Velodyne Acoustics 1824 – A Statement with 18 and 24 Inches, 6.000 Watts RMS and Bass Extension Down to 7 Hz

Even before its public debut at HIGH END Vienna 2026, there was little doubt that the Velodyne Acoustics 1824 would be far removed from an ordinary active subwoofer. The 1.4 m-tall enclosure made that abundantly clear, yet Velodyne Acoustics GmbH initially disclosed only the project’s defining figures. The complete design has now been revealed: an 18-inch driver, a 24-inch driver, three power amplifiers, two mains connections and claimed extension down to 7 Hz. Together, these elements are intended to provide immense low-frequency reserves without surrendering precision or control. Built exclusively to order at the company’s headquarters in Hamburg, the Velodyne Acoustics 1824 will be restricted to 50 individually identified examples worldwide.

Key Facts

• Product: Limited-edition active reference subwoofer
• Drivers: One 18-inch and one 24-inch bass driver
• Amplification: Three power amplifiers; two for the 24-inch driver and one for the 18-inch driver
• Output: 6,000 watts RMS and 10,000 watts peak
• Bass extension: Down to 7 Hz
• Connections: RCA, balanced XLR inputs and outputs, high-level connections, microphone input, trigger and Ethernet
• Power supply: Two separate mains connections
• Control: Newly developed app intended to offer at least the functionality of the Velodyne Acoustics AutoEQ app
• Dimensions and weight: 1.400 × 770 × 607 mm; approximately 350 kg
• Production: Built to order at the company’s headquarters in Hamburg
• Edition: 50 units worldwide, each with a personalised plaque
• Included equipment: Dedicated wheeled lifting devices for transport and positioning
• Price: € 49.999,-

From a Spectacular Show Debut to the Finished Concept

The Velodyne Acoustics 1824 was among the exhibits at HIGH END Vienna 2026 that could scarcely be overlooked. Its physical scale alone guaranteed attention, but Velodyne Acoustics remained deliberately guarded about the precise technical implementation both before and during the event. The show model therefore offered a first encounter with the company’s forthcoming flagship without revealing the entire concept behind it.

That period of restraint is now over. Velodyne Acoustics has published the technical specifications and confirmed where the subwoofer will be manufactured, when production is expected to begin, how many examples will be made and what each will cost.

The much-discussed showpiece has consequently become an orderable product. Its construction, weight and worldwide production run of only 50 units nevertheless place it well beyond conventional series-production standards.

Developed Without a Fixed Deadline

The first ideas for the Velodyne Acoustics 1824 emerged around the company’s 40th anniversary. According to the manufacturer, however, the intention was never to produce a conventional anniversary model whose development would be dictated by a predetermined presentation date.

Instead, the project was conceived as a demonstration of what could be achieved after more than four decades of work with powerful subwoofers. The anniversary itself was secondary to the interaction between the enclosure, drivers, amplification, control electronics and user interface. Velodyne Acoustics therefore accepted that completing the development would take more time.

“For us, the 1824 is not a conventional anniversary model, but the result of more than 40 years of work on controlled low-frequency reproduction. Its size and performance figures are naturally impressive. What matters even more, however, is what it makes of them. The 1824 combines enormous reserves with precision and composure. It shows how far low-frequency reproduction can be taken when the result matters more than the calendar.”

Mansour Mamaghani, CEO of Velodyne Acoustics GmbH

18-inch and 24-inch Drivers in a Single Enclosure

The name 1824 points directly to the central feature of the design. Velodyne Acoustics has combined an 18-inch driver with a 24-inch unit, creating a total radiating area that exceeds what is commonly encountered even among full-scale High-end subwoofers.

That surface area is not intended simply to generate the highest possible sound-pressure levels. It also allows the drivers to move large volumes of air without having to operate continuously at their mechanical limits. This is central to the company’s ambition of delivering exceptional deep-bass capability without sacrificing control.

The specified extension down to 7 Hz reaches far below the audible frequency range. In a high-quality stereo system or a suitably planned home cinema, the Velodyne Acoustics 1824 is therefore designed to reproduce not only audible bass but also the lowest frequency components perceived physically.

The extent to which this potential can be exploited will inevitably depend on positioning, calibration and room acoustics.

Three Power Amplifiers Delivering 6.000 Watts RMS

Velodyne Acoustics employs three power amplifiers to drive the two bass units. Two are assigned to the 24-inch driver, while the third supplies the 18-inch unit. Together, they provide a claimed 6.000 watts RMS and peak output of up to 10,000 watts.

These figures are not presented merely as an exercise in outright power. Considerable reserves are required at the lowest frequencies to establish large bass impulses under control and bring the drivers to rest equally quickly afterwards. Velodyne Acoustics intends the amplifier system to combine high output capability with precision and composure.

The unusual demands of the three-amplifier arrangement become particularly apparent on the rear panel. The Velodyne Acoustics 1824 uses two separate mains connections, so its power requirements must be considered during the planning of an installation. This is not a subwoofer that can simply be treated like a conventional active model.

New Electronics and a Dedicated Control App

The Velodyne Acoustics 1824 incorporates the company’s latest generation of electronics. Its operation is also being developed specifically for the new flagship, with Velodyne Acoustics working on a dedicated app that is expected to provide at least the same range of functions as the existing Velodyne Acoustics AutoEQ app.

That distinction matters because the new app remains under development. It is intended to support adjustment of the subwoofer to suit the room, the main loudspeakers and individual listening preferences.

With extension down to 7 Hz and such substantial output reserves, proper calibration is more than a matter of convenience. It is essential if the subwoofer is to be integrated into a system in a controlled manner.

Unbalanced RCA connections and balanced XLR inputs and outputs are provided for signal integration. High-level connections, a microphone input, trigger control and Ethernet further extend its suitability for premium stereo systems, ambitious home cinemas and professionally planned custom-installation projects.

A 350 kg Subwoofer Requires Careful Planning

At 1,400 × 770 × 607 mm and approximately 350 kg, the Velodyne Acoustics 1824 cannot be introduced casually into a room, either visually or logistically. Its dimensions reflect the combination of two large-format drivers, three power amplifiers and the structural stability required of the enclosure.

Reproducing very low frequencies generates considerable mechanical forces. The substantial construction is intended to prevent this energy from exciting the cabinet uncontrollably and undermining precision. Its weight is therefore not an end in itself, but an integral part of the technical concept.

Velodyne Acoustics has also considered the practical problem of moving the subwoofer to its final position. Handles incorporated into the enclosure provide defined lifting points, while dedicated wheeled lifters are included to assist with transport and precise placement.

At around 350 kg, however, this equipment does not remove the need for careful preparation and a sufficient number of people to complete the installation safely.

Built in Hamburg with a Personalised Plaque

Every Velodyne Acoustics 1824 will be manufactured to order at the company’s headquarters in Hamburg. Conventional series production is not planned for the new flagship, and worldwide availability will be limited to only 50 units.

Each subwoofer will carry an individual plaque bearing its owner’s name. This personalisation suits a product for which manufacturing, transport and installation all extend far beyond the process associated with a conventional purchase.

The Velodyne Acoustics 1824 is consequently not only the company’s new flagship subwoofer, but also a deliberately rare piece of its history.

The most important advantages at a glance

• Exceptional deep-bass reserves: The combination of 18-inch and 24-inch drivers is intended to reproduce the lowest frequencies without requiring either unit to operate continuously at its mechanical limit.
• Controlled power delivery: Three power amplifiers and 6,000 watts RMS provide substantial reserves for demanding bass impulses.
• Extension down to 7 Hz: The subwoofer covers frequency components far below the conventional audible range.
• Flexible system integration: RCA, XLR, high-level connections, trigger control and Ethernet support stereo, home cinema and custom-installation applications.
• Room-specific adjustment: The newly developed app is intended to support calibration for the loudspeakers, listening space and personal preferences.
• Considered positioning: Integrated handles and supplied wheeled lifters assist with installing the approximately 350 kg system.
• Built to order: Every unit will be manufactured at Velodyne Acoustics’ headquarters in Hamburg.
• Strictly limited production: Only 50 examples will be made worldwide, each carrying a personalised plaque.

Price & Availability

The Velodyne Acoustics 1824 is available to pre-order now, with production at the company’s headquarters in Hamburg expected to begin in winter 2026. The new flagship is limited to 50 units worldwide, each featuring an individual plaque bearing its owner’s name. The price is € 49.999,-.

Getting to the point

At HIGH END Vienna 2026, the Velodyne Acoustics 1824 initially commanded attention through its sheer physical presence. The newly released details make clear, however, that its spectacular dimensions serve a consistently developed technical concept. Two large-format drivers of different sizes, three specifically assigned power amplifiers, two mains connections and extension down to 7 Hz all follow a defined objective.

A price of € 49.999,-, a weight of approximately 350 kg and the need for a carefully planned installation sharply restrict its potential audience, as does production limited to 50 examples. That is precisely why the 1824 should be regarded less as another addition to the regular Velodyne Acoustics range and more as a technical statement. It demonstrates how far Velodyne Acoustics GmbH is prepared to go in pursuit of controlled low-frequency reproduction when conventional restrictions of size, output and series production no longer determine the design.

Technical Specifications