Grills, on or off?

[Wasatch]

Originally Posted by GaryProtein

When a speaker is designed and sold with a removable grille, the designer would have to know that grills "on" or "off" would be an option for the purchaser. If they design the speaker with a grill, it would seem they expect it to be "on" and that it would be acoustically transparent, or else the frequency response of the speaker would be affected, especially for the upper midrange and tweeters. Of course, if the grilles are acoustically transparent, and modern grills are usually very fine, thin material, the question of "on" or "off" becomes one of esthetics. The old days of heavy tweed cloth grills are gone!

Very good point.

[essjay]

Grills off for me 3

[antipop]

Always off for me. I find it looks prettier and I did notice a slight impact on sound.

[Wasatch]

I'm going to listen for awhile without the grills.

[GaryProtein]

Originally Posted by Wasatch

I'm going to listen for awhile without the grills.

Have someone else do the switching for you as you wear a blindfold and not tell you if they are on or off, maybe lying to you sometimes if you ask.

Your eyes will significantly affect what you think you hear.

[Alki]

Originally Posted by GaryProtein

Have someone else do the switching for you as you wear a blindfold and not tell you if they are on or off, maybe lying to you sometimes if you ask.

Your eyes will significantly affect what you think you hear.

+1, great idea. Peoples eyes (and wallets) effect plenty in this hobby. I have been in this hobby for over 30 years and fully understand such things as perception and hearing what you want to hear. I hear people suggest that speaker grills on or off are night and day, that the new version of a component is heads above the past, and that one $30K pre mops the floor with the other $25K pre. Each to his own but I do know what my ears have told me over the years.

[Wasatch]

Originally Posted by GaryProtein

Have someone else do the switching for you as you wear a blindfold and not tell you if they are on or off, maybe lying to you sometimes if you ask.

Your eyes will significantly affect what you think you hear.

What is kinda effecting my hearing, is seeing the grills off. To me, the grills on, makes the background blacker, not knowing where the music is coming from. Sound wise, maybe with them off, kinda leaning towards the speaker/instrument being played more. Need to listen more with them off. Maybe too much focus on the speakers themselves (visually).

[crwilli]

My Grilles are off unless the wife comes down...

[jdandy]

Grill's on....





Grill's off...




. . . . .
.

[Alki]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Grill's on....

Grill's off...

. . . . .
.

Now we're talking. Does a couple cold beers come with that.