18 Sound ND1TP – Super Compact Titanium-PEN Driver Matching the ND1090’s Sensitivity
The 18 Sound ND1TP is a 1-inch exit neodymium high-frequency compression driver specifically designed for high-quality applications — the titanium-PEN sibling sharing the ND1P’s exact “super compact design” chassis (85 mm × 46 mm, 0.9 kg), but delivering 110 dB sensitivity, matching the larger-chassis ND1090 exactly rather than the ND1P’s 109 dB.
With its PEN suspension, the titanium diaphragm assembly exhibits a constant slope response from 1 kHz to 18 kHz with uniform smooth roll-off behaviour — this titanium-dome-on-PEN-suspension construction is the same hybrid diaphragm philosophy documented on the ND1090, here delivered from a genuinely more compact chassis.
Equipped with proprietary phase plug architecture, the 18 Sound ND1TP has been developed to give high-level manufacturing consistency and a smooth coherent wavefront at horn entrance over all the working frequency range. This phase plug design, with its short openings and high flare rate value, assures low distortion and remarkable improvements in mid-high frequency reproduction.
Design and Construction of the 18 Sound ND1TP
An edge-wound aluminium voice coil, wound on proprietary treated Nomex, completes the diaphragm assembly. Thanks to its physical properties, the proprietary treated Nomex former shows a 30% higher value of tensile elongation at working operative temperature (200°C) when compared to Kapton.
A copper ring on the pole piece reduces inductance above 10 kHz, improving phase and impedance linearisation — matching the identical construction detail documented on the ND1P, ND1085, and ND1090.
The ability to perform properly under inclement weather conditions is a key point of 18 Sound’s philosophy. A special treatment is applied to the magnet and the top and back plates of the magnetic structure, making the driver more resistant to the corrosive effects of salts and oxidisation than any other treatment used by any other manufacturer.
At 0.9 kg, 85 mm overall diameter, and 46 mm depth, the 18 Sound ND1TP matches the ND1P’s physical footprint precisely — confirming both drivers share the identical compact chassis platform, differing only in diaphragm construction (pure PEN on the ND1P versus titanium-on-PEN here).
Performance and Applications for the 18 Sound ND1TP
The 18 Sound ND1TP delivers 110 dB sensitivity across a 1.6 – 20 kHz frequency range, with a recommended crossover of 1.6 kHz using a 12 dB/octave or steeper high-pass filter — 1 dB above the ND1P’s 109 dB, matching the larger-chassis ND1090’s sensitivity exactly from a chassis 200 g lighter and considerably smaller.
The 50 W AES / 100 W continuous power handling matches the ND1P precisely. Available in both 8 and 16 Ω, the 18 Sound ND1TP provides genuine system design flexibility.
For applications requiring the ND1090’s exact 110 dB sensitivity performance but in the most compact available chassis, the 18 Sound ND1TP delivers a genuinely superior space-to-performance ratio within 18 Sound’s ring-magnet 1-inch family.
Conclusion – 18 Sound ND1TP Compression Driver
The 18 Sound ND1TP completes the two-driver “super compact design” pairing alongside the ND1P — sharing an identical 85 mm × 46 mm, 0.9 kg chassis, but delivering 110 dB sensitivity through its titanium-on-PEN-suspension diaphragm rather than the ND1P’s pure PEN construction. This matches the larger ND1090’s sensitivity figure exactly, from 18 Sound’s most compact ring-magnet chassis documented in this session.
This genuinely completes the full picture of 18 Sound’s 1-inch compression driver range explored across this session — spanning ferrite and neodymium construction, elementary-piece and ring-magnet architectures, and titanium, treated polyethylene, PEN, titanium-PEN, and phenolic diaphragm materials across chassis scales from the tiny 0.55 kg ND1050 to the 1.6 kg HD1040/HD1050 pair.
VIEW MORE 18 Sound PRODUCTS HERE.
About 18 Sound
18 Sound products are proudly made in Reggio Emilia, Italy, combining advanced technology with Italian craftsmanship. Known for their high-performance professional audio components, 18 Sound is a trusted name in the global audio industry. Their state-of-the-art manufacturing and strict quality control ensure exceptional reliability and sound clarity. 18 Sound products are designed to meet the demands of speaker builders and audio professionals, 18 Sound offers premium products with outstanding value and performance worldwide.
