QSC KS118 vs Thump18Sv4 vs EON718S vs ELX200-18SP: 18-inch Subs

The short version: who each one suits

All four are 18-inch powered subs built for dance floors, and any of them can hold down a wedding or a quinceañera. The real gaps are output, weight, how you control them and what tops they are made to sit under.

The QSC KS118 is the heavy hitter on paper and the only one whose listing mentions cardioid mode. The Mackie Thump18Sv4 is the lightest of the four with a listed weight and has crossover modes made for Thump tops. The JBL EON718S puts the most DSP in your phone. The Electro-Voice ELX200-18SP keeps it simple with presets and a choice of low-pass points.

This is not a sub-or-no-sub post. If you are still deciding whether you need one, or what size, our PA subwoofer buying guide covers that. Here we are just putting four 18s side by side.

Side by side: the numbers as each listing gives them

Heads up on watts and SPL: the makers do not measure them the same way. QSC lists peak power and peak SPL, JBL lists peak watts plus an RMS figure, and Mackie and EV give a single watt number. So a bigger number in one row is not always a fair fight with the next row. We copied each spec exactly as the listing words it.

Low-end reach is the same story. Some listings give a range at -6 dB, some at -10 dB, and Mackie just says how low it goes. Use it as a rough guide, then come hear them.

Specs exactly as each product listing words them (peak, max or plain watts). "Not in our listing" means that product's listing does not state the spec, so we say that instead of guessing. Only the KS118 listing mentions cardioid mode.

Weight and getting it in the van

An 18 is never light, so plan for this one. The QSC KS118 is listed at 104 lbs, but it has casters, which helps a lot on a flat floor. Stairs and truck beds are another story, so bring a second person or a ramp.

The Mackie Thump18Sv4 is listed at 70.4 lbs, the lightest of the ones that give a weight. The JBL EON718S is listed at 81.5 lb. Our Electro-Voice ELX200-18SP listing does not give a weight, so ask us and we can check the box on the floor.

DSP, presets, cardioid and app control

The JBL EON718S has the deepest listed DSP: parametric EQ, polarity inversion, speaker delay and a selectable 80, 100 or 120 Hz crossover, all reachable through the JBL Pro Connect app over Bluetooth 5.0, plus a backlit LCD on the back.

The Electro-Voice ELX200-18SP uses QuickSmartDSP with 80, 100, 120 or 150 Hz low-pass choices, Music, Live and Club presets, five user presets and Bluetooth app control. The Mackie Thump18Sv4 gives you four crossover modes, phase invert and stereo/mono summing, but our listing does not mention an app.

The QSC KS118 keeps it basic on the panel with a selectable DEEP mode, and its listing does not mention an app. What it does have is cardioid mode with two or more units, which steers more bass toward the crowd and less back at the DJ booth or the stage.

Inputs and pole mounts

The QSC KS118 has two locking XLR/1/4-inch combo inputs and two XLR loop-thru outputs. The JBL EON718S has two XLR combo inputs and two XLR loop-outs. The Mackie Thump18Sv4 has stereo XLR inputs plus stereo high-pass and full-range XLR outputs, so it can feed your tops already filtered. Our ELX200-18SP listing does not spell out its jacks.

For a pole on top, the KS118 has an M20 pole receiver, the Thump18Sv4 has an M20 pole socket and the ELX200-18SP has an M20 pole mount. Our JBL EON718S listing does not mention a pole mount, so check with us before you plan a pole-mounted setup on it.

Pairing with the tops we carry

If you run Mackie Thump15v4 tops, the Mackie Thump18Sv4 is the obvious match. Its listing names a Thump 15 crossover mode and says it pairs with Thump v4 speakers, and its M20 socket takes a pole for the top.

If you run QSC K12.2 tops, note that our QSC KS118 listing does not name a matching top. The listing that does mention K.2 tops is the smaller QSC KS112, covered below. Plenty of DJs pair across families, but we only point to pairings the listings back up.

The JBL and EV listings point to their own tops (EON700 and ELX200 or ZLX), which are not on this page. If you already own those, bring the model name and we can talk it through.

A step up, and a smaller option

Want more than a Thump-class sub? The Mackie SR18S lists 1,600 watts, 133 dB max SPL and a 33Hz to 200Hz response, with Flat, Deep and Punch presets, a variable crossover and an M20 pole cup at 74.5 lbs. The RCF SUB 708-AS MK3 lists 1,400 watts peak (700 W RMS), 133 dB max and 35-120 Hz in a Baltic birch plywood cabinet at 89.5 lb.

Going the other way, the QSC KS112 is a 12-inch sub with 2,000 watts peak and 128 dB peak SPL at 62.6 lbs. It has dual M20 pole fittings so it can stand up or lie flat, and its listing says it pairs with QSC K.2 tops like the K12.2. A 12-inch sub usually will not dig as deep as an 18, but it fits small rooms and small cars.

What else you need, and how to buy

Plan on XLR cables from your mixer or controller to the sub, then from the sub's outputs to your tops, a speaker pole if you mount a top on it, and power at each box. Joe on the DJ floor can help you set the crossover and phase so the sub and tops play together.

These are for sale at the shop. Call (323) 944-7844 or text (213) 674-9042 to confirm the sub you want is on the floor, then pick it up at 8696 Atlantic Ave in South Gate. Payment Plan available: Buy Now, Pay Later: 100 days same as cash, or up to one year with Synchrony. Approval and terms set by the provider.