Array Design

Creating an effective array with the CQ 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 CQ does not represent the horizontal coverage area of the speaker or the intended splay angle for horizontal arrays. The 20° angle of the CQ enclosure is narrower than the minimum recommended splay angle.

A series of outdoor tests was conducted at Meyer Sound to determine the coverage angle and on-axis SPL for arrays with one and two horizontal rows of up to four elements 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 125 Hz to 8 kHz.

The horizontal splay angles in the tables below represent the optimal configurations for narrow and wide coverage areas; note the different angles for the CQ-1 and CQ-2. The vertical angles represent the optimal narrow (15°), middle (30°), and wide (40°) orientations for both the CQ-1 and CQ-2. The 2@0° LT denotes the long throw configuration: 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 CQ-1 and CQ-2 in arrays of up to four units horizontally and two rows vertically. All splay angles refer to the angle between cabinet centers. If this information does not address your application requirements, contact Meyer Sound to obtain additional information on array design.

CQ-1 Array Coverage and Maximum SPL Chart

Number of Horizontal

2 @ 50°

2 @ 70°

3 @ 50°

3 @ 70°

4 @ 50°

4 @ 70°

CQ units @ Angle

Coverage

Max Peak

Coverage

Max Peak

Coverage

Max Peak

Coverage

Max Peak

Coverage

Max Peak

Coverage

Max Peak

Coverage

Max Peak

dB SPL

Number of Vertical

Rows of CQ @ Angle

80°

40°

136

100°

40°

140

150°

40°

139

170°

40°

140

220°

40°

138

220°

40°

141

300°

40°

139

2 @ 0° (LT)

80°

20°

142

100°

20°

146

150°

20°

145

170°

20°

146

220°

20°

144

220°

20°

147

300°

20°

145

2 @ 15°

80°

45°

140

100°

45°

144

150°

45°

143

170°

45°

144

220°

45°

142

220°

45°

145

300°

45°

143

2 @ 30°

80°

60°

139

100°

60°

143

150°

60°

142

170°

60°

143

220°

60°

141

220°

60°

144

300°

60°

142

2 @ 40°

80°

138

100°

80°

142

150°

80°

141

170°

80°

142

220°

80°

140

220°

80°

143

300°

80°

141

CQ-2 Array Coverage and Maximum SPL Chart

Number of Horizontal

2 @ 30°

2 @ 40°

3 @ 30°

3 @ 40°

4 @ 30°

4 @ 40°

CQ units @ Angle

Coverage

Max Peak

Coverage

Max Peak

Coverage

Max Peak

Coverage

Max Peak

Coverage

Max Peak

Coverage

Max Peak

Coverage

Max Peak

dB SPL

Number of Vertical

Rows of CQ @ Angle

50°

40°

139

70°

40°

143

90°

40°

142

100°

40°

144

130°

40°

144

130°

40°

145

170°

40°

144

2 @ 0° (LT)

50°

20°

145

70°

20°

149

90°

20°

148

100°

20°

150

130°

20°

150

130°

20°

151

170°

20°

150

2 @ 15°

50°

45°

143

70°

45°

147

90°

45°

146

100°

45°

148

130°

45°

148

130°

45°

149

170°

45°

148

2 @ 30°

50°

60°

142

70°

60°

146

90°

60°

145

100°

60°

147

130°

60°

147

130°

60°

148

170°

60°

147

2 @ 40°

50°

80°

141

70°

80°

145

90°

80°

144

100°

80°

146

130°

80°

146

130°

80°

147

170°

80°

146