The Difference Between Point Source and Line Array Speakers

For most musicians that run their own stage sound, you’ve likely used standard point source speakers. The typical configuration is a 2-way design with a tweeter for high frequencies and a woofer for low frequencies. 3-way adds a mid-range speaker for better definition in the mids. The typical point source loudspeaker is just as it is named – sound emanating from one source in all directions within its fixed degree of coverage.

When using multiple loudspeakers, they’re typically providing more coverage for an audience but not in the most efficient way. The sound from the individual speakers can intersect and if wired or physically set-up improperly, they can cancel out frequencies, causing poor quality audio.  

Over the years people have experimented with live audio loudspeakers. Some have detached the high frequency driver and horn to be a separate speaker, while other efforts went into electronically separating the different frequencies with electronic crossovers. The Grateful Dead even experimented with a wall of speakers where specific loudspeakers were dedicated to discretely reproducing vocals, guitars, bass, etc. Instead of separating frequencies, each instrument and vocal had a dedicated loudspeaker. But even this experiment was utilizing point source loudspeakers. So ideal audience coverage could suffer from venue to venue and dispersion from the wall of speakers was not aligned or uniform. 

A line array directs sound to specific areas by using multiple drivers arranged in a line, allowing for more precise control over sound dispersion, making it ideal for large venues and outdoor events where you need to cover a wide area with consistent sound quality. Point source speakers are better suited for smaller spaces where they can easily cover an audience area. Line arrays utilize electronic crossovers to efficiently separate frequencies for specific speaker drivers. Each individual line array element is identical and hung in linear clusters, so each driver’s output couples with the others in the array, avoiding gaps in the coverage.

Large line arrays for arena or outdoor stages are hung in a “J” shaped curve. The line array elements at the top of the “J” feed the audience furthest away while the elements at the bottom of the “J” can be lower in volume to cover the audience closer to the stage. For large stages, a typical system may have large “J” arrays at the left and right side of the stage with smaller arrays hung at the side of the stage. Medium size line arrays are the most popular as they can provide coverage for fairly large events without the bulk of a full-size arena line array. Carvin’s TRx5000 Series hits this sweet spot with 10-inch LF drivers. For sound continuity, individual line array elements are often used at the foot of the stage to feed sound to the front rows. Stacked line array clusters can also be used as stage side-fills. 

Carvin’s TRx5000 Series Line Array System

The more compact line array configuration is a column array such as Carvin’s TRC Column Array Systems. Here a long column of high/mid frequency drivers are stacked on top of a subwoofer. Column arrays can be installed with the column and sub mounted separately as well. The column array design is scalable yet compact. The advantage of the column array is a smaller footprint and ease of set-up and tear down. The coverage is impressive, and a column array can also be used as side-fill with a larger line array. 

 Carvin’s TRC400A 4000W Powered Column Array System

If you are a sound professional and are looking to step up to a line array, a column or 10” line array might suite you. The efficiency and clarity of column and line arrays are the best way to overcome coverage issues as you can run overall volume lower without sacrificing coverage.

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