Here’s the deal. We don’t live in a mathematically, theoretically perfect world.

As soon as a physical line array is constructed, array theory is only effective up to a point. A theoretically perfect line array is infinitely long in the vertical dimension, perfectly straight, and consists of small point sources placed very close together. Obviously a real physical line array (especially one that’s only 3 boxes long) doesn’t even come close to approaching this.

At the end of the day, angling the boxes inward would have greatly increased intelligibility and made everyone’s job easier.I found it somewhat inconsistent that the tech seemed to be so bound by the theory of arrays that he couldn’t follow the cardinal rule of thumb: Point the loudspeakers toward the audience.

At the same time, he should have known that three boxes most definitely does not constitute a line source. An array only three feet tall behaves virtually identical to the way a point source would behave.

What’s the point?

I’m not writing this to point fingers or poke fun at a colleague. It’s to demonstrate that theories are the foundational underpinnings of what we do, but they’re not biblical commandments.

We should not blindly follow them; rather, I think it makes a lot more sense to understand the mechanics that make the theory work, and thus be able to use discretion when it comes to appropriate times to “violate” the theory. This scenario had an example from each camp: Array theory solved our subwoofer issue but its misapplication wreaked havoc on the rest of the system.

Note that this is not the same thing as “just doing whatever you want.” Any departures from the predictions of established theories and practices should come from a position of informed intent, not ignorance.

Just because a theory does not always apply, we are not exempt from learning how it works. We won’t know how to effectively break the rules until we understand why they are what they are.