The Ribbon Line Array news and information website with links  to many other pro audio sites.

We highly recommend all of the AES papers listed. This cross section of works basically explains the most important fundamentals of line array theory. Many of the white papers are very well written and a little easier to understand. They give you the big picture and are good for those of us that don't need to see all the math. When it comes to the information put out by the line array manufactures themselves you should look at them with a critical eye. They are usually written to explain why certain engineering and design choices were made. Often the compromises are not explained as well as the performance benefits. But in order to stand the test of time a pro line array system must have the necessary performance. So learning about as many different companies systems as possible is an excellent idea.

How do you know if a loudspeaker really is a line array? First every loudspeaker is a compromise but you must follow the rules

Find out how many and what size the woofers/drivers are in each frequency section. (LF, Mids, HF)

Find out what the x-over frequencies are in each frequency section (LF, Mids,HF)

Now what the x-over frequencies should be by driver size

15" woofer 900 Hz - 450Hz 12" woofer 1130 Hz - 565 Hz

10" woofer 1360 Hz - 680 Hz 6" mid woofer 2260 Hz - 1130 Hz

2" (4" V.C.) compression driver 3390 Hz - 1695 Hz

3" (3" V.C.) compression driver 4520 Hz - 2260 Hz

1" (1.75" V.C.) compression driver 7750 Hz - 3875 Hz

80% or more of the line array baffle board should be covered with output devices/drivers.

If a "line array system" does not follow these rules it's not really a Line Array system. But there are few things that can help extend the performance of the HF drivers in a conventional system.

If you use ribbon drivers in a line array the High Frequency limit can be extended well beyond any other compression driver system. Ribbons have many inherent advantages the make them ideal choices for line arrays.

http://www.audioroundtable.com/misc/nflawp.pdf  Line Array Design Guidelines,  James Griffin