Questions with Tom: Layered Combiner

[@jonesboss2880]

There should be a video of him explaining what he found out in the king's chamber of the great pyramid!!

[@DanleySound]

We're going to answer this one! Watch our social channels / reels as this one is coming soon.

[@TimpBizkit]

I saw the patent to this. Basically sound projects from a circle about an inch wide (or two inches on some drivers) and the layered combiner equalises path lengths from all parts of this circle on each driver and transmits it to a common exit. The different paths are on different levels separated by metal plates. The shorter path lengths (from the inner edge of the compression driver exits), exit further back in the final exit from the bottom layer. I'm not sure if it's exactly it but I can't find the patent diagrams I found online.

[@eggchen18]

The layered combiner is an absolutely genius way to combine high frequencies coherently and is the invention I'm most impressed with from Tom Danley, well done! Ps. I was hoping he would draw a rough sketch of how to combine more than 2 high frequency drivers (eg. 64)!

[@Acoustic_Theory]

Past attempts at a manifold-type loading of HF compression drivers (EV Manifold Technology systems) have shown a diminishing return in additional output from each driver added to a manifold - it's not 6dB, it's more like 3dB in practice. The reason described by another engineer was that the compression drivers are now driving higher acoustic impedance because they are pressurizing each other and each working against the other driver's ability to produce pressure in the manifold. Does the Layered Combiner avoid this in any way, and how is that achieved without requiring an exit that is so large as to be disadvantageous to dispersion? For instance, we could employ a larger compression driver throat - like, 2-3", but that is known to narrow the dispersion of very high frequencies, or to experience internal cancellation of very high frequency output.

[@yermy5419]

Hello Tom! Could you dedicate a video explaining much more in depth about the differences and why the synergy horn is better than the line array? practically line array vs synergy horn thanks for everything!!