Line arrays and distributed systems

Distributed system speakers, are speakers that are seen at most night clubs and small venues usually placed either side of the stage or throughout the club. These systems may consist of full range cabinets, two way cabinets, three way cabinets or four way systems; containing sub woofers, Mids and horns. Although this system may be good for small gigs they can be used for larger gigs but, they do not work as well as the line array system seen at massive venues and rock concerts. As the distributed system is omni directional it can lose its output power. This is caused by frequencies being absorbed by the crowd and would require fill speakers placed further down the venue to amplify the signal to the audience at the back and would require time alignment delays to sync the speakers output at the same time. A Line array system is a stack of speakers at different frequencies which are connected together at slight angles these are then hoisted high above the crowd and angled down towards the crowd to give better coverage. This allows all frequencies to be projected at the same level and reduces the effects such as muddiness that we may find from a distributed system. Time alignment delays will be used due to the angling of the speakers but not in context compared to a distributed system. Inverse square Law only matters to sound from a point source and relates to how the sound attenuates over distance. In theory as the sound is projected from its source its volume decreases 6db each time the distance the sound as doubled from its source. This is due to the diffusion of sound radiating from the sound source over a spherical area. As the radius of the sphere is doubled, the surface area quadruples. In return this divides the acoustical power by 4.