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I'm thinking about building a ~72" line array, (closer to 84" with the base, etc.) most likely open baffle. Contemplating a 2 - way design with NEO style ribbons and smallish (~4") dynamic drivers.My first question is, "Having the woofer & tweeter side by side with a crossover at about 1kz, will I have much in the way of horizontal cancellation off access?"Another question is, "Would there be any benefit to having the tweeter array 'flanked' by woofer arrays on either side?" I can see potential problems with both the cancellation issue and probably the woofers overpowering the (sensitivity) the tweeters.Danny Richie has asymmetrical "wings" on his NX tremes. But I also see many large driver OB designs with no wings. The line array design I envision wouldn't have more than a 9"-10" wide baffle. Should I use wings? If so is there anything which might help in calculating their design?
I don't have a line array but...I started with a test baffle with no wings. Built permanent baffles with back angle supports and removable wings. Ended up removing the wings due to imaging issues I didn't have with the test baffles. I didn't use any modelling programs, have a hard enough time with REW. I would say, in hindsight, build the baffles without, and then experiment with foam boards as temporary wings. Which means you will have to come up with another baffle support design, but it will give you the option to wing it or not.
Don't "wing it."There's a video where Danny talks about the benefits of wings and his experience with them. As I recall, there's no formula. It takes a ton of experimentation with prototypes to try various angles and depths and measure each result. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ipMq7KlWwM&t=791s
If it's open baffle 9" wide, it will be somewhat thin in bass somewhere below 200-300Hz. You can add servo subwoofers, or you can add a bass module, or you can make a boxed cabinet line array. One of the rules of physics is you can't have it all. By the way, one of my students designed an OB line array with dual wings on piano hinges waaaaay back in 2006. We drove ourselves nuts getting a good crossover and decent measurements. Danny worked on it also for most of a morning improving it and making suggestions (dare we take credit for planting an idea?)
Aceinc, when I developed and designed my linesources, I went through many of the same questions and dilemmas.In short I realised that a two-way narrow baffle OB line source is not feasible if you want bass. Not at all.After trying to cut corners with cheaper options, I ordered a set of dual 12" OB woofers and amps from GR-Research, which I later upgraded to three 12" per side. I cannot recommend this system enough. It is simply first class bass, and I have never heard anything better, even from Peak Consult, Stenheim or Magico.While the initial investment is a lot of money, it is downright cheap considering the cost of for example ScanSpeak Revelator 28W ($700 each here in Denmark), plus finding a suitable amplifier and designing a crossover...A local guy visited me and wrote an article about my speakers. It is in Danish, but can probably be translated: https://internetforbrugeren.dk/stor-og-fantastisk-lyd-i-stuenThe Priest