My thoughts are this: Speaker manufacturers design the grills for two reasons, aesthetics and protection. I place protection as my foremost consideration. I suspect that many (if not most) of this forum's members are in their 40's, 50's or 60's, and so are not likely to have young kids running about anymore, except for grandchildren. But in my world, shit DOES happen. I can think of two occasions when the grills have saved me from myself. For example: I was vacuuming one day and was changing the bag on my upright when the handle came down. I tried to catch it, but I was too late. The handle hit the grill right where the 12" driver is located on my JBL L150A. It would surely have punched a hole through the cone had the grill not been in place. I am anything but cavalier when it comes to safe guarding my equipment. Most of us own equipment that hasn't been in production in decades. The exceptional quality of that equipment can't be overstated and finding used replacements is becoming increasingly difficult, if not impossible. I would no more leave the grills off my speaker cabinets to gaze upon the speakers than I would prop open my refrigerator door to gaze upon the contents. I apologize if I sound preachy and trust I haven't hurt anyone's feelings. But this thread posed the question and well, there you go.