System information

X-Array Touring Loudspeaker Systems – Applications Notes – Page 26
HELPFUL HINT: When tuning an X-Array system, the user should always maintain the relative output
signal delays required for alignment of the components within the loudspeaker enclosures. Failure to
time align the components can result in uneven frequency response and uneven pattern coverage. The
user is cautioned that changes in crossover filters, subsonic filters can have a significant affect on com-
ponent time alignment values. Moderate equalization changes, however, will typically have a negligible
affect on the component time alignment.
Loudspeaker-System Alignment
The DN8000 configurations shown in the spreadsheets are set up to provide drive signals for multiple
loudspeaker systems from the same crossover. Therefore, the only way to provide signal delay to align
one loudspeaker system to another with these configurations is to utilize the delays in the output sec-
tions. For the DN8000 configurations shown in the digital-parameter spreadsheets, the LF section of the
Xn, the Xb and the Xcb do not require any signal delay to bring the three systems into alignment. In ad-
dition, the LF section of the Xn, the Xb and the Xcb do not require any signal delay to bring the systems
into alignment with the MB sections of the Xf, Xn and/or Xcn systems. Furthermore, the Xf, Xn and Xcn
do not require any signal delay to bring the three systems into alignment. This makes the signal proc-
essing very simple for the Xf, Xn, Xcn, Xb and Xcn, because the only output delay required is that for the
HF outputs as described in the previous section.
Signal delay is required, however, to align the LF section of the Xn, the Xb and the Xcb systems with the
Xds subwoofer. The DN8000 configurations shown in the spreadsheets show the Xds being drive from
34-80 Hz, while the LF section of the Xn, the Xb and the Xcb are driven from 43-125 Hz – thus there is
an overlap from 43-80Hz. This difference in frequency ranges results in phase differences between the
SUB and LF sections that require a 2500 microsecond delay to be added to the low-frequency section of
the Xn, the Xb and the Xcb to align them with the Xds system. Failure to align the Xds subwoofers with
the low-frequency systems will result in reduced bass output and bass impact in the overlap region for
40-90 Hz. The user is cautioned that any changes to the subsonic-high-pass-filter frequencies or low-
pass-crossover frequencies on the Xds or the LF section of the Xn, Xb or Xcb will require a change in
the 2500-microsecond delay.
When a 2500 microsecond delay is added to these LF outputs, an identical 2500 microsecond delay
must also be added to the MB and HF outputs for the Xf, Xn and Xcn in order to maintain the time align-
ment between the LF MB and HF sections. This delay is indicated in the latest digital-parameter spread-
sheets.
Note that the delay settings described above hold true whenever the fronts of the enclosures of these
systems are physically aligned. If the system enclosures are not aligned, electrical signal delay must be
introduced to the appropriate systems to compensate for the physical misalignment as described in the
section below.
HELPFUL HINT: When tuning an X-Array system, the user should always maintain the relative input or
output delays required for alignment of the loudspeaker enclosures. Failure to time align the systems can
result in uneven frequency response and uneven pattern coverage. Failure to time align the low-
frequency sections with the subwoofer sections can result in reduced bass output and impact. The user
is cautioned that changes in crossover filters, subsonic filters can have a significant affect on component
time alignment values – especially in the case of aligning the LF sections of the Xn, Xb and Xcb with the
Xds subwoofer. Minor equalization changes, however, will typically have a negligible affect on the enclo-
sure time alignment.
Enclosure-Misalignment Compensation
The above section describes the setting of the input or output delays of the DN8000 to achieve alignment
between the various X-Array™ loudspeaker-system enclosures when the enclosure fronts are physically
aligned. These delays would hold true if the loudspeaker enclosures were sitting on top of one another or