Planar Array VS Plane Array™

What are the differences?

A planar array is a flat radiator - a flat acoustic generator. In most instances a planar array is constructed using many acoustic sources which act in unison as a single, flat, radiating planar surface. Most premium line array manufacturers use a Planar (or essentially Planar) wave guide attached to high frequency drivers in order to create a cylindrical (or one-dimensional linear) wavefront by using multiple drivers with a flat (or narrow) dispersion.A planar array may also use spherical or half-spherical radiating transducers and create a flat propagating wavefront by creating a combined radiating surface that is sufficiently longer than the wavelength being produced. A PlaneArray takes a completely different approach, using inherently spherical or half-spherical propagating transducers to create an inherently spherical or half-spherical wavefront. The purpose of a Plane Array is to generate ana coustic front that is of high magnitude (high SPL) and high coherence, with both wide and narrow dispersions.

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1. Planar Arrays feature high directivity (narrow beam) acoustical properties. A Plane Array features acoustic wavefronts with both wide and narrow acoustical properties.
2. Planar Arrays can be manipulated to create broader beam dispersions through the use of amplitude shading, FIR filters or low pass filtering - however such manipulations defeat the definition of a planar array. With such manipulations the acoustic wavefront is no longer operating at sufficient length relative to the wavelength, and for some frequencies potentially only a single driver in the array is operating. Under such conditions the planar array is forced to act with nonplanar characteristics. As a result, power summation is severely limited. By comparison, a Plane Array features proprietary and patented algorithms that allow for full bandwidth manipulation of the acoustic wavefront for every acoustic source, with full bandwidth power available all the time. Such a unique algorithm is capable of producing coherent summation over all useful audio frequencies, creating coherent summation even at high frequencies. As such, a Plane Array is capable of achieving concert level SPL across the entire audio bandwidth, regardless of narrow or wide beam dispersions. A Plane Array does not use low pass filtering, does not use amplitude shading and does not use FIR filters to create broader or narrower beams of sound.
3. A Planar array is only capable of full bandwidth constructive summation for a narrow beam. A Plane Array is capable of full bandwidth constructive summation for all beam angles in both the near and far field.
4. A Planar array lacks 3-Dimensional control, with control limited to linear pan/tilt controls or simple beam dispersion (limited to act as a conventional acoustic source for wide dispersions or as a planar array for narrow dispersions). A Plane Array has the unique ability to apply patented algorithms that allow for complex three-dimensional acoustic wavefront control, with complex non symmetrical shapes, shadings, slopes and skews available.

Summary

EDC Acoustics Plane Array^TM)technology is uniquely different to planar array technology, and should not be confused.

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