Line array debate

[jerrald]

Further down on this forum there were many questions and concerns in regard to line arrays, mainly comb filtering.
I found a web site some time ago that sold planar drivers that seemed to offer a lot of the benefits that people were lookinf for. There web site is <A HREF="http://www.usfps.com">www.usfps.com</A> and the driver I'm referring to is the MCMA.
This driver can be crossed over very low, has a wider radiating surface than any other driver its size, and sound pretty good free air. (I bought a pair but still haven't mounted them in an enclosure.)
They are not that sensitive and don't handle much power but would solve a lot of the issues facing line arrays.
If anyone has a chance to check this out let me, and anyone else who is interested, know what you think.

[Pete Schumacher ®]

> Further down on this forum there were many
> questions and concerns in regard to line
> arrays, mainly comb filtering.
> I found a web site some time ago that sold
> planar drivers that seemed to offer a lot of
> the benefits that people were lookinf for.
> There web site is <A HREF="http://www.usfps.com">www.usfps.com</A> and the
> driver I'm referring to is the MCMA.
> This driver can be crossed over very low,
> has a wider radiating surface than any other
> driver its size, and sound pretty good free
> air. (I bought a pair but still haven't
> mounted them in an enclosure.)
> They are not that sensitive and don't handle
> much power but would solve a lot of the
> issues facing line arrays.
> If anyone has a chance to check this out let
> me, and anyone else who is interested, know
> what you think.

Dang. 80dB. Kind of defeats one of the main benefits of typical line arrays, high sensitivity.

[jimgriffin]

> Further down on this forum there were many
> questions and concerns in regard to line
> arrays, mainly comb filtering.
> I found a web site some time ago that sold
> planar drivers that seemed to offer a lot of
> the benefits that people were lookinf for.
> There web site is <A HREF="http://www.usfps.com">www.usfps.com</A> and the
> driver I'm referring to is the MCMA.
> This driver can be crossed over very low,
> has a wider radiating surface than any other
> driver its size, and sound pretty good free
> air. (I bought a pair but still haven't
> mounted them in an enclosure.)
> They are not that sensitive and don't handle
> much power but would solve a lot of the
> issues facing line arrays.
> If anyone has a chance to check this out let
> me, and anyone else who is interested, know
> what you think.

Jerrald,

I like the form factors of these drivers but they have significant disadvantages related to very limited SPL levels and low power handling. First the specs are generous in that some are at at Remember that drivers with limited vertical dispersion like the longer ribbon and planar tweeters do not have increased sensitivity levels because of arraying (their sound fields don't overlap across the entire frequency band). Hence, their SPL levels goes from the low 80's dB of 1W sensitivity at 4-6 ohms to only the low to mid 90's dB at maximum power handling per device. Thus their dynamic range is severely limited. Plus don't count on covering down too low in frequency as their power handling decreases at lower frequencies acording to the foot notes.

Bottom line is that they'll make good quiet speakers but poor loud speakers.

Jim