Are line array speakers better?
Vertical line arrays and column speakers tend to provide good control of the vertical coverage, but provide a predetermined horizontal. Depending on the aspect ratio of the room and the horizontal reverberation character of the space, point source speakers can perform better than a line array in this regard.
When would you use a line array?
Line arrays can be oriented in any direction, but their primary use in public address is in vertical arrays which provide a very narrow vertical output pattern useful for focusing sound at audiences without wasting output energy on ceilings or empty air above the audience.
What is line array speakers?
What is a line array? It is a series of loudspeakers that covers the same frequency range and is stacked above one another. The key to a line array is that the speakers face slightly different vertical angles, allowing them to consistently cover a greater depth of field than a single PA speaker can.
Why are line array speakers used?
Line array systems have been used for huge (arena- or stadium-size) tours for decades. The reason is that line array systems are the best way to get clear sound throughout the venue, from the front row to the very back.
What is the difference between line array and point source?
Line array systems work best with low and mid-range frequencies, while point source systems provide a full range of sound without additional modifications.
When were line arrays invented?
The theory behind line array systems has been around and tested since the 1930’s. The question that has always been out there is if this is the case, why did it take more than fifty years before they were developed for use in the public stage.
Why are line arrays curved?
They are using the line source effect to direct a narrow beam of sound to the back balconies. But down at the bottom they usually from a gentle “J” shape to spread the sound more evenly to closer seats.
What is the difference between a point source and a line source?
If a sound source produces spherical spreading of sound in all directions, it is a point source. If the sound source produces cylindrical spreading of sound as shown in this diagram, such as stream of motor vehicles on a busy road at a distance, it may be considered as a line source.
What is a line array system?
A line array system is a loudspeaker system that is made up of a number of usually identical loudspeaker elements mounted in a line and fed in phase, to create a near-line source of sound.
What is a line array speaker?
Professional concert speakers can be designed to be arrayed horizontally without behaving as a horizontal line source. Modern line array systems use separate drivers for high-, mid- and low-frequency passbands. For the line source to work, the drivers in each passband need to be in a line.
Can a line array be used in a small venue?
In a small venue, the line array would fire into the audience as much as it fires over their heads. Although the approximation to a cylindrical wave it produces would be advantageous, the loss of the downward perspective severely limits this advantage.
How many woofers are in a line array?
My original line arrays (which I designed and built in 1980) were a two-way system employing eight 8” woofers and sixteen 1” soft dome tweeters. The crossover varied between active and passive types through the years but always hovered in the 1.5 kHz range.