Remove cloth speaker cover?

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FMX

Gawd
Joined
Dec 31, 2006
Messages
573
I notice most people remove this... it certainly looks better off... but why do manufacturers even bother putting them on and what am I losing by taking them off?

Thanks.
 
The sound signature changes with the grills on and off.

Particularly in the highs. They will possibly sound more harsh with the grills off, but it really depends on the individual speaker.

As to whether they look better on or off, I would say that depends on the individual speaker as well.
 
A: Tweeter domes are rather delicate, and having covers on keeps the curious from inevitably poking one.

B: They keep dust off the speaker cones so you can usually just vacuum/dust the covers without fear of damaging the speakers.

C: While most speaker cloth and grills are supposed to be "acoustically transparent" in practice they do tone down some of the very high frequencies a bit and alter the tweeter's dispersion, so some people prefer the sound with/without covers more.
 
FMX said:
I notice most people remove this... it certainly looks better off... but why do manufacturers even bother putting them on and what am I losing by taking them off?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

The main reason for their inclusion, other than protection (as people noted, speakers are more fragile than mos people know) is that you are in the minority: Most people don't like the look of exposed speakers. They want something that is more understated and less noticeable, hence the grilles.

For this reason you find that high end studio speakers generally dispense with the grilles, they aren't an option since they are not needed. The figure in a studio you will keep your mitts of the speakers and some exposed speaker cones will be the very least of the eye sores in there.

Personally I leave my grilles on because of the damage issue. I didn't in the past and then, one night going to the bathroom and bashed a finger in to a tweeter. Cost me like $50 to get a replacement tweeter dome (just the dome not the whole tweeter). Decided I'd leave them on after that :).
 
I have a problem with the whole speaker cover thing. I own Cerwin Vega! speakers, they're so pretty without them but sound better with them.
 
Sycraft said:
The main reason for their inclusion, other than protection (as people noted, speakers are more fragile than mos people know) is that you are in the minority: Most people don't like the look of exposed speakers. They want something that is more understated and less noticeable, hence the grilles.
Click to expand...

I suppose it is all relative then. Judging from the pics thread in this forum, most have their speakers exposed. I personally like the look a whole lot better.
 
FMX said:
I suppose it is all relative then. Judging from the pics thread in this forum, most have their speakers exposed. I personally like the look a whole lot better.
Click to expand...

Please remember we here on Hardforum are hardly "normal" when it comes to gear. We are... Well... [H]ard :D. I'm talking your average non-techie, non-gearhead who is putting a HT system in the living room and also has to keep his wife happy. For them, the order of the day is almost always understated. Hence, the grilles. In fact you'll find cheap speakers tend to have non-removable grilles. Costs more to make them removable and in the choice between having or not they choose having because that's what most want.
 
My home has higher than normal dust levels, I keep the grills on as it protects and stops dust from entering the speaker ports/resting on horns. I have my speakers for years, and there isn't even a speck of dust inside.

I originally liked the look of my speakers without the grilles, but then the grills grew on me... I like the look w/ the grilles much more now.

Children are curious beings and enjoy causing a path of destruction. Speakers are usually a victim of kids, the grilles help protect your beautiful drivers from being squashed.
 
I think my speakers look much better with the grilles off, so I don't use em :)
 
Definitely a personal preference. But looking at the responses here, the preferences of [H]ard-Lifers tend to be 180 degrees from the general public.

On the AVS Forum and many other audio forums, the WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) is mentioned a lot and hence the option of uncovered drivers is not there at all, and even the "finish" of the enclosure, and the "shape" and "size" need "approval" about how they "fit into the existing decor" before purchase... ;)
Unfortunately this factor is also why BOSE minicube speakers are so popular. :(

Oh, BTW, I keep the grills on all my speakers because I think they look better that way.
 
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