Hackmaster brings up a good point. When trying to generate high levels of sustained SPL's, one needs to actually consider the dispersion pattern of the speaker into the distance and not just how loud the speaker will play at one meter. In this case, line arrays, large multiple driver MTM ( Mid - Tweeter - Mid ) type designs ( Dunlavy, Montana, Legacy, etc.. ) or horns are what will hold up best. In order to achieve the same type of SPL into the farfield with drivers arrayed in a more conventional 3 or 4 design, you would literally have to push the hell out of the amp and speakers. The further that you backed away from the speakers, the more noticeable this would become. This has to do with how the sound coming out of the multiple drivers "focus" or "blend together". This is not to say that speakers using a more standard design are not capable of playing loud into the distance, only that the designs previously mentioned are more suited to such requirements. Obviously, one would need a good sized room with adequate listening distance to take advantage of such designs, otherwise one with a smaller room and / or closer seated listening position would be better off with a more conventional design. Sean
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