SSP118 vs DJ18S - Which Is Right For Me?

SSP118 vs DJ18S - Which Is Right For Me?

BASSBOSS makes two single 18" subwoofers, the DJ18S and the SSP118 (plus the new Sublim8 system, which features an 18" Subwoofer).  Naturally many people want to know the difference between these products.  Many will look at the spec sheet and notice that the SSP118 is louder, while the DJ18S appears to get deeper:
  1. The SSP118 is listed with a -3dB point at 30Hz and achieves 130dBSPL continuous. 
  2. The DJ18S is listed with a -3dB point at 27Hz and achieves 127dBSPL continuous.  
In practice, however, these differences are small and have to do with differences in cabinet construction.  The DJ18S and SSP118 have the same amplifier and the same driver, so which one is best for you comes down to the footprint you desire and whether you plan on expanding.  The rest of this article explains more about the difference between the two.  Much of what applies to the SSP118 also applies to the new Sublim8; you can read more about the Sublim8 here.

History of the SSP118 and DJ18S

The SSP118 was designed to be 1/2 of the SSP218, one of the first BASSBOSS (at the time BASSMAXX) products and still one of the best double-18" cabinets on the market.  This meant it could be easily moved around by mobile DJs and production teams who didn't have the space or manpower to move the larger box.

The DJ18S was originally designed to be a more cost-effective version of the SSP118.  It had less expensive handles and internal bracing so the entire cabinet could be constructed with a single sheet of baltic birch plywood.  When it was designed, it was intended to have a cheaper driver to keep the cost down.  However David Lee was not satisfied with the performance of the box, so upgrades were made.  These upgrades (including upgrading the woofer to be the same as the one in the SSP118) closed the gap in pricing between the two boxes.  

The SSP118 vs DJ18S on Paper 

The design of the port in the DJ18S resulted in a box with a tonality that is slightly deeper than the SSP118.  The DJ18S is listed with a -3dB point at 27Hz, while the SSP118 is listed with a -3dB point at 30Hz.  The port design and internal bracing of the SSP118 (noice the SSP118 has four ports, two on the top and two on the bottom) cycles cool air that cools the driver, so it can be run at a higher SPL (Sound Pressure Level) for a longer period of time.  3dB corresponds to double the power, so even though the DJ18S is rated as "deeper", the extra power the SSP118 is capable of producing means it can actually produce more energy at 27Hz than the DJ18S can.  If one was to EQ the SSP118, they could get a very similar response and sound pressure level to the DJ18S, though they would be giving up some of the SPL capacity the SSP118 has around 40Hz.  The  tuning and processing of the SSP118  prioritizes maximum SPL while still getting very deep.  As a result, if one wants the "loudest" cabinet, the SSP118 is the real winner, especially if one plans to push the boxes to the absolute limit.

The SSP118 vs DJ18S in Practice

The price difference between the SSP118 and DJ18S really comes down to the amount of material and complexity in constructing the SSP118.  It may help to think of the SSP118 as a "premium" cabinet, as it features the following:
  1. Rubber feet and inserts for easy stacking without needing
  2. Two handles per side for easy transport
  3. An optional wheel cart that does not require flipping the subwoofer for operation.
Note that there is an optional wheel cart for older versions of the DJ18S.  Current versions of the DJ18S have hardware that accepts casters that can be installed on the rear of the cabinet for easy transport.

If you:
  1. Plan on pushing your subwoofers to their absolute limit
  2. Want a (vertically) lower-profile box
  3. Work in a production company where expandability and premium handles are a priority
  4. Want to operate your subwoofers on carts
The SSP118 may be right for you.

If you
  1. Are on a budget, and want the best "bang for your buck" low end per dollar spent
  2. Want a subwoofer with a smaller horizontal footprint
  3. Do not plan to stack your subs or expand your system vertically
The DJ18S may be right for you

In summary, both are some of the deepest and loudest 18" subwoofers on the market.  You can't go wrong with either!  At BASSBOSS, we do not make inferior products.

See Also:

  1. Sublim8 vs other BASSBOSS Products
  2. Why do the BB15 and DJ18S have casters on the rear, while other subs have wheel carts?

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