14
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
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.
MSL-4 Array Coverage and Maximum SPL Chart
Horizontal Units &
Angle
1
2 @ 15 °
2 @ 22.5°
2 @ 30°
3 @ 15°
3 @ 22.5°
3 @ 30 °
4 @ 15°
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
H V
H V
H V
H V
H V
H V
H V
H V
Vertical Rows & Angle
1
40° 35°
140
20° 35°
145
50° 35°
143
70° 35°
141
55° 35°
147
80° 35°
146
100° 35°
146
70° 35°
149
2 LT (0°)
40° 20°
146
20° 20°
151
50° 20°
149
70° 20°
147
55° 20°
153
80° 20°
152
100° 20°
152
70° 20°
155
2 @ 10°
40° 40°
145
20° 40°
150
50° 40°
148
70° 40°
146
55° 40°
152
80° 40°
151
100° 40°
151
70° 40°
154
2 @ 20°
40° 55°
144
20° 55°
149
50° 55°
147
70° 55°
145
55° 55°
151
80° 55°
150
100° 55°
150
70° 55°
153
Horizontal Units &
Angle
4 @ 22.5°
4 @ 30°
5 @ 15°
5 @ 22.5°
5 @ 30°
6 @ 15°
6 @ 22.5°
6 @ 30°
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
Coverage
Max
SPL
(dB Pk)
H V
H V
H V
H V
H V
H V
H V
H V
Vertical Rows & Angle
1
100° 35°
148
130° 35°
147
95° 35°
150
120° 35°
147
160° 35°
146
100° 35°
150
145° 35°
148
185° 35°
147
2 LT (0°)
100° 20°
154
130° 20°
153
95° 20°
156
120° 20°
153
160° 20°
152
100° 20°
156
145° 20°
154
185° 20°
153
2 @ 10°
100° 40°
153
130° 40°
152
95° 40°
155
120° 40°
152
160° 40°
151
100° 40°
155
145° 40°
153
185° 40°
152
2 @ 20°
100° 55°
152
130° 55°
151
95° 55°
154
120° 55°
151
160° 55°
150
100° 55°
154
145° 55°
152
185° 55°
151