Audfine Active Subwoofers: Model Range, Specs and Matching Guide
For distributors, rental companies and installation contractors sourcing low-frequency reinforcement from China, the subwoofer is usually the cabinet where a specification mistake becomes expensive. It is the heaviest box on the truck, the one that decides how far a system reaches down, and the one that has to survive being loaded and unloaded more often than anything else in the inventory. This page sets out the three active subwoofer models currently listed in the Audfine range, their published specifications, and the questions worth settling with a factory before an order is placed.
Audfine is the brand of Ningbo Lesound Electronics Co., LTD., a professional audio manufacturer and exporter established in 2009 in Ningbo, China. The product range covers speakers, speaker transducers, headphones, studio equipment and pro audio accessories, and the factory works with overseas brands on an OEM and ODM basis.
Why powered subwoofers sit at the centre of a professional system
An active, or powered, subwoofer carries its own amplifier and processing inside the cabinet. For a buyer this removes a layer of system decisions: there is no separate amplifier rack to specify, no speaker cable gauge calculation between amp and driver, and no question about whether the amplifier and the driver were designed to work together. The amplifier, the limiter and the crossover are set by the manufacturer who built the box.
All three Audfine subwoofers below use Class-D digital amplification, carry DSP with a limiter, and list thermal and RMS protection. Class-D topology is now standard in this category because it delivers high output from a cabinet that two people can still move, which matters more than any single number on a specification sheet when the box has to go up a flight of stairs.
The Audfine active subwoofer range
PRX918 — single 18-inch powered subwoofer
The PRX918 is a single 18-inch powered subwoofer built around a 4-inch voice coil driver with a 125 OZ ferrite magnet. It is rated at 1000 W RMS and 2000 W peak, with a stated maximum SPL of 131 dB at 1 m and a frequency response of 35 Hz to 180 Hz. Sensitivity is listed at 98 dB and the nominal coverage angle is 90° × 90°.
Connectivity is two Combo inputs and two male XLR outputs, with DSP and volume on the control knobs. The cabinet is MDF wood with a steel grille, the power supply is AC 110 V to 220 V with two Powercon connectors, and the box carries two side handles plus a 35 mm pole mount insert. The published application note lists outdoor events and parties.
SUB-8003 — single 18-inch powered subwoofer, birch plywood cabinet
The SUB-8003 shares the same electrical platform as the PRX918: 1000 W RMS and 2000 W peak, 131 dB maximum SPL at 1 m, 35 Hz to 180 Hz, 98 dB sensitivity, the same 18-inch 4-inch voice coil driver with a 125 OZ ferrite magnet, and the same 90° × 90° coverage figure. Input is two Combo connectors, output is two male XLR.
The difference is the enclosure. The SUB-8003 is built in birch plywood with a steel grille rather than MDF, and it also carries two side handles and a 35 mm pole mount insert. For a rental fleet that is moved every weekend, the cabinet material question is usually the first one a buyer raises.
DS218A — dual 18-inch powered subwoofer for line array systems
The DS218A is the largest of the three: a dual 18-inch powered subwoofer rated at 2000 W RMS and 4000 W peak. It is specified at 131 dB maximum SPL at 1 m, 35 Hz to 180 Hz, 98 dB sensitivity, with a stated crossover frequency of 90 Hz. The two 18-inch drivers use 4-inch voice coils with 125 OZ ferrite magnets, and no high-frequency section is fitted.
Where the single-18 models use Combo inputs, the DS218A uses two female XLR inputs and four male XLR outputs, which reflects its intended role feeding a line array hang rather than a pair of satellite tops. The cabinet is birch plywood with a steel grille, it carries four side handles, and it has no pole mount. The manufacturer's application note describes it as designed for use in line-array systems.
Published specifications compared
| Specification | PRX918 | SUB-8003 | DS218A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration | Single 18" | Single 18" | Dual 18" |
| Amplifier type | Class-D | Class-D | Class-D |
| Power | 1000 W RMS / 2000 W peak | 1000 W RMS / 2000 W peak | 2000 W RMS / 4000 W peak |
| Max SPL @ 1 m | 131 dB | 131 dB | 131 dB |
| Frequency response | 35 Hz – 180 Hz | 35 Hz – 180 Hz | 35 Hz – 180 Hz |
| Sensitivity | 98 dB | 98 dB | 98 dB |
| Crossover frequency | — | — | 90 Hz |
| Woofer | 18", 4" v.c., 125 OZ ferrite | 18", 4" v.c., 125 OZ ferrite | 2 × 18", 4" v.c., 125 OZ ferrite |
| Coverage angle | 90° × 90° | 90° × 90° | N/A |
| Input connectors | Combo × 2 | Combo × 2 | Female XLR × 2 |
| Output connectors | Male XLR × 2 | Male XLR × 2 | Male XLR × 4 |
| Cabinet | MDF wood, steel grille | Birch plywood, steel grille | Birch plywood, steel grille |
| Handles | Side × 2 | Side × 2 | Side × 4 |
| Pole mount | 35 mm insert | 35 mm insert | None |
| Power supply | AC 110 V – 220 V | AC 110 V – 220 V | AC 110 V – 220 V |
Matching a subwoofer to your line array or full-range tops
Matching starts from the published frequency figures rather than from cabinet size. A full-range or line array element has a stated low limit, and the subwoofer has a stated upper limit; the crossover is normally set in the region where those two figures approach each other. In the Audfine active line array range, for example, HDL26 is specified from 95 Hz, the HDL210 10-inch element from 75 Hz, and HDL50-A from 45 Hz. The DS218A is specified at 35 Hz to 180 Hz with a 90 Hz crossover point, so the overlap region is where the system crossover is normally set.
Deployment method is the second decision. The single-18 models in this range accept a 35 mm pole, which suits a pole-mounted top over a sub in a compact mobile rig. The DS218A has no pole mount and four handles, which points at ground-stacked arrays and permanent installations rather than pole-mounted setups. Our earlier article on configuring an active line array with subwoofers for a 300–500 person venue goes through the arrangement question in more detail.
If you are comparing array elements as well as subwoofers, the active line array range and the complete active subwoofer range list the current models with their published specifications.
What to specify when sourcing from a powered subwoofer manufacturer in China
Buyers who place repeat orders with a China subwoofer factory usually settle the same list of points before the first container ships. Putting them in the enquiry, rather than discovering them after the sample arrives, shortens the whole process:
- Power rating basis. Ask whether a figure is RMS or peak, and over what test condition. A cabinet listed at 1000 W RMS and 2000 W peak is a different product from one listed at 2000 W peak alone.
- Cabinet material and finish. MDF and birch plywood behave differently in a touring environment. State the material, the coating and the grille specification in the order.
- Driver specification. Voice coil diameter and magnet weight are the two numbers that most affect how a driver behaves under sustained load. Both are published for these models.
- Processing. Confirm how many DSP modes are required, whether a limiter is needed, and whether the control layout is DSP plus volume or input level only.
- Connector layout. Combo versus XLR, and how many output channels are required to feed the rest of the system. A four-output subwoofer supports a different system topology from a two-output one.
- Mains requirements. These models are specified at AC 110 V to 220 V, but the connector type and the plug fitted for the destination market still need to be confirmed per order.
- Transport and rigging. Number and position of handles, castors, pole mount, and whether the cabinet needs to stack safely with others of the same model.
- Branding and packaging. Cabinet logo, grille colour, user manual language, and whether a carrying case or padded bag is required.
Cabinet material and transport: two items worth checking early
Across this range the two single-18 models differ mainly in enclosure material, and that single difference often decides which one a rental buyer chooses. Birch plywood is the conventional choice for cabinets that are loaded in and out of vehicles repeatedly; MDF appears more often in fixed-installation applications and in ranges built to a tighter budget. Neither choice changes the amplifier or driver specification in these two models, which is why they publish identical electrical figures.
Handle count and pole mount provision are the other practical check. A box with four handles and no pole mount is being designed for a different job from a box with two handles and a 35 mm insert, and the specification sheet reflects that clearly.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an active and a passive subwoofer?
An active subwoofer has the amplifier and processing built into the cabinet; a passive subwoofer requires an external amplifier. All three models on this page are active, with Class-D amplification, DSP and a limiter built in.
Which Audfine subwoofer is intended for line array systems?
The DS218A is the model the manufacturer describes as designed for use in line-array systems. It is a dual 18-inch cabinet with four male XLR outputs and no pole mount.
Can these subwoofers be pole-mounted?
The PRX918 and SUB-8003 both have a 35 mm pole mount insert. The DS218A does not.
Do you support OEM and ODM projects?
Yes. Ningbo Lesound Electronics works with overseas brands on an OEM and ODM basis, and cabinet branding, packaging and graphic design can be discussed as part of a project enquiry.
What should I send with an enquiry?
The target application, the amplifier power basis you expect, cabinet material preference, connector layout, mains specification for your market, and packaging requirements. Sample requests can be handled as part of the same conversation.
Discuss a subwoofer programme with the factory
If you are building out a low-frequency range for a distribution catalogue, a rental fleet or a fixed-installation project, send the specification points above along with your application and destination market, and the engineering team can confirm which of the current models fits or what needs to be adapted. See the Audfine active subwoofer range for the current model list, or contact the team to start a specification discussion.
