Line Array Speakers (1 Viewer)

[Hank Frankenberg]

Of course Danny's correct about that one significant disadvantage with phantom mode (Jon and/or Thomas did point that out). If you want other people to enjoy the best music and movie sound soundstage, not just whoever is sitting in the "sweet spot", then you need a timbrally-matched center channel.
Danny, how would you compensate a point source CC to match line source L&R's? Would there be more involved than just equilizing SPL at the average seating distance?

 

[Brian Bunge]

Would there be more involved than just equilizing SPL at the average seating distance?

Hank,

That was my question also!

Brian

 

[JonWB]

Danny,

Could you share roughly what the dimensions are for that Alpha"ish" center channel? Sounds like it'd be pretty tall (the Neo8's are about 8" tall). Probably not a concern for a guy that just bought 6 Alpha LS's. (Reminds me of that line in Shreik, "Do you think he's compensating for something?")

Assuming the screen/TV would be roughly at eye level, would you think the limited vertical dispersion of the ribbons requires that you tilt the CC down to fire across the peoples?

Here is a dumb question, would the earth come to an end if you took one Neo8 and placed it in a vertical orientation and another Neo8 on its side (like a "T")? I'm sure you'd have sound waves of matching frequencies crashing into each other and other phenomenon that I don't understand, but would it really sound "bad"?

Jon

 

[Danny Richie]

Hank,

Seeing as how the center channel receives completely different information than the L&R speakers matching the output to a given listening distance is not a problem.

Remember people are point sources. Our voice comes from one point, being our mouths.

Center channels mostly handle dialog.

One thing I dislike about a lot of new movies is that they go over board with effects and the like, flashing all around like some kind of amusement ride.

Sometimes the dialog gets lost in the noise, like talking to someone in a noisy restraint.

I enjoy movies much more when surround effects are used to recreate a nature sound field and not an overwhelming one.

JonWB,

I just finished shooting responses and listening to the Alpha "ish" center channel today. It does sound good and sounds like the mains.

But...

It has an off axis horizontal window with good response out to about 30 degrees each way. After that a dip begins to occur in the 800Hz region due to the physical alignment of the woofers being offset.

It has a vertical response window that needs to be aimed at the ear level and it is not much longer than the tweeter array, two feet maybe. After that the highs start to roll off sharply as a result of the tweeter height and characteristics.

Ideally this is placed under the screen and aimed up slightly.

And that "dumb question" isn't really all that dumb at all. I may play with that some.