DIY Line Array Project

setzer808

Hey gang,

Decided I would post the results of my DIY Line Array towers I built. This was just a summer project for the heck of it, and i'm very pleased at how they turned out. They use the JVC 3x5's that were recently on clearance at Parts Express. The housing is vinyl fencepost and caps. I'll let the pictures make things clearer. The sound is surprisingly good and produces a very lively/large soundstage on music. Currently I have them wired at 16ohm's each to fit the needs of an older amp for home use, but I did wire them at 4'ohm's each and ran them off a PA amp to test them in an auditorium vs a pair of Bose line arrays. Their throw is impressive. I like my results...especially considering the total cost for all the materials of the pair was under $50 or so.

thsmith

Pics are not visable

zingo

Those are pretty sweet looking and the price is right on. Do they have an kind of filter, or are you running them sans crossover?

setzer808

Thanks. As I still consider them a work in progress they are running fullrange with no crossover or notch filters or anything at the moment. I may do some more tinkering on that front in the future when my next projects are done. Though I do have a spare EQ I might use with them as well come to think of it...

ShinAce

Thanks for sharing!

That is totally badass and weird at the same time. I hope you had fun making the speaker cutouts....

It looks like the speaker terminal is a 1/4" plug. I wonder why? Are you gonna use them as guitar speakers?

TECHNOKID

Spiffy! Nice job and the price is so right :cool:

setzer808

Thx again, ya it is a 1/4" jack. I first hooked them up to a powered mixer when I was testing them in the auditorium and did that for convenience there. Since I had a pair of old cables that were 1/4" to bare wire available for the home setting lying around, it ended up working in both places. I've had some friends/co-workers asking me to build them a set, in those cases I would use a standard binding post plate.

audiobilly

Ya gotta fly the subs next to em!!!

http://clairglobal.com/clients/

setzer808

audiobilly wrote: »

Ya gotta fly the subs next to em!!!

http://clairglobal.com/clients/

Don't tempt me....I've already had visions of adding a smaller spire containing a tweeter array (not that the extra highs are really necessary) beside each of those...and mounting the spires on a multi-driver sub stack.

concealer404

Can someone point me in the direction or tell me why line array is cool, other than the looks?

I'm halfway interested in building something like this, but would like to have more justification to the SO other than "But it LOOKS bitchin'!!!"

Face

concealer404 wrote: »

Can someone point me in the direction or tell me why line array is cool, other than the looks?

I'm halfway interested in building something like this, but would like to have more justification to the SO other than "But it LOOKS bitchin'!!!"

http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showthread.php?t=218570

concealer404

Face wrote: »

http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showthread.php?t=218570

Thanks... that's pretty interesting, though i'm now unsure if that's what i'm looking for.

setzer808

Basically a line array works by exploiting the interaction of multiple drivers...the gain from that many
same-purpose drivers outweighs most of the negative interactions involved so that the larger your array...the more benefit you get in the areas of long throw distance, power handling, etc. Also line arrays have some benefits when it comes to lower microphone feedback...which I have witnessed....but don't have a firm enough knowledge to speak much on.

woofiepaws

Now if these could be made waterproof, just think of the potential for outdoor speakers.

setzer808

woofiepaws wrote: »

Now if these could be made waterproof, just think of the potential for outdoor speakers.

Oh I know...I've been wishing I could find a good supply of cheap, full-range drivers like the JVC's that were weather-resistant...

frodaddy

Am I missing something? Where are the tweeters?

setzer808

The 3x5's are full range drivers that sufficiently cover the high frequencies.

frodaddy

I went to PE's site to look for specs but couldn't find them.. what model are they? I think your speakers look cool, just curious

Tony M

This here project surely must fit in the things guys do catagory!

Great job and ingenuity also!

You could always just bring them outside when you barbeque and ad a sub with the outputs to handle the lows. I want to start my own set as soon as it gets cooler weather down here.

Cool.

nduitch

I wonder what these sound like:

They are from a demo room at the Grado headquarters

Apparently they each have 32 headphone drivers. Can someone explain how this would work? How can these sound good from far distances?

TNRabbit

setzer808 wrote: »

The 3x5's are full range drivers that sufficiently cover the high frequencies.

I seriously doubt that~

setzer808

TNRabbit wrote: »

I seriously doubt that~

I used the term "sufficiently" deliberately.....the 3x5's have a lot better high end than many full-range drivers I've encountered...but I would still say they only handle the high end "sufficiently"....not exceptionally or excellently. Kind of like how you could live on MRE's and water....all the technical requirements for survival are met...but its not lobster and Dom P

setzer808

@frodady: They were a buyout item at PE from JVC. I think they sold out about a week ago. If they ever get any more in and you order them...order at least 20...that way they come in a nice plastic-spaced packaging that protects them...otherwise they are wrapped in cardboard and may suffer a bit in transit.

RuSsMaN

Coolest thing I've seen all week.