[SpruceTop]

POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH A LINE ARRAY SYSTEM: Something to be aware of is that "full-range" line-array systems have the woofer on the floor, which is great for most venue situations, but isn't so great when you have a packed house with an audience right on top of you, e.g., a St. Patrick's Day bar gig. Yes, of course, we all know about bass-coupling with a floor surface that increases bass response, and that bass frequencies are more omnidirectional than mid- and high-frequencies. However, with a wall of people a few feet away, something to be aware of is that with a bass speaker on the floor the crowd can both absorb bass- and lower-mid-range frequencies and reflect them back at the performer. Absorption of bass frequencies firing into the legs of the crowd reduces bass content for audience members farther away from the system. Reflection back at the performer of bass and lower mid-range frequencies can cause feedback as these reflected-back frequencies can both hit the performer's guitar and enter the vocal mic.

I've blown a 12-inch bass driver in a 3-way ElectroVoice stand-mounted speaker during a St. Patrick's Day gig. The speaker would howl with feedback whenever the close-in crowd would shift a bit one way or the other. This, mind you, with the speaker elevated to ear level, and the system turned-up quite loud to overcome the ambient noise level of the celebrants. With a line-array system, not only is there bass-frequency content being absorbed and reflected back but with the column of mid- and high-frequency drivers also firing into the bodies of the crowd, the potential, especially, for feedback may be increased with a line-array compared to a pole-mounted speaker system.

Speaker Systems I've owned,

1976 to 1984 (that I remember):
Peavey 2-way PA passive (pair)
Peavey 3-way PA passive (pair)
Whirlwind Lens Two-way passive (pair)
Bose 802 Panaray System (seven speakers)
ElectroVoice 3-way passive (pair)
JBL Cabaret passive (pair)

2006 to present:
Mackie SRM450 Active (pair)
Fishman SoloAmp
QSC K-10 Active (pair)
Bose L1 Compact
Bose L1 Model II with ToneMatch and two B1 Bass Modules
Line 6 L2t Active (one)

Bolded-in speakers are the best-sounding YMMV.