Splay Angles; Level Tapering - Wharfedale Pro WLA-12 Operating Manual And User Manual

OPERATING MANUAL AND USER GUIDE

Splay Angles

The WLA can be configured with several different splay angles. The splay
angles determine the amount of overlap between individual units. This is used
to determine the amount of summation, or "throw", for separate sections of the
array. As the splay angle between boxes increases the summation decreases but
spectral variance due to interactions between elements is also decreased.
For many venues a good compromise between throw and spectral variance
can be reached by varying the splay angle across the length of the array. By
varying the angular separation along the length of the array a balance can be
met for the required coverage. Smaller splay angles provide higher summation
to cover more distant seating and bleachers. Larger splay angles provide lower
summation with reduced spectral variance for closer seating. Used correctly this
can provide even coverage over long distances.
Each group of loudspeakers with a different splay angle will require a separate
channel of amplification and different EQ settings. This is due to the different
summation effects caused by differing splay angles.

Level Tapering

Tapering the level of enclosures has a beam steering effect which can be used in
conjunction with angular separation between elements. The beam will be steered
away from the "on-axis" center line of the array toward the cabs being driven at
the highest level. The extent of the beam steering effect depends on the length of
the array and the level difference between the top and bottom of the array. This
technique allows you to further tailor the vertical coverage to differently shaped
venues, reducing the level variance between the front and rear of the venue.
Ideally the level of each enclosure is tapered gradually (e.g. 0.5dB or 1dB
per element). This means you will require an amplifier channel per element in
passive mode, or two amplifier channels per element in bi-amp mode. Groups of
elements can be tapered in pairs or more, although a more gradual taper will give
you smoother vertical pattern control.