How Array Length Affects Directivity - EAW Anya Application Manual

How Array Length Affects Directivity

It would be beyond the scope of this guide to go into the physics of how line arrays behave. Regarding
vertical directivity, Anya and Anna behave similarly to any true line source. The difference with
Adaptive products is their ability to define that directivity dynamically and across the entire audible
spectrum.
The key to directivity is array length. This should not be confused with the number of drivers. A
properly designed line array system will exhibit the same directivity from the same physical length
regardless of whether this length is made up of 8", 10", 12" or 15" components. The determining
factor is the length of the array itself and how that length affects the wavelength being produced.
The samples below show three array types in the same venue. The first array is very short with only 4 x
Anya modules being deployed. The contour line feature in Resolution has been used to clearly show
the definition of the vertical contour at 125Hz. It is clear that with this array length, the 125Hz
frequency is seeing only slight directivity control.
The second image demonstrates what would happen with the same frequency in the same venue but
with an Anya array of 12 modules instead of 4. It is quite clear how much more directive the vertical
has become in this image and if we continue to add modules to the array, the effect will become more
pronounced.
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