Lets talk Surrounds: Horizontal Line Array for Surrounds?

My surround dilemma: I find monopoles to be too directional(at times) and dipoles to be too diffuse(at times). I like some of the merits of both but both I find to be compromises when reproducing the surround array experienced at the commercial theater. So what about a line array?

A line array is purported to have very uniform vertical dispersion characteristics when oriented vertically.

So my question is: How would this speaker perform as a surround speaker if it were oriented horizontally spanning the seating positions? This should give uniform horizontal SPL dispersion across multiple seating positions.

Has anyone tried this?

How would it work?

What are the drawbacks?



line surround.JPG 55k .JPG file

Thanks, yeah I figured that was the best way. Additional EQ and amplification are not that bad but unfortunately info seems to be pretty scarce on the topic. I really came up nothing on guidelines for setting up surround arrays......


Delay- Do you time align the array as a unit? Time align individuals to respective rows? Do you adjust the time alignment to "slide" or minimize the comb filtering?

EQ- I don't think that EQ would be much use for the comb filtering unless you notch the speakers in the same array causing the interaction issues and boost the other(s) to get FR close to flat?

Anyone have link(s) to some reading on the subject?