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grilles on or off the speakers??

As most of you are aware, there are a number of speaker manufacturers that claim a "specially designed" grille for their speakers, that prevent edge diffraction and whatever and do no recommend they be removed.

Since no women were inviting me to the Caribbean, and having nothing better to do, I decided what the heck and put the grilles back on my speakers. I anticipated no effect, but they sounded different. They went on and off several times, and there is clearly an auditory diffence...not necessarily better or worse either way...just different

SO, what do you think, grilles on or off, and are specially designed grilles snake oil or science??

Thanks
rsasso
kurt_tank
1,188 posts
 
To answer your two part question:
1) On, (at least in my case)
2) Science (at least in the case of my speakers).

1) I keep the grills on my speakers, mostly for aesthetic reasons, as I think the speakers look much better with them on. (However, if I felt that they impacted the sound in any way, I would probably remove them.)

2) My speakers, the Eggleston Works Andra II's, have very thin grills, that was specifically designed to have very, very little to no effect on the sound. (The grill fabric is basically a single layer of very thin cloth, and is attached to a very thin metal frame, that attaches magnetically to the face of the speaker.) However, I can easily believe that a thick foam speaker grill could indeed have an affect on the sound. Therefore, I do believe that there is a science to speaker grill design.

My two cents worth anyway.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Almost the same thing with woman, mostly for aesthetic reasons:-)
xti16
1,495 posts
 
On my Dynaudio C1's the soundstage is much better without the grills on but my Mission/Cyrus 782's it didn't seem to make a difference. Personally to me both look better without the grills
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