Line Array vs. electrostatic for optimal SQL performance

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Hello, am stuck on what direction to head in with this. I need a system that can produce outstanding midbass/midrange that is capable of handle many different ranging sounds, tones and frequencies, without getting too muddy. I play experimental analog electronic music, and whatever i get will need have to withstand loads of sonic madness. I am leaning towards a CSS BETALS or AlphaLS line array kit, but i don't want to spend that much money and have it not be up to par. Does anybody know how a decent Electrostatic, like Magnepan or Martin Logan, compares to a good line array? Please help! Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Especially if there is some other speaker type that would work out better for me. My studio is crying for some amazing middle vibrations!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah, there is a local Boehlander Grabener distributor near by, which is another option i'm looking into, but i don't want to give myself too many options. take it easy..:bawling: :bawling: :hot: :D :eek: :smash: :bigeyes: :dead: :dead: :clown: :clown: :clown: :clown: :whazzat: :bawling:
 
I came here in the first place with the same thing (electronic music making) in mind. the main thing i learned is, that i could forget all what i thought i knew about what will sound good and why.

i would advice you to forget the line array or electrostatic stuff. line arrays are for very special purposes, they are not good in studios (there are people here who say the opposite - may be confusing). i would say, they are bad in such a situation simply because the path length difference from each driver to the ear is too big, if the overall distance to the array is small. sound will arrive in a 1-2ms window, completely smeared over it. i would forget planar drivers, since they cannot produce enough sound pressure with low distortion.

look into a good monitor with a high quality 10-15 inch midbass in a closed box or open baffle with a 1inch compression driver in a constant directivity horn. equip with a subwoofer for lower than 60hz or so. this will, if correctly implemented, give you an alive sound with lots of dynamics. something like the Summa.
 
Do you want to build this monster or do you want to buy it?

How much space do you have for it?

Assume that you want some that responds quickly and has huge dynamic range, and can't be overwhelmed by any sound, but at the same time has no distortion and that you can play LOUD!

Zarathu
 
I would preferably build it to save on money, but i will probably end up doing both, so i don't have to wait much longer. I have four 15 inch tempest-x, four shiva-x on the way. I'm holding out for my 18" till he(diy cable) releases his in a month or two hopefully. So my lower end will be no problem. I am currently getting ready to move into a bigger place, so my room will probably be around 35-40 feet long by 15-20 feet wide. I am planning on putting my shivas into a Wicked One type enclosure from Madisound, and my Tempests into an Imperial Folded Horn, or something similar, then when i get my 18"s, i want to do a push-pull dual sonosub, like in the link below. So my main concern is good solid midrange/bass, and good highs. Does anyone have any experience with the LCY-100K super tweeters or HiVi RT1L Round Planar Tweeter? I would like to build something with some Scan-Speak,Peerless/Vifa, Seas or Aurasound drivers, since they seem to be high quality for a reasonable price. Aurasound has alot of smaller woofers for good deals. I am getting pulled in many directions with this, though, so if anyone could help me to narrow my options down, i will invite you to come surf the Zuvuya in my starship sometime..
:D ;) :D

couldn't get this extension to upload, so here it is
http://www.teresaudio.com/haven/subs/subs.html
 
I use line arrays for studio monitoring, for concert amplifications, for home listening, they sound superb if to compare to any point source speakers. Theoreticians who say about different paths for lower and higher drivers should remember that there are other drivers between them very close to each other so they must use more complex equations instead of plain geometry.

For stationary installations of line arrays I use aluminium frames and composite material that contains Portland Cement, it is the best I've found for speaker boxes, though plywood with layers of linoleum may be good enough for some applications.

Ribbons and static planars promised to be cheaper, but they are still not, and I would not use them for concerts while for home listening they are superb as well...
 
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