Advantages of Line-Array Speakers
n Line-Array Speakers The term “line-array” is used to describe a speaker system having multiple speaker units with the same characteristics arranged vertically to emulate a linear acoustical source. In contrast to standard speakers, which operate as a point source from which sound propagates over a wide dispersion angle in both the horizontal and vertical planes, the sound propagating from a line-array speaker disperses very little in the vertical plane.
n Three advantages of line-array speakers The line-array speaker offers the following three advantages over standard point-source speakers. 1 Sound reinforcement with more consistent sound pressure With this type of speaker, sound pressure is affected less by distance, allowing for clearer, more consistent sound reinforcement. As a result, ample sound pressure can be delivered to back-of-house without making front-of-stage excessively loud.
2 Clear sound reinforcement Undesirable reflection can be reduced, thereby ensuring clearer reinforcement of sound even in highly reverberant spaces. Standard speaker (point source) Because the sound also disperses widely in the vertical plane, a significant amount of reflection occurs at the roof and floor surfaces. These reflections are heard as reverberation and make the reinforced sound less clear.
3 Less prone to feedback As we have seen, the total output from line-array speakers is smaller and undesirable reflections are fewer, making feedback less likely to occur. Another important factor, however, makes the line array less prone to this type of problem, and this is described below.
