Package(3700w): 2 x Avant 15A + 2 x Avant 118A

Hire DAS Audio Avant15A PA System with 2 Tops + 2 Subwoofers

High-Output PA Package

The AVANT15118 is one of the most capable and best-sounding PA and party packages in the Edwards hire fleet — two DAS Audio Avant15A powered 15" tops and two DAS Audio Avant118A powered 18" subwoofers. It is a legacy system in the sense that DAS Audio no longer manufactures these cabinets, but legacy does not mean inferior. The Avant series was discontinued because it was expensive to produce, not because it was surpassed. What you get with this package is a point-source PA system with extraordinary output, deep bass extension, and a sound quality that consistently surprises people who expect more from something newer.

Turn it up and it rewards you. This is one of those systems.

The Avant15A delivers 1,200W peak through a 15" driver with a rotatable 80x50 degree horn, extending to 45Hz — deep enough that it has genuine bass presence even before the subwoofers add their contribution. The Avant118A pairs it with an 18" powered subwoofer in a ported birch plywood cabinet, driven by a 1,250W Class-D amplifier with a long-excursion 18LX driver and a 4" voice coil, reaching to 45Hz in Deep preset and delivering 136dB peak SPL. The DSP processing onboard optimises the driver response within the cabinet tuning, and the Deep/Loud EQ switch lets you choose between maximum bass extension and maximum output depending on the event.

Combined peak output across all four cabinets exceeds 4,900 watts. Signal flow is the same as all DAS systems in the Edwards fleet — mixer into the Avant118A XLR input, HPF loop-through from the sub to the Avant15A top. The sub handles all crossover duties, feeding the top a high-pass filtered signal above the crossover point. The crossover on the Avant118A is variable from 100Hz to 160Hz with a recommended starting point of 125Hz. The Avant15A tops stack directly on the subs as the standard configuration — the subs provide a stable base at a working height that suits most indoor and outdoor deployments. Speaker stands are available as an add-on when additional elevation is needed.

No mixer is included. The system accepts any balanced XLR feed. Edwards can supply an analogue or digital console alongside this package based on the event requirements.

What is included:

• 2x DAS Audio Avant15A powered 15" full-range speakers
• 2x DAS Audio Avant118A powered 18" subwoofers
• All power and audio cables
• Speaker stands available as optional add-on

Specifications at a glance:

Avant15A tops:

• 1,200W peak Class-D amplifier
• 15" driver with 80x50 degree rotatable horn
• 133dB peak SPL
• Frequency response from 45Hz
• Two presets: Flat EQ and Boost EQ
• Weight: 30kg per unit

Avant118A subwoofers:

• 1,250W peak Class-D amplifier with SMPS and DSP
• DAS 18LX long-excursion 18" driver with 4" voice coil
• Ported birch plywood cabinet with ISO-Flex paint
• 136dB peak SPL
• Frequency range: 45Hz to 138Hz (Deep preset) / 50Hz to 142Hz (Loud preset)
• Variable low-pass filter crossover 100Hz to 160Hz — recommended starting point 125Hz
• Deep/Loud EQ switch and polarity switch on rear panel
• Top panel threaded socket for speaker poles
• Weight: 55kg per unit

Coverage guide: Music and live events — 300 to 800 people indoors, 200 to 600 people outdoors. These are starting points rather than hard limits — this system carries considerably more headroom than those figures suggest and does not run out of steam easily. For events where the brief is to make it loud and make it sound good, this package delivers.

Ideal for: Live bands and DJ events, outdoor concerts and festivals, high-energy corporate events and product launches, parties and dance events, any event where maximum output and deep bass impact are the priority and the Avant series reputation for extraordinary sound quality matters.

Mixer not included — hire separately or bring your own. Speaker stands available as an optional add-on. Available for self-collection or delivery and setup.

Frequently Asked Questions — AVANT15118 PA System Hire

Why is a discontinued system still worth hiring?

The Avant series was discontinued by DAS Audio because it was expensive to manufacture — not because newer products surpassed it. The Avant15A and Avant118A were built to a specification that the market at the time could not sustain at a commercially viable price point. The cabinets that replaced them were designed to a lower cost of manufacture. In practice the AVANT15118 package produces sound quality and output that regularly outperforms newer systems in the same general class. Edwards keeps this system in the hire fleet because it delivers results that justify its place there.

How are the tops and subs configured?

The standard configuration is the Avant15A tops stacked directly on the Avant118A subwoofers — one top per sub per side, giving a stable and compact footprint at a practical working height for most indoor and outdoor events. Speaker stands are available as an add-on when additional elevation is needed — for outdoor events with a large standing audience or where the stack is at floor level and the tops need more height to project over the crowd.

What is the signal flow?

The same as all DAS systems in the Edwards fleet — mixer left output to the left Avant118A XLR input, mixer right output to the right Avant118A XLR input. The subwoofer's HPF loop-through output feeds the Avant15A top on each side with a high-pass filtered signal above the crossover point. The sub handles all crossover duties — never connect the Avant15A tops directly from the mixer output, always via the sub's loop-through. The crossover on the Avant118A is variable from 100Hz to 160Hz — 125Hz is the recommended starting point and suits most applications.

What is the Deep/Loud switch on the subwoofer?

The Avant118A has two EQ presets selectable from the rear panel. Deep extends the bass response down to 45Hz at the cost of some maximum output — the right choice for music events where low-frequency extension and bass weight matter most. Loud optimises the sub for maximum output from 50Hz — useful when the priority is SPL and the very deepest bass extension is less critical. For most DJ and live music events Deep is the preferred setting. For very high-SPL outdoor events where the sub is already being pushed hard, Loud gives a small additional headroom advantage.

How heavy are the subwoofers?

Each Avant118A weighs 55kg — a two-person lift at all times. At 55kg per unit they are manageable with two people and a sack trolley but not something to underestimate. Confirm adequate crew before booking self-collect for this package.

What mixer works well with this system?

The AVANT15118 accepts any balanced XLR feed from a mixing console. For smaller events and less experienced operators the Yamaha MG20XU analogue mixer is a clean and simple pairing. For live bands and more complex events the Soundcraft Si Expression 1 with STB16 stagebox or the Allen and Heath SQ5 with AR2412 are the standard Edwards recommendations. Contact us when booking and we can quote the right console alongside the package.

Is this suitable for a corporate speech event?

It can be used for speech events but it is not the recommended first choice for a conference or presentation — the Avant15A's 80x50 degree horn pattern and the system's high-output character make it better suited to music events than the more controlled, intelligibility-focused deployments that corporate speech events call for. For corporate presentations and conferences the VANTEC12M or VANTEC1218 packages are more appropriate. The AVANT15118 is the right recommendation when someone wants it loud, wants it to sound exceptional, and the event is primarily music.

Is delivery and setup available?

Yes. The AVANT15118 is available for self-collection or delivery and setup by an Edwards technician. Contact our hire team at (09) 571 0551 or hire@edwardsnz.co.nz to discuss your event requirements.