Line Arrays. Are they superior to point source??

[SY]

Having switched back and forth between point source and line arrays over the past few months, my conclusion is... they're different. I'd have trouble saying one is "superior" to the other, they're just... different. Maybe even more so because the line source I'm using is a dipole. And both sound different than live music. I'd love to try some omnis, and love even more to try a proper surround system.

PM, some interesting measurements of the different power laws between point and line sources appear in d'Appolito's book. It's evident from these measurements that mixing lines and points is bound to cause frustration.

[Ken L]

Ummm, Wellllllllllll


Ever since I have been interested in horns, I have kept trying to conceptualize a residential line array composed of horns.

But I keep getting all choked up about it - the mere thought overwhelms me with the anticipated emotion of the music.

I need a box of those tissues _big grin_

Ken L

[Illusus]

hmm, I just had a "brain fart". What about one long(tall) horn with multiple drivers? Something like a tall, narrow unity horn.I hope you can visualize it from my description.

[amo]

I was just thinking.... "line" arrays are really "sagement" arrays... If you get far enough away from your sagement arrays, they too become point sources

[Jim Griffin]

Amo said:

"If you get far enough away from your sagement arrays, they too become point sources"

That is true as all speakers radiate in the near field (generally at a distance equal to the dimension of the aperture) and in the far field. Most normal speakers operate in the far field as they do not extend their near field radiation more than a few inches.

As I discuss in my Near Field Line Array White Paper (see link in previous post in this thread), you can compute the near/far field transition distance. This is also known as the critical distance wherein the radiation goes from predominantly direct sound (near field) to a mixture of direct and reverberbant sound (far field). Near field arrays can cover a normal home listening area entirely within their near field.

Pro Sound line arrays operate in both near and far fields as the audience nearest the stage is in the near field and the audience in the cheap seats is in the far field.

Jim

[thylantyr]

Some people believe that your line source must be from
ground to ceiling in a home, otherwise it's not a true line array.

I'm planning my mini-line source of four drivers per channel.
I still call it a line source, but it nowhere hits ground nor ceiling.

Where do you draw the line on calling it a line array?

[SY]

I'd draw the line (bad pun) this way: if at the intended listening distance and range of listening heights, the power law is closer to 1/r and the spectral balance is independednt of height, what you've got is a line source.

[thylantyr]

so my headphones would be a line source too ?

[SY]

Your headphones won't have a 1/r dropoff with distance, smart alec!

[Brett]

Originally posted by SY
Your headphones won't have a 1/r dropoff with distance, smart alec!

It might if you have really big ears