Open bafle medium with multiple driver

[hugobors]

Hello everybody,

What about mounting a lot of 3" driver on an open baffle, with a tweeter on the middle to achieve 200Hz-20kHz range, in a configuration like this :

M M M M M
M M M M M
M M T M M
M M M M M
M M M M M

This increase power handling and sensitivity.

Do you know some commercial concept like this or did you try something like this???

Thanks
Hugues

[sdclc126]

McIntosh makes a few loudspeakers on a platform similar to your idea, only on a larger scale.

http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/mcprod/s...peaker+Systems

The idea is to achieve a large soundstage/source similar to line arrays and panel-type speakers - electrostatics, planars, etc. and thus a more realistic representation of the live performance. I believe it also improves imaging and detail, if executed properly...

I've read here from some who have heard the "Macs" that though they have a great concept their speakers are simply not designed well and their performance is underwhelming. I believe they make their own drivers (but not positive) so that could be a big part of the problem.

Aside from being relatively expensive due to the number of drivers required over more conventional designs, I think your idea is basically sound (no pun intended). The one suggestion I would make is to consider "stretching it out" vertically to achieve more of a line-source effect.

I don't think any of the Macs are open baffle, so your design would be a departure from that.

I am speaking in very general terms, so I will let other more knowledgeable members of the forum offer more specific feedback on the relative merits and possible problems with this idea.

[johninCR]

There's a 5 by 5 wiring configuration for a Bessel array panel that will work like a point source. If you want to add a tweeter you'd have to step up to a 7 by 7 panel using 36 mids and 1,5,6,9,10,11, or12 tweeters like this:

M M M 0 M M M
M M M 0 M M M
M M M 0 M M M
O O O O O O O
M M M 0 M M M
M M M 0 M M M
M M M 0 M M M

You replace the O's with the number of tweeters you want to use. It requires a special amplitude weighted wiring configuration. As I understand, you need to have a listening distance of at least 10 times the panel height for it to function correctly. There are also more complex wiring configurations with even more drivers where the panel arrays are combined to present a stereo image. Send me a message if you are interested in the wiring configurations for Bessel array's and panels.