DH-18 Digitalhorn

The tactical flyweight

To take flyweights up to fight against big boys might look unfair at a first glance. But we do it anyway. And we don’t even bother about our protegee, as he is capable to K.O. any of its opponents. Keep the ring ready for Lambda Labs subwoofers. Keep the ring ready for the revolutionary Digitalhorn DH-18.

What we are giving to take with him aren’t horseshoes in a boxing glove, but practical ideas combined with sophisticated FEA analyses, a lot of patience and then again lots of know-how. The result is a state of the art subwoofer system with unique qualifications in all around the world: A subwoofer system with A0 note capability. The Digitalhorn delivers spectacular levels through the whole operating range down to the lowest octave, with simultaneously tightly controlled impulse response.

The construction is based on a series of finite horn segments that doesn’t exhibit any expansion to each other, instead it uses discontinuous steps the so called digital horn segments. Due to the mathematical optimization of the acoustic transformers, a uniformly high radiation impedance is reached through the whole useful bandwidth, which gives maximum flexibility and a wide range of application to the Digitalhorn with extreme output reserves.

The DH-18 attains no more than 58.5 kg fighting weight and with its compact dimensions of 96.2 x 96.2 x 58.2 cm it is more than just good to handle. And that was especially essential to us – as, after all, the well- engineered horn design shall not only be easy to set up single or in big stacks. Even the change between the two different operation modes of the Digitalhorn should be done within the glimpse of an eye. Two modes of operation in one enclosure to contemporarily face up to questions such as Output vs. Truckspace or just even lower bass reproduction in a pioneering way.

In the so called directivity mode (D-mode) the DH-18 achieves an extraordinary high efficiency, as the acoustic energy is directed forwards even in a single stack already without losing headroom. Therefore, ideal for all applications demanding a high directivity and a quick solution for a quiet stage. All this without special DSP processing or time-consuming building of arrays. If you now still have some more DH-18 left, you will have a front-to-back ratio of 6dB at 30Hz, already starting with a stack of two forming a wide cardioid radiation pattern. One and a half octave higher, at 80 Hz this changes to hypercardioid with a side SPL reduction of 6 dB and a much greater rear attenuation. The Space Mode (S-mode) finally extends the stacking possibilities along with a lower corner frequency, whereby an even heftier Infrabass reproduction down to 28 Hz can be achieved.

Heart of the DH-18 is a carefully developed 18" heavy-duty horn driver, which gives phenomenal sound pressure levels, extraordinarily dynamics and finest resolution along with tightly controlled impulse response to this exceptional subwoofer at the same time. As all Lambda Labs products, the DH-18 comes also coated with High-Density Polyurethane. And that really helps to hide quite a lot. Even long after the round 12…