what are speaker grilles really for?

[razak & william]

Please forgive me if what I am about to ask seems like a silly question,
but I have to know what speaker grilles are really for? They can't be
for protection because the soft fabric that is normally used for speaker
grillles wouldn't be very effective in buffering any impact. They can't
be for keeping out the dust and mositure because the fabric is porous
enough to filter tea leaves. So what are speaker grilles for, and why
are they made the way they are usually made, out of soft fabric and
flimsy frames?

Once I have set up my speakers, is it advisable to remove the grilles
and put them away permanently? I think plastic bubble wrap cut and sewn
to completely cover the speaker's cabinet, when not in use, is more
effective in keeping out dust and other potentially damaging stuff,
isn't it?

Thanks for your time.

--
"The first duty in life is to assume a pose. What the second duty is, no
one has yet found out." -- Oscar Wilde

[Kalman Rubinson]

On 8 Sep 2003 16:06:12 GMT, razak & william >
wrote:

>Please forgive me if what I am about to ask seems like a silly question,
>but I have to know what speaker grilles are really for? They can't be
>for protection because the soft fabric that is normally used for speaker
>grillles wouldn't be very effective in buffering any impact. They can't
>be for keeping out the dust and mositure because the fabric is porous
>enough to filter tea leaves. So what are speaker grilles for, ......

Appearance and to deter the poking fingers of the curious. Otherwise,
unnecessary.

>......and why
>are they made the way they are usually made, out of soft fabric and
>flimsy frames?

To get out of the way of the sound as much as possible.

Kal

[Joseph Oberlander]

razak & william wrote:
> Please forgive me if what I am about to ask seems like a silly question,
> but I have to know what speaker grilles are really for? They can't be
> for protection because the soft fabric that is normally used for speaker
> grillles wouldn't be very effective in buffering any impact. They can't
> be for keeping out the dust and mositure because the fabric is porous
> enough to filter tea leaves. So what are speaker grilles for, and why
> are they made the way they are usually made, out of soft fabric and
> flimsy frames?

1: Looks
2: Keep little fingers off the drivers
3: Dust(they do filter out about half of it)

[Nousaine]

razak & william wrote:



>
>Please forgive me if what I am about to ask seems like a silly question,
>but I have to know what speaker grilles are really for? They can't be
>for protection because the soft fabric that is normally used for speaker
>grillles wouldn't be very effective in buffering any impact. They can't
>be for keeping out the dust and mositure because the fabric is porous
>enough to filter tea leaves. So what are speaker grilles for, and why
>are they made the way they are usually made, out of soft fabric and
>flimsy frames?
>
>Once I have set up my speakers, is it advisable to remove the grilles
>and put them away permanently? I think plastic bubble wrap cut and sewn
>to completely cover the speaker's cabinet, when not in use, is more
>effective in keeping out dust and other potentially damaging stuff,
>isn't it?
>
>Thanks for your time.

As other posters have observed the primary functions of a grille are to 1) look
good 2) keep that tweeter 'nipple' away from inquisitive findgers and 3) 'get
out of the acoustic way.'

As to whether you should remove then poses a more complicated question. I
currently use speaker where the grille is an integral part of making the
speaker work as intended. There are some models where the grille is
acoustically transparent. OTOH there are some which work better with the grille
removed (IOW it's not acoustically transparent and/or not integrated into the
design.)

Go both ways. See what you think about the sound quality either way and take
the high-road. Don't be afraid to 'hear' that the grille does not make an
authentic acoustic difference.

[---MIKE---]

I seem to recall some speakers (ADS?) that had grills made of perforated
metal. Some small Radio Shack speakers also had this feature. I'm sure
that the grill was a part of the response of the speaker.


-MIKE

[Richard D Pierce]

In article >,
---MIKE--- > wrote:
>I seem to recall some speakers (ADS?) that had grills made of perforated
>metal. Some small Radio Shack speakers also had this feature. I'm sure
>that the grill was a part of the response of the speaker.

INdeed, but saying that the grill "was part of the response,",
i.e., that the grill had an influence on the response of the
speaker, and that the speaker was designed to include the
response of the grill are two very different things. The former
is always the case, the latter is not, nor is the latter
necessarily important.

--
| Dick Pierce |
| Professional Audio Development |
| 1-781/826-4953 Voice and FAX |
| |

[Nousaine]

(---MIKE---) wrote:



>I seem to recall some speakers (ADS?) that had grills made of perforated
>metal. Some small Radio Shack speakers also had this feature. I'm sure
>that the grill was a part of the response of the speaker.
>
>
> -MIKE

Ah; the Radio Shack Minimum 7 (aka Mighty Mouse 7) had a perforated metal
grille. Although I owned and used several pair over the years (especially for
portable use and special projects) I never actually removed the grilles and
re-measured the speaker.

OTOH modern car co-axial, component and woofers often have perforated metal
which are acoustically transparent; in that they have virtually no effect on
response.

[Dean - ae]

Think that people in SARS infected areas do not use speaker grilles today.
Difference is audible both subjectively and objectively. Do not wash your
brain with questions like "what it is for?". Just take it off and forget it.
But ask your Lady first. :)

Best
Dean

www.audioepilog.com

"razak & william" > wrote in message
...
> Please forgive me if what I am about to ask seems like a silly question,
> but I have to know what speaker grilles are really for? They can't be
> for protection because the soft fabric that is normally used for speaker
> grillles wouldn't be very effective in buffering any impact. They can't
> be for keeping out the dust and mositure because the fabric is porous
> enough to filter tea leaves. So what are speaker grilles for, and why
> are they made the way they are usually made, out of soft fabric and
> flimsy frames?
>
> Once I have set up my speakers, is it advisable to remove the grilles
> and put them away permanently? I think plastic bubble wrap cut and sewn
> to completely cover the speaker's cabinet, when not in use, is more
> effective in keeping out dust and other potentially damaging stuff,
> isn't it?
>
> Thanks for your time.
>
> --
> "The first duty in life is to assume a pose. What the second duty is, no
> one has yet found out." -- Oscar Wilde
>

[Bruce Abrams]

"Kalman Rubinson" > wrote in message
news:ST47b.396981$uu5.73518@sccrnsc04...
> On 8 Sep 2003 16:06:12 GMT, razak & william >
> wrote:
>
> >Please forgive me if what I am about to ask seems like a silly question,
> >but I have to know what speaker grilles are really for? They can't be
> >for protection because the soft fabric that is normally used for speaker
> >grillles wouldn't be very effective in buffering any impact. They can't
> >be for keeping out the dust and mositure because the fabric is porous
> >enough to filter tea leaves. So what are speaker grilles for, ......
>
> Appearance and to deter the poking fingers of the curious. Otherwise,
> unnecessary.

Not so fast. There are a number of loudspeakers, Paradigm Reference
speakers among them, where the frame of the grill actually forms part of the
front baffle thus having a significant effect on the dispersal and radiation
of sound. My speakers (Paradigm Studio 100s) sound significantly better
with the grills on.

[Kalman Rubinson]

On 9 Sep 2003 17:34:42 GMT, Bruce Abrams > wrote:

>"Kalman Rubinson" > wrote in message
>news:ST47b.396981$uu5.73518@sccrnsc04...

>> Appearance and to deter the poking fingers of the curious. Otherwise,
>> unnecessary.
>
>Not so fast. There are a number of loudspeakers, Paradigm Reference
>speakers among them, where the frame of the grill actually forms part of the
>front baffle thus having a significant effect on the dispersal and radiation
>of sound. My speakers (Paradigm Studio 100s) sound significantly better
>with the grills on.

That's not the reason they're there. The reasons are as above but, in
order that they do not compromise the sound, Paradigm (and many
others) design them to work as if they were performing the work of
correctly-designed front edges. Surely, the same dispersion can be
effected without a grille but, of course, without the protection it
affords. Simply responsible engineering.

Kal

[Bruce Abrams]

"Kalman Rubinson" > wrote in message
news:4Po7b.295650$cF.91455@rwcrnsc53...
> On 9 Sep 2003 17:34:42 GMT, Bruce Abrams > wrote:
>
> >"Kalman Rubinson" > wrote in message
> >news:ST47b.396981$uu5.73518@sccrnsc04...
>
> >> Appearance and to deter the poking fingers of the curious. Otherwise,
> >> unnecessary.
> >
> >Not so fast. There are a number of loudspeakers, Paradigm Reference
> >speakers among them, where the frame of the grill actually forms part of
the
> >front baffle thus having a significant effect on the dispersal and
radiation
> >of sound. My speakers (Paradigm Studio 100s) sound significantly better
> >with the grills on.
>
> That's not the reason they're there. The reasons are as above but, in
> order that they do not compromise the sound, Paradigm (and many
> others) design them to work as if they were performing the work of
> correctly-designed front edges. Surely, the same dispersion can be
> effected without a grille but, of course, without the protection it
> affords. Simply responsible engineering.
>
You're correct in the reason behind having a grill in the first place, but
the original poster was also asking whether it was advisable to remove the
grilles and put them away. In the case of speakers with grille frames that
function as part of the front baffle, that would be highly inadvisable.

[Kalman Rubinson]

On 9 Sep 2003 22:05:40 GMT, Bruce Abrams > wrote:

>You're correct in the reason behind having a grill in the first place, but
>the original poster was also asking whether it was advisable to remove the
>grilles and put them away. In the case of speakers with grille frames that
>function as part of the front baffle, that would be highly inadvisable.

Fully agreed. The poster asked a general question about grilles (and,
iirc, did not mention which speakers he had). Discussion is an
appropriate response as a specific answer is impossible without more
information.

Kal

[Scott Drysdale]

On 8 Sep 2003 16:06:12 GMT, razak & william >
wrote:

>Please forgive me if what I am about to ask seems like a silly question,
>but I have to know what speaker grilles are really for?

speaker grilles are provided so you cat has something expensive to
destroy.

i'm using snell type D's right now (a narrow, tall floorstanding box
speaker) and the cat finds the grilles moderately interesting. the
cat REALLY likes the folded up magnepan tympani I-D's in the corner.

any tips for keeping kitty from doing the claw-sharpening thing on
speaker grilles? this of course means not smearing them with
something that tastes/smells evil.
--
// scott drysdale //
// amigas and panheads and guns, oh my!

[Kalman Rubinson]

On Wed, 10 Sep 2003 16:42:11 GMT, (Scott
Drysdale) wrote:

>any tips for keeping kitty from doing the claw-sharpening thing on
>speaker grilles? this of course means not smearing them with
>something that tastes/smells evil.

Try a metal grille with a few hundred volts between it and a foil pad
on the floor.

Kal

[---MIKE---]

My two cats have never sharpened their claws on my speaker grills. I
provide good scratching posts (sisal covered) and several catnip laced
horizontal pads.


-MIKE

[All Ears]

"Scott Drysdale" > wrote in message
news:lvI7b.406312$YN5.274350@sccrnsc01...
> On 8 Sep 2003 16:06:12 GMT, razak & william >
> wrote:
>
> >Please forgive me if what I am about to ask seems like a silly question,
> >but I have to know what speaker grilles are really for?
>
> speaker grilles are provided so you cat has something expensive to
> destroy.
>
> i'm using snell type D's right now (a narrow, tall floorstanding box
> speaker) and the cat finds the grilles moderately interesting. the
> cat REALLY likes the folded up magnepan tympani I-D's in the corner.
>
> any tips for keeping kitty from doing the claw-sharpening thing on
> speaker grilles? this of course means not smearing them with
> something that tastes/smells evil.

I had the same problem. Just play some music at very low level, just enough
for the tweeter to say some interesting small sounds, be ready with the
volume, as soon as the cat touches the speaker, crank up the volume. One
dose of this medicine cured my cat from interest in the speakers again. I
guess a microphone could be used as well, small interesting sounds to start
with, and roar like a lion at the right time... :)

KE

> --
> // scott drysdale //
> // amigas and panheads and guns, oh my!
>

[UnionPac2001]

>>speaker grilles are provided so you cat has something expensive to
>>destroy.

Actually, they give the cat something relatively INexpensive to destroy,
compared to the price of the speakers themselves! ;)

Jeff