proposed transmission line array

[kneadle]

Hello all,

My wife--yes, it's true--has commissioned me to design some speakers for our new home which integrate sound design principles and good sound design. Color and space are one thing, but shape is another thing I'd like to conquer.

I've come up with a design that might just do the trick, as long as I can couple the thing with a decent subwoofer. The application is for entertaining guests with background music, as well as providing music for a sitting room style living area. In other words, no TV. Very low frequencies and ULF are not necessary, but I would like to get down toward that region in the frequency spectrum.

Our taste in home decor approaches something like modern-provincial, with an emphasis on line and texture on a dominant solid-color background.

Attached is a rough drawing of a transmission-line speaker that resembles a flower, which would require 4 (or 5) rather small drivers mounted onto the resonating enclosure. These will hang from the wall.

I'm thinking because of the number of drivers that I may be entering the realm of line array difficulties. Any critique is appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[GM]

Hmm, I see this as a need to bi-, or even tri-amp depending on the driver(s) chosen. For instance, using five TB W4-1052SA in an Alpha TL as an example, one would be used for much of the BW, with the other four tuned much lower and XO'd/EQ'd so that the five yields a ~flat response down to a much lower Fb than a single one can do, then if it's still not low enough, use a sub for the bottom octave or so.

GM

 

[kneadle]

Hmm, I see this as a need to bi-, or even tri-amp depending on the driver(s) chosen.

Wow! I can tell that this is going to be a good one...

For instance, using five TB W4-1052SA in an Alpha TL as an example, one would be used for much of the BW, with the other four tuned much lower and XO'd/EQ'd so that the five yields a ~flat response down to a much lower Fb than a single one can do, then if it's still not low enough, use a sub for the bottom octave or so.

GM

What does "BW" refer to?

Thanks,

Dave

 

[GM]

Bandwidth. IOW the main driver would be XO'd at whatever point/slope is required to keep from exceeding Xmax at max peak power.

GM

 

[planet10]

For background music it is much less of an issue... pop a tweeter in the middle for a stamen (maybe one of those phase plug Peerless or a cone tweeter with an exagerated phase plug.

dave

 

[JinMTVT]

VERY NICE ART!
i can't really get the drawing except for the flower thingy,
but your choice of colors is extremely ...mmm.. precise!

 

[kneadle]

VERY NICE ART!
i can't really get the drawing except for the flower thingy,
but your choice of colors is extremely ...mmm.. precise!

My kingdom for a drawing tablet! Anyone know where I can get one cheap? I'm so tired of trying to draw stuff with a mouse.

The green stuff is supposed to be a 3-D rendition of the flower's
"stem," which functions as the resonating tube.

This project is already on the level of my caterpillars. For those who followed that one, you'll be delighted to learn that I've recently learned how to make hollow castings. That's right. Hollow castings....

Dave

 

[kneadle]

Bandwidth. IOW the main driver would be XO'd at whatever point/slope is required to keep from exceeding Xmax at max peak power.

GM

Thanks. I work in two different technical fields, and sometimes the abbreviations intermingle in my brain. While it would seem a disadvantage, I'm sure this intermingling is responsible for the t-line applications I dream up.

Dave

 

[JinMTVT]

i suggest you download a demo of any 3d package and learn basic pollygon modelling.

Personal suggestion is 3dMAX game version
wich is free of use if i remember correctly
( i paid stupid 5000$ for a license..grrrr haha )

the + about this app is that it comes from a base of autocad,
is compatible with autocad formats, and it extremely precise
( almost as much as enginnering modelling packages )

you can design stuff pretty quicky and acuratly with the basics

http://www4.discreet.com/3dsmax/

 

[kneadle]

i suggest you download a demo of any 3d package and learn basic pollygon modelling.

Personal suggestion is 3dMAX game version
wich is free of use if i remember correctly
( i paid stupid 5000$ for a license..grrrr haha )

the + about this app is that it comes from a base of autocad,
is compatible with autocad formats, and it extremely precise
( almost as much as enginnering modelling packages )

you can design stuff pretty quicky and acuratly with the basics

http://www4.discreet.com/3dsmax/

Thanks for the suggestion. I can't figure out what to download from that site, though. Are you talking about the 30-day trial thingy?

You paid $5K?!?

Dave

 

[kneadle]

Okay, I figured out the dl.

After thinking and reading about multiple small drivers, I'd like to test my knowledge.

Is it true that multiple small drivers (such as the TB products) will produce a fairly broad response? Within the project parameters, how many drivers produce a reasonable benefit?

What difficulties am I going to experience as far as the combined baffle-step phenomenon?

In short, what are the trade-offs, here? I want the audio layperson to experience quality playback, but this is not a hi fi application. THAT will be for my new listening room, about which I will post more after I move in.

Oh, and this is in Buffalo, NY, and I hear that we may be spending a lot of time indoors.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[planet10]

What difficulties am I going to experience as far as the combined baffle-step phenomenon?

if on the wall BSD should be minimal if any.

dave

 

[kneadle]

if on the wall BSD should be minimal if any.

dave

So this isn't a bad idea? Um, are there other projects I can look at that combine drivers in near proximity?

Dave