Overview:
The 18W/8545-01 is an 8Ω mid-woofer from the ScanSpeak Classic series.
The 18W/8545-01 is an improved version of the highly praised 18W/8545-00 midwoofer from the late 90ies. It has a new aluminum chassis, an updated cone and a new spider as wells as a few other details. These updates improves mechanical stability and the sound performance.
It uses an air dried Paper/Carbon Fibre cone which is stiff, but without the associated severe cone break-ups of the usual stiff cone drivers.
The patented SD-1 magnet system is designed to almost eliminate modulation and dynamic distortion, whilst the low loss linear suspension and rubber surround combines dynamic linearity and low colouration.
The 42mm voice-coil has an aluminium voice-coil former.
Key features:
- Patented Symmetrical Drive Motor Design
- Air Dried Paper/Carbon Fibre Cone
- 42mm Voice Coil w. Alu foil
- Low-Loss linear suspension
- Low Damping SBR Rubber Surround
- Aluminium Chassis
The 18W/8545-01 replaces the 18W/8545-00 version, which is about to be discontinued.
ScanSpeak Spec sheet: 18W/8545-01
T/S Parameters:
Good consistency between the two tested driver unit samples. As often with ScanSpeak mid-woofers the offical specification is far off the true measured T/S parameters. It has about 40% higher resonace frequency than the Manufacturer specification.
Impedance:
The two tested driver unit samples measures identical. The same small wrinkle around 900Hz can be seen in the impedance plot as in the old 18W/8545-00 mid-woofer version.
Frequency:
Frequency measurement conditions:
The mid-woofer is measured mounted on a baffle in an 19 liter closed enclosure with the following conditions:
Baffle size (WxH): 24×35cm with 18mm round-over on the baffle edges (r=18).
Driver position: Mounted on center-line with driver unit center 22,4cm from the top of the baffle.
Mic position: 1m distance, on mid-woofer-axis.
Smoothing: 1/24 octave smoothing applied.
(click on picture to zoom)
Left: Frequency response on-axis (Blue=sample#1 Red=sample#2).
Right: Frequency response 15deg off-axis (Blue=sample#1, Red=sample#2).
The two mid-woofer samples measures virtually the same. The broad hump between 500 and 1000Hz is due to the effects of the test enclosure’s baffle step. The 18W/8545-01 mid-woofer has a slightly smoother frequency response than the old 18W/8545-00 version.
0deg = Blue
15deg = Red
22.5deg = Green
30deg = Blue
45deg = Red
60deg = Green
The mid-woofer starts to roll-off at 2.5kHz and a good start for a x-over cross-over point would be somewhere around 1.8-2.2kHz.
Distortion:
Measurement setup:
- Mid-woofer near-field measurement at 15cm
- Frequency Range Mid-woofer: 200-10000Hz
- Baffle size WxH: 24×35cm
The distortion measurements are done in near-field and the amplifier output level was adjusted for each driver so that the fundamental is 90dB and 95dB at 1m. This setting simulates medium-high and high listening levels.
(click on picture to zoom)
90dB @ 1m
Left = Sample #1
Right = Sample #2
(click on picture to zoom)
95dB @ 1m
Left = Sample #1
Right = Sample #2
Overall this is a low distorting mid-woofer. We have an elevated second-order harmonics between 0-7-1.5kHz, but the odd-order distortion profile is low throughout the frequency range.
The 18W/8545-01 mid-woofer has a slightly lower distortion profile than the old 18W/8545-00 version and for such an old base design, this is a respectable performance and it can still compete with modern mid-woofer designs.