[Steve Rothermel]

Loudspeakers - How about those grills? This poll is to gauge the need for a loudspeaker grill, whether it is for aesthetics or genuine physical protection.

Respond with a comment if you have other thoughts on loudspeaker grills.

[Lost81]

I bring my lap top around the apartment a lot.
And when I unplug the power supply and walk around, the plug ends sometimes swing around--especially when I am in a hurry and don't coil the entire mess neatly in my hands. They could easily take out a driver.
So the grills stay on.


-Lost81

[rbrb]

Blow on your hand from just a few inches away and then while still blowing lift up your speaker grill and put in between your mouth and your hand.

Now answer whether you need your speaker grills on or not.

[Robert C. Schult]

Blow on your hand from just a few inches away and then while still blowing lift up your speaker grill and put in between your mouth and your hand.

Now answer whether you need your speaker grills on or not.

Okay, I don't get it. How in the hell do you get your head between the grill and speaker!? What I finally did was cut the back off my speakers and removed the two mid woofers and the tweeter. Stuck my head in the cabinet and blew through the driver holes with the grills on the front of the cabinet. I blew as hard as I could...felt nothing with my hand in front the speaker. So, I say nic's the grills. It's gotta affect the sound. I use (used...they're freakin' ruined now.) JM Labs Mini Utopias.

[MaxCast]

I have a 2 & 4 year old pair of boys....I leave my grills on.
I take them off when I listen on weekends and they are asleep.

[Marbles]

It depends...if it is in the "living" areas of the house, the grills stay on.  If it is in MY ref system, no grills.

So make grills on option with an up charge if they need them........

[Taz13]

I like my drivers and how they look so I never put grills on anything I make, but I do put in metal slugs if anyone wants a grill down the line. They just need magnets in the grill frame.

[nathanm]

Early on I thought I would eliminate the desire to destroy Dad's expensive speakers by giving my kids a pair of old bookshelf speakers so that they could enjoy the excitement and wonder which comes from poking in tweeters and woofer dustcaps.  They would spend at least 4 hours a day doing that.  I had a wooden dowel inserted through the rear of the speaker so they could easily "reset" the convexity of the drivers.

Now that they are grown up and about to enter high school I asked them if it might be time to leave the speakers behind and find a new hobby.  They refused, clutched their heavily worn drivers tightly and ran off screaming, "You don't love me anymore!"

[gonefishin]

Re: Poll - Do you need a loudspeaker grill?quote]



    No.  I use a Gas if I'm pressed for time...but if I've got enough time I "do it right" and use my Weber.  It not only makes for better flavors but it's a heck of alot easier regulating the temperature on a Weber than it is on a gas grill...especially if the winds blowing.  Of course, it does take some time to get accustomed to adjusted/maintaining the temperature on a charcoal grill.
 
   I suppose it would be nice to have a grill that doubled as a loudspeaker...you'd have music on demand...but I just don't think it would be practical.

   

  Now, Do I think grills are needed on loudspeakers?

  it depends if you have kids...and if the grill was designed to stay on the speaker or not...which some are.  I would say if you have kids...leave'em on...if the speaker was designed to have the grills as permanent fixtures...then leave them on.  Otherwise...it's up to you  

[Marbles]

'Fish, Steve is designing a speaker for commercial purposes using "Rothboard" and other exotic materials  

I'm sure that is why he is polling us now.

[nathanm]

If grilles are desired I say don't use the ball\socket doodads - they really cheapen the appearance of the front when the grilles aren't in place.  Embedded magents - much sleeker.  Plus you can show off to friends how they "magically" stick to the speaker without a visually apparent means.  oooh ahhh!

[gonefishin]

'Fish, Steve is designing a speaker for commercial purposes using "Rothboard" and other exotic materials  

I'm sure that is why he is polling us now.

   well, I've never cooked with Rothboard before...but I'm willing to give it a try

   


  I really think it is nice to have protection, if it's needed.  If you have children...or children visiting your house...it's nice to have the extra protection.  But if kids or animals aren't a concern...take the grills off and let the speaker show it's beauty.

[ohenry]

I like my drivers and how they look so I never put grills on anything I make, but I do put in metal slugs if anyone wants a grill down the line. They just need magnets in the grill frame.

I'm sure that the most anal among us would sneer at the thought of grill magnets that may somehow undermine the speaker's own "magnetic aura".  

[Steve Rothermel]

Re: Poll - Do you need a loudspeaker grill?quote]



    No.  I use a Gas if I'm pressed for time...but if I've got enough time I "do it right" and use my Weber.  It not only makes for better flavors but it's a heck of alot easier regulating the temperature on a Weber than it is on a gas grill...especially if the winds blowing.  Of course, it does take some time to get accustomed to adjusted/maintaining the temperature on a charcoal grill.
 
   I suppose it would be nice to ha ...

I knew that was coming...it's kinda' like smoked turkey - I love it but it's tough to keep lit.