Array Design - Meyer Sound MSL-4 Operating Instructions Manual

Array Design

Creating an effective array with the MSL-4 requires a precise
understanding of how to combine the coverage area and SPL
of the individual speaker with those of adjacent speakers.
Array design is a trade-off between increasing on-axis power
and creating smooth transitions between the coverage areas of
adjacent speakers.
As the splay angle (the angle between adjacent cabinet faces)
decreases below the coverage angle of the individual speaker,
the on-axis power increases, but the coverage overlap between
adjacent speakers causes comb filtering and other frequency
response variations.
As the splay angle increases toward the coverage angle, the
on-axis power decreases, but the variations in frequency
response diminish. As the splay angle increases beyond the
coverage angle, noticeable gaps begin to form in the array's
coverage area.
NOTE: The trapezoidal shape of the MSL-4 determines only
the narrowest recommended splay angle (15°) for horizontal
arrays and does not represent the horizontal coverage area.
A series of outdoor tests was conducted at Meyer Sound
Laboratories to determine coverage angles and on-axis SPL
Horizontal Units &
1
Angle
Max
Coverage
SPL
H V
(dB Pk)
Vertical Rows & Angle
1
40° 35° 140
2 LT (0°)
40° 20° 146
2 @ 10°
40° 40° 145
2 @ 20°
40° 55° 144
Horizontal Units &
4 @ 22.5°
Angle
Max
Coverage
SPL
H V
(dB Pk)
Vertical Rows & Angle
1
100° 35° 148
2 LT (0°)
100° 20° 154
2 @ 10°
100° 40° 153
2 @ 20°
100° 55° 152
14
MSL-4 Array Coverage and Maximum SPL Chart
2 @ 15 ° 2 @ 22.5°
Max Max
Coverage Coverage
SPL SPL
H V H V
(dB Pk) (dB Pk)
20° 35° 145 50° 35° 143
20° 20° 151 50° 20° 149
20° 40° 150 50° 40° 148
20° 55° 149 50° 55° 147
4 @ 30° 5 @ 15°
Max Max
Coverage Coverage
SPL SPL
H V H V
(dB Pk) (dB Pk)
130° 35° 147 95° 35° 150
130° 20° 153 95° 20° 156
130° 40° 152 95° 40° 155
130° 55° 151 95° 55° 154
for arrays with one and two horizontal rows of up to six speak-
ers each, at numerous splay angles. The measurements were
conducted at a distance of 8 m with half-space loading; on-axis
SPL values were interpolated from 8 m to 1 m. The coverage
angle for the array is the result of averaging the –6 dB points
from 125Hz to 8kHz.
The horizontal angles in the tables on the next page represent
the optimal narrow (15°), middle (22.5°), and wide (30°) orien-
tations for the MSL-4. The 10° and 20° vertical splay angles
represent the optimal narrow and wide vertical configurations.
2@0° LT denotes long throw: the two horns are coupled directly
together (top speaker upside down/bottom speaker upright) to
form a single narrow horn.
The following tables show the SPL and coverage areas that
result from grouping the MSL-4 in arrays of up to six units
horizontally and two rows vertically. If this information does
not address your application requirements, contact Meyer Sound
to obtain additional information on array design.
2 @ 30° 3 @ 15°
Max Max
Coverage Coverage
SPL SPL
H V H V
(dB Pk) (dB Pk)
70° 35° 141 55° 35° 147
70° 20° 147 55° 20° 153
70° 40° 146 55° 40° 152
70° 55° 145 55° 55° 151
5 @ 22.5° 5 @ 30°
Max Max
Coverage Coverage
SPL SPL
H V H V
(dB Pk) (dB Pk)
120° 35° 147 160° 35° 146
120° 20° 153 160° 20° 152
120° 40° 152 160° 40° 151
120° 55° 151 160° 55° 150
3 @ 22.5° 3 @ 30 °
Max Max
Coverage Coverage
SPL SPL
H V H V
(dB Pk) (dB Pk)
80° 35° 146 100° 35° 146
80° 20° 152 100° 20° 152
80° 40° 151 100° 40° 151
80° 55° 150 100° 55° 150
6 @ 15° 6 @ 22.5°
Max Max
Coverage Coverage
SPL SPL
H V H V
(dB Pk) (dB Pk)
100° 35° 150 145° 35° 148
100° 20° 156 145° 20° 154
100° 40° 155 145° 40° 153
100° 55° 154 145° 55° 152
4 @ 15°
Max
Coverage
SPL
H V
(dB Pk)
70° 35° 149
70° 20° 155
70° 40° 154
70° 55° 153
6 @ 30°
Max
Coverage
SPL
H V
(dB Pk)
185° 35° 147
185° 20° 153
185° 40° 152
185° 55° 151