SPECIFICATIONS Low Rider® Series
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ApplicAtions
The Low Rider is specifically designed
for sub-woofer use, with extremely
high output capabilities and massive
power handling. While most sub-
woofer applications are below 150 Hz,
it is usable to frequencies as high as
500 Hz.
The compact enclosure designs are
ideal for instrument amplification
and high portability applications
such as DJ and small touring bands.
They provide solid bass performance
in extraordinarily small enclosures.
Bandpass enclosures also fit into this
range as stand-alone sub-woofers.
The medium sized enclosures are still
smaller than usual and have more bass
extension and much higher output
capabilities than conventional designs.
They are excellent choices for high
performance sound reinforcement.
These designs are the best combination
of size and bass performance.
For permanent installations and
applications requiring extremely
deep bass performance, the large
vented enclosures are ideal. The low
frequency extension and high sound
pressure levels these systems can
produce is astounding. As is typical
in large, vented systems with low vent
tuning, power handling is reduced by
at least 15% due to the increased cone
excursion.
Due to the Low Rider's high output
capabilities, excessive levels may
cause structural damage to buildings or
indue permanent hearing loss, nausea,
vertigo or intestinal disturbances in
listeners. Please be cautious when
setting maximum sound pressure
levels.
EnclosurEs
To assist with the growing interest in
home-built enclosure designs, Peavey
provides complete parameter data
on these drivers, as well as several
recommended enclosures for each
model. This information and much
more can be found online at www.
peavey.com.
The 18" Low Rider driver performs best
with vented enclosures between 5 and
9 cubic feet (142 to 255 liters) and vent
tunings from 30 to 45 Hz. The Low Rider
18 is optimized for vented systems but
will also work with appropriate single-
reflex bandpass enclosures. Sealed,
infinite baffle, horn, transmission line
and dual-reflex bandpass enclosures
are not recommended.
The 15" Low Rider driver works best
in vented enclosures between 2 and
5 cubic feet (56.6 to 141.6 liters)
and vent tunings from 34 to 45 Hz.
It can also be used in certain single-
reflex bandpass designs. As with the
Low Rider 18, sealed, infinite baffle,
horn, transmission line and dual-
reflex bandpass enclosures are not
recommended.
Active filtering must be included with
amplifiers greater than 750 watts. This
filter should be a high pass 24 dB
Butterworth at minimum of 25 Hz for
the 18" and 32 Hz for the 15". Filtering
is also recommended below 750 watts
in order to conserve amplifier power
and reduce excessive cone motion.
Failure to use filtering with high power
operation may cause driver damage
that can void your warranty.
Enclosures should be built of best
quality 3/4" to 1-1/4" (20 mm to 32
mm) marine, 7-ply birch or other high-
grade plywood. If construction plywood
must be used, inspect each sheet
thoroughly and use at least BC grade.
Do not use plywood thinner than 3/4".
Other materials such as particle board
and MDF are not acceptable.
Use quality wood glue, fit joints
tightly. Dado corner joints are highly
recommended. Wood screws or a
pneumatic nailer should be used to
assemble the enclosure during gluing
to maximize joint strength.
The strength of the completed
enclosure has a great effect on the
bass performance of the finished
system. Internal bracing is required
to improve the structural strength of
the cabinet. Low Riders can generate
enormous forces inside the enclosure,
and panels that aren't stiff enough will
vibrate — reducing bass and creating
undesired sounds of their own. If
your cabinet vibrates or if the cabinet
panels are not stiff enough, add more
bracing.
Vents shown in the examples require
standard Schedule 40 PVC pipe for
vent construction. The pipe should be
dadoed tightly into the back of the
baffle and glued firmly in place with
high quality epoxy or high-strength,
industrial-grade hot glue. Rough up
the outside of the pipe to improve
the glue bond. Radius the insides of
the vent ends to improve air flow and
reduce vent noise.
Vents for these enclosures are much
longer than typical for a sound
reinforcement sub-woofer. This reflects
the special characteristics of the Low
Rider's design that make it possible to
combine a large, high excursion woofer
with an unusually small enclosure.
For best performance, the inside ends
of the vents should be a distance of
at least one vent diameter from any
interior wall of the enclosure. The vent
should be straight, without elbow
fittings or other methods to bend it for
greater length.
Be sure to allow for the displacement
to the vent, bracing and woofer or
your enclosure design before building
it. Mistakes in net volume will mis-
tune the enclosure and can drastically
reduce performance. This requires
a considerable amount of planning
before construction, but is well worth
the extra effort.
Line the inside of the enclosure with
polyester fiber batting such as quilt
stuffing. For bandpass, loosely fill the
sealed side, leave the vented side
empty, and place the Low Rider's
magnet in the vented side for cooling.
The batting material should conform
to California bedding fire codes. Attach
the batting with spray adhesive or
staples and keep material away from
the end of the vent tube where it can
be pulled in by airflow.
Handles, protective corners, cabinet
covering, grille materials and
crossovers are available through
Peavey Accessories. Take particular
care when positioning handles, as sub-
woofers tend to be large and heavy.
Do not use 1/4" phone plugs or jacks
in the construction of your enclosures.
Power capacity of Low Rider sub-
woofers is well above safe limits for
phone plugs and jacks. Neutrik®
Speakon® connectors are highly
recommended, and internal cabinet
wiring should be at least 16-gauge
stranded copper wire.
Flying of sub-woofers is not
recommended. An array of sub-
woofer enclosures at ground level
will typically outperform any other
possible arrangement. Peavey does
not supply hardware required for the
manufacturing of flying systems, and
recommends that builders should
not suspend or fly any enclosure not
certified for such applications.
These instructions are a general
guideline
for
design.
Proper
construction
techniques,
good
planning and common sense will
result in a reliable, high quality, high
performance system.
Peavey in no way accepts liability for
any damage, accidents or injury that
may result from construction or use
of enclosures using this information.
Due to Peavey’s continuing efforts to
improve its products, features and
specifications are subject to change
without notice.
pArAmEtErs
Thiele-Small parameters for Low Rider
subwoofers follow. This data is for use in
designing enclosures. Numerous software
packages are available that use this data
to simulate the response of the driver
and enclosure together for optimum
performance in any application.
pArAmEtEr DEfinitions
Znom:
The nominal impedance of the driver
in ohms.
revc:
DC resistance of the driver in ohms
Also known as Re.
sd:
The functional radiating surface area of
the cone assembly in meters2.
Bl:
Efficiency of the voice coil and magnet
system in Telsa Meters.
fo:
Also known as Fs, the free air resonance
of the driver.
Vas:
Volume of air having the same
compliance (springiness) as the driver’s
suspension.
cms:
Restorative force of the driver’s
suspension in micrometers/Newton.
mms:
The total mass of the moving parts
of the loudspeaker, including the air load, in
grams.
Qms:
Resonance characteristics of the
mechanical factors of the loudspeaker.
Qes:
Resonance characteristics of electrical
factors of the loudspeaker.
Qts:
Resonance characteristics of the
electrical and mechanical factors combined
together.
Xmax:
Distance the cone can move in one
direction before the coil begins to leave the
magnetic gap.
le:
Inductance of the voice coil in
millihenries.
spl:
Typical sound pressure level at 1 watt,
1 meter.
no:
Electrical-to-acoustical conversion
efficiency in percent.
Vd:
Air displacement of the driver from
negative Xmax to positive Xmax, in milliliters.
pmax:
Maximum continuous program power
in watts.
Disp:
Volume displaced by the driver inside
the cabinet when mounted on its rear flange,
in inches3.
SPECIFICATIONS Low Rider® Series
SPECIFICATIONS Low Rider® Series
spEcificAtions
1808-8 Hps low rider 18
1508-8 Hps low rider 15
Part #
00560600
00560310
Size (inches/mm)
18" / 460 mm nominal
15" / 380 mm nominal
Frame OD
18-1/8" / 460 mm
15-1/4" / 387 mm
Bolt circle
17-3/8" / 441 mm
14-9/16" / 370 mm
Cutout diameter
16-3/4" / 425 mm
14" / 356 mm
Depth
6-3/8" / 162 mm
5-1/4" / 133 mm
Impedance:
8 ohms
8 ohms
Power Capacity:
3,200 W peak
1,600 W program
800 W continuous per AES 2-1984,
40 Hz - 500 Hz
3,200 W peak
1,600 W program
800 W continuous per AES 2-1984,
50 Hz - 500 Hz
Sensitivity:
97.3 dB/1 W 1 m
93.6 dB/1 W 1 m
Usable freq. range:
25 Hz ~ 1 kHz
30 Hz ~ 1 kHz
Cone:
Kevlar®-impregnated cellulose
Kevlar®-impregnated cellulose
Voice coil diameter:
4.0" / 100 mm
4.0" / 100 mm
Voice coil material:
Polyamide coated copper ribbon wire
Polyamide-impregnated fiberglass
former
Nomex® stiffener
Solderless diffusion welded OFHC
copper leads
Polyamide coated copper ribbon wire
Polyamide-impregnated fiberglass
former
Nomex® stiffener
Solderless diffusion welded OFHC
copper leads
Net weight:
22 lbs. / 10 kg
21 lbs. / 9.5 kg
Driver Parameters
Znom (ohms)
8
8
Revc (ohms)
6.21
6.21
Sd (Square Meters)
0.1237
0.084
BL (T/M)
22.73
22.73
Fo (Hz)
28.9
33.916
Vas (liters)
403.9
155.06
Cms (uM/N)
185.9
154.8
Mms (gm)
163.2
142.3
Qms
8.770
10.669
Qes
0.356
0.364
Qts
0.342
0.352
Xmax (mm)
9.6
9.6
Le (mH)
0.87
0.82
SPL (1 W 1 m)
97.3
93.6
No (%)
2.65%
1.33%
Vd (in3 / ml)
145 / 2375
98.3 / 1611
Pmax (watts pgm.)
1,600
1,600
Disp (in3 / ml)
235 / 3852
204 / 3344
Kevlar® is a registered trademark of DuPont.
Nomex® is a registered trademark of DuPont.
Rubatex® is a registered trademark of Rubatex Corporation.
1 0 F r e q u e n c y , H z
5 0 1 0 0 Hz 5 0 0 1 K
S P L , d B
1 0 0
9 5
9 0
8 5
8 0
7 5
7 0
6 5
6 0
L o w R i d e r 1 8 : S m a l l v e n t e d 5 . 0 c f F b 3 7
L o w R i d e r 1 8 : M e d i u m v e n t e d 6 . 7 5 c f F b 3 4
L o w R i d e r 1 8 : L a r g e v e n t e d 9 . 0 c f F b 3 0
L o w R i d e r 1 8 : S i n g l e r e f l e x b a n d p a s s 7 . 5 c f
1 0 F r e q u e n c y , H z
5 0 1 0 0 Hz 5 0 0 1 K
S P L , d B
1 0 0
9 5
9 0
8 5
8 0
7 5
7 0
6 5
6 0
L o w R i d e r 1 5 : S m a l l v e n t e d 2 . 0 c f F b 4 5
L o w R i d e r 1 5 : M e d i u m v e n t e d 3 . 5 c f F b 3 8
L o w R i d e r 1 5 : L a r g e v e n t e d 5 . 0 c f F b 3 4
L o w R i d e r 1 5 : N a m e : S i n g l e r e f l e x b a n d p a s s 3 . 0 c f
