Martin W8s 18" driver replacement

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   Hi,
any recommendations/experience if it makes sense to put a modern, higher powered 18" driver into this sub? the original DLS800 seems to be an L18S800. 
i've never had the chance to measure the 18" section of the w8s, so without using winISD it's just guessing - i know. but maybe someone tried a newer speaker with similar TSP's? 

i could get 4 pcs w8s for cheap and i guess they would match my W3P cabinets pretty well, but I'am afraid that the w8s very low frequency output does not meet today's expectation regarding SPL. datasheet says 131db continuous. most 18" reflex sub's these days are rated 140db SPL.  

thanks and regards,
george

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siox Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 26 January 2010 Location: Austria Status: Offline Points: 34	Post Options Post Reply Quote siox Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Martin W8s 18" driver replacement Posted: 10 September 2022 at 10:40am
	Hi, any recommendations/experience if it makes sense to put a modern, higher powered 18" driver into this sub? the original DLS800 seems to be an L18S800. i've never had the chance to measure the 18" section of the w8s, so without using winISD it's just guessing - i know. but maybe someone tried a newer speaker with similar TSP's? i could get 4 pcs w8s for cheap and i guess they would match my W3P cabinets pretty well, but I'am afraid that the w8s very low frequency output does not meet today's expectation regarding SPL. datasheet says 131db continuous. most 18" reflex sub's these days are rated 140db SPL. thanks and regards, george

csg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 17 September 2007 Location: bedford Status: Offline Points: 6086	Post Options Post Reply Quote csg Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 September 2022 at 10:58am
	Was always a flawed design, as you say the 18” reflex section could never keep up with the horn loaded 15”, particularly in clusters where the horns started to couple effectively. Modern music demands have only made this worse. Personally its not a sub to invest in
	“The fact is this is about identifying what we do best and finding more ways of doing less of it better”

jacethebase Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 23 September 2009 Location: Somerset Status: Offline Points: 5690	Post Options Post Reply Quote jacethebase Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 September 2022 at 4:07pm
	Do yourself a favour and start investing in WS218X As Chris said the 18 in the W8S runs out of steam quickly. We used to use these 4 a side and when changed to WS218X this opened the system right up.
	www.wedding-production.co.uk www.stage2sound.com

brokenjoe Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 31 May 2009 Location: Birmingham Status: Offline Points: 3717	Post Options Post Reply Quote brokenjoe Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 September 2022 at 10:24am
	I put tbx100 in mine and honestly couldn't tell the difference. Don't waste your time, as Jace says.. WS218x is a completely different beast. GET THOSE
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