64 DAYTON ND16FA-6 for a line array...good option?

[thadman]

I was looking on partsexpress and I noticed that they have a new tweeter...or maybe a tweeter I never noticed, the ND16FA-6. I could run 64 per tower in a line array instead of the Dayton planars, allowing for a 6ohm impedance and costing ~$240 for 64 of them.

It has a diameter of 1-1/4", so CTC spacing could be extremely close

Would this be a better option than the Dayton Planars? Im not looking to spend >$600 on both towers of tweeters.

[jdybnis]

Those will probably work. Zaph tested one of those a few months ago when they were just prototypes or preproduction samples. They looked pretty good. Maybe he will chime in with the appropriate crossover point.

[Rick Craig]

I was looking on partsexpress and I noticed that they have a new tweeter...or maybe a tweeter I never noticed, the ND16FA-6. I could run 64 per tower in a line array instead of the Dayton planars, allowing for a 6ohm impedance and costing ~$240 for 64 of them.

It has a diameter of 1-1/4", so CTC spacing could be extremely close

Would this be a better option than the Dayton Planars? Im not looking to spend >$600 on both towers of tweeters.

The crossover point for these is really too high for what you need in a line array.

[thadman]

Could I use equalization to extend its useable range one octave lower? If this can be done with subwoofers (linkwitz transform, then why not tweeters) Im aware that a 1500-2000hz crossover would be the most desirable...is 2000hz @ 48dB achievable at all?

[cotdt]

What about an entire wall of these, say 2000 of them, and EQed, to play fullrange. No other drivers.

??

[thadman]

...are you serious? 2000 per tower would be roughly $15,000 worth of speakers...

[jdybnis]

You can't use eq to get them to get a lower crossover frequency. The problem with these is their distortion increases the lower you go in frequency. They are good to crossover to a line of 3" drivers like the Hi-Vi B3S, or to a line of B&G Neo8's, or to a B&G RD75 somewhere between 3500Hz and 4000Hz.

[thadman]

As long as you stay within your excursion requirements (ie...put a load equivalent to the excursion necessary to reach 5000hz) why would it increase in distortion the lower you go? Im not arguing with you, im just wondering.

The drivers should increase in distortion the lower they go, because they are exceeding their linear capabilities. I can control the linear displacement requirements of the driver, by going with multiple drivers (4x as many for every octave lower I go). This is just a postulation...(I dont know if its true or not)

[cotdt]

Well according to my mathematical calculations (4x the surface area needed for every octave lower, excursion held constant), then if one of these can go down to 4000Hz with low distortion, then I can use 4096 of these and go down to 60Hz cleanly. Therefore, I won't need any other drivers, except maybe a sub to take care of the low end. When buying 8192 of these (4096 for left wall, another 4096 for right wall), I'm sure I can get a massive discount by buying straight from the manufacterer. I'll EQ them for a flat response and get thunderous, authorative bass.

[Dennis H]

Well according to my mathematical calculations (4x the surface area needed for every octave lower, excursion held constant), then if one of these can go down to 4000Hz with low distortion, then I can use 4096 of these and go down to 60Hz cleanly. Therefore, I won't need any other drivers, except maybe a sub to take care of the low end. When buying 8192 of these (4096 for left wall, another 4096 for right wall), I'm sure I can get a massive discount by buying straight from the manufacterer. I'll EQ them for a flat response and get thunderous, authorative bass.

Have fun wiring those up!

[thadman]

im sure you'd get some crazy comb filtering...you couldnt just run them fullrange, you'd have to run 1 line then add on several more lines then add on several more lines...

[cotdt]

im sure you'd get some crazy comb filtering...you couldnt just run them fullrange, you'd have to run 1 line then add on several more lines then add on several more lines...

well if you've got a full wall of them (infinite wall array), then it self-cancels any comb filtering. also, there is no attenuation with distance, which i think would enhance the soundstage. the speakers would sound infinitely big in a finite room.

compared to how much time i spend on this stuff, wiring them all shouldn't be an issue =).

[thadman]

Thats crazy... 2 ~8' x 8' walls lol :B

I like the way you think