Speaker covers/grills.

[bigfish786]

It's not very often that I listen to my speakers with the grills in place, but today they are on, as our godson stayed over on Saturday night, so I put them on to prevent any fingers poking those lovely button shaped cones.

The focals have a V shaped grill, and separate metal grills for the tweeters.

Today ive had the music on for an hour or so. It sounds good, nothing to complain about, but I'm so driven to take them off.. Whether it be esthetics, or sound I dunno. But I'm trying to persist with them on, just for today, as an experiment.

What do you do? Are you a off or an on person, or do you just not care?

 

[CnoEvil]

On, for background listening. Off, for "proper" listening.

In my system, they put a subtle barrier between you and the sound.

 

[Laurens_B]

I usually leave mine off, love to look at that beautiful FST unit while listening. I have to admit that aesthetics play quite an important part for me.

 

[Waxy]

...even so, I recently had to replace a tweeter after my 5-year old daughter somehow managed to squash the dome ( and then further squash it by "mending it" ) *unknw*

 

[matthewpiano]

I keep them on all the time.

 

[Gazzip]

Mine don't even come with any which I am led to believe is to satisfy the far Eastern market where they like their loudspeakers "balls out" so to speak. A shame because I like speaker grilles.

 

[BigH]

ON

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Mine never come off....

 

[steve_1979]

Mine sound the same on or off so they stay on all the time.

 

[iQ Speakers]

Never have them on, I just like looking at the drivers, the speakers just look more interesting. Plus I think most covers are ugly. The new Rega speakers will have a really cleaver metal ring covered with speaker cloth attaches with magnets just to cover the bass driver, very neat!

 

[Infiniteloop]

My Focals have two sets of grills, small magnetically attached wire mesh covers for the tweeters and more substantial ones for the mid/bass drivers.

I leave the mid/bass off all the time (except for during parties!) and I find that the tweeter covers disperse the sound more, and for some reason, sound better in the room they're in.

The Sonus Fabers have slightly stretchy strings covering the whole front of the speaker and I generally leave these off as I think they sound better for it, although they look slightly better with them on.

 

[EvPa]

ADAM ARTist 6: the grills never come off, except for cleaning

Devialet Silver Phantom: well, those don't really have grills per se, except for the spiffy looking thing on the tweeter.

 

[dogg5306]

OFF when I'm listening to music ON when I'm not...

 

[Leeps]

The actual drivers on my GX50's and GXC150 are pretty, but they're so bright that they distract from the TV, so they tend to be kept on. The magnetic grilles do still show the drivers, but just in a more muted fashion.

Aesthetically the grilles on my old Radius R270HD floorstanders were about the smartest looking that I've encountered. They were just round grilles that stuck to the positions of the drivers themselves, so the baffles were left otherwise clear, but also showed off the tweeter and two midrange/bass drivers rather nicely.

I know not everyone likes the sound MA speakers make (I've been a long time fan of them myself), but they're finish is consistently very high indeed.

 

[Andrewjvt]

I used to always have them off but ive recently brought kef r700 and im so worried about dust and damage etc i keep them on.
I took them off the other day and the they do get clearer so to answer your question i have them on for protection but would prefer them off

 

[SteveR750]

Er, have you seen the new ATC metal grille???

OFFF!! I'm with Colin, drive units are a thing to behold, especially when you can see them move from several feet away!

Sadly on when not listening, after all they are designed for a purpose, and that tweeter sits proud of the front baffle. They are held on magnetically, a very weak magnet, so nothing to stop a child, nay a cat dragging them down the front of the cabinets, ripping the nose off the tweeters on their way. Audiophiliacs with young families be warned.

 

[MrWatermelonMan]

Keep the covers on my floorstanders, partly aesthetics and partly to keep my nippers little pokey fingers away.

The covers have never been on the lovely-looking wall mounted MA Bronze BR1's in the kitchen though!

 

[iQ Speakers]

Having said that I remember a painful day when my new Kef IQ5SE arrived put the first one in position returned with the second only to be greeted by my 5 year old looking sheepish say Emily 4 had just poked a nice dent in the shiney tweeter! Dont think it made much differance to the sound they were awful anyway!

 

[wilro15]

Off unless somebody else's kids are coming round

 

[bigfish786]

Jeez, they look so good with the covers off, I even take the little metal grilles off from the tweeters.

The fronts of the speakers are finished in piano black, with brushed aluminium trim. which look fantastic, the appearance definitely adds to the whole experience.

They will remain off till the godson appears again .

focal do make a very good looking speaker.

 

[ID.]

Since having kids, on at all times, although I have two pairs of active speakers with none at all that so far are surviving ok.

 

[LDTM]

The GS20's always have the grilles off, the Dali Lektor kit in the lounge on - baffle is a touch too busy for my tastes.

Of course if someone should bring their little monsters around, the door to the listening room is shut, bolted, welded, and spell-warded.

 

[MattSPL]

My speakers are studio monitors, so have no grilles. My 18months old Daughter has slapped the bass drivers a few times when ive taken my eye off her. I'm worried what fate lies ahead for them, but I'm surprised at how they held up so far.

 

[SteveR750]

My speakers are studio monitors, so have no grilles. My 18months old Daughter has slapped the bass drivers a few times when ive taken my eye off her. I'm worried what fate lies ahead for them, but I'm surprised at how they held up so far.

Matt, I wouldn't worry, they are virtually indestructible, I'm sure.

 

[TrevC]

It must be handy having a grill on your speaker. You can have a toastie while listening!