make two clones until recommitted to a full 6 of something new. You could try building a couple prototype cabs out of mdf and pick the one you like best.

VBS218  with those drivers? 

There are some good martin ws18x plans I have cutsheets for, if you are going that direction, I can post the rest. The b&c 18 plan doesn't have bracing but there's a 3d model of it, I think on speakerplans.eu. The 18sub the first one is actually even closer to your recommended volume/vas. Yea low end theory kind of got me into sound systems, I miss it dearly   would go almost every Wednesday. Had a membership card. Good times. 

Edited by Bremen_99 - 04 February 2026 at 7:13pm

Nope, Been in Colorado for a while now. Definitely miss the ability to go to any kind of shows any night of the week   from sludge metal at the whiskey to jazz fusion at the baked potato...  low end always had the best system I thought. was into dubstep and dnb and stuff before then but experimental electronic was really hitting in the 2010's.  Around here its all... uhh... bluegrass and very *bad* dj's. Maybe one or two good electronic acts a year, and the venue is really hard to tune, uncomfortable to listen to, not much of a scene. 

Edited by Bremen_99 - 05 February 2026 at 4:36am

Sounds sick bro. Venue is always the hard part. Definitely depends on which drivers you are talking, reflex isn't that terrible outdoors for the size, especially if under 100 closer up. maybe not ideal, but sounds like you know what you are doing definitely comes down to the engineer not the design. I am pretty sure I'm building the 18sub (updated tall slot port version) because I have a slightly mismatched low end and its a very versatile cabinet, where you can make use of all the xmax your driver has to offer, provided not as efficient. Reflex has more ThD but its very linear and somewhat pleasurable nature, especially in well designed like 18sounds are, but it still has more "distortion" than a horn.  Many like it. This particular cab design seems like a good balance for me, even though I've always been partial to horns they aren't great for the primary listening environment (a studio).