Why so few high end line arrays?

I agree with those micro dynamics at low SPL's. Line arrays tend to sound louder than the volume knob would seem to show. Maybe it's all those speakers (duh)?

I think the one design issue with line arrays is the number of speakers themselves. They do sound good even with low quality drivers. But to get the true best out of them you need better drivers, and that gets expensive. Most of the ones I've heard have been the former, and that could account for my bias against their soundstaging size.

If you ever look at the frequency response of line arrays, you will see what looks like a comb. Each driver interferes with the others at a regular interval throughout the frequency range. I do love how quick they are, however.

09-11-09: Tbg
If you ever look at the frequency response of line arrays, you will see what looks like a comb. Each driver interferes with the others at a regular interval throughout the frequency range.

Selah Audio Alexandrite - on-access Freq Response(200hz-20K), on-access Freq Response(10-200hz)

Selah Audio Symmetrica - on-access Freq Response(200hz-20K), on-access Freq Response(10-200hz)

You think a signal sweep disproves what I said?

Tbg,

This is audiogon. Laws of physics are very often suspended here. Our favorite products do everything perfectly with no drawbacks or compromises to our favored designs. ;-)

For those with line arrays, this explanation is one of the simplest I have seen:
A good graphical explanation about lobing or "comb filtering" - which are the same thing. It shows snapshots at different frequencies but if you imagine how it will sound at a particular listening position across all frequencies then you will realize that you progressively get multiple nulls as you go higher in frequency.