Speaker Grills on or off?

[Lavane]

Grills on except for one pair that never had any. My wife has a couple cats, so grills stay on. They don't seem to bother the grills, but one cat loves chewing on soft rubber or silicone covered cords. So they must stay on.

 

[quiet]

I leave them on. I don't care to look at the drivers and leaving them open is only a matter of time before damage comes around. Some sound different some don't.

 

[Shrugg]

My DCM TF600’s are covered at all times, due to the fact that the “grille” is really just fabric wrapped around the speaker and stiched together at the back, and I don’t like removing pieces of wood and rubber cement just so I can see the drivers . I keep my grills off on all my other speakers, because they often look worse with the grills on, IMHO.

 

[eickmewg]

I prefer to leave the grills on my Polk SRS SDA 2.3's. I find looking at all 20 drivers a distraction. I can't tell the grills make any difference.

 

[goodolpg]

Grilles on.
I have a cat with claws.
Plus I don't really find the speakers attractive with the grilles off and the drivers showing.

 

[Condorsat]

On .. keeps the dust off.

 

[Trekmaster]

When Rocking out they are off!!

 

[twiiii]

Unless the speaker manufacturer tells you to take them, the grills, off in the owners manual, leave them on. You don't know how many B&W and other speakers that have been damaged by people poking or touching fragile tweeter and mid drivers. Can the grills affect the sound, sure, but they shouldn't. If the speaker was designed with any thought then the grills used were included in the design and compromises were considered acceptable. You might not think they are and you might be right. But you have to be prepared to accept the consequences of removing the grills. If I owned better grades of speakers I would think twice about taking the grill off.

 

[Harvestor]

I like Listening with them OFF because I like to monitor their movement especially when the volume is turned up a little.
But I also just like to be able to see the drivers as I sit and listen.
And then I put the covers back on immediately when I'm done listening to protect them from everything.

 

[Silentnet]

Cat destroyed one set of grills.

Took grills off other speakers.

Cat ignored other speakers, never touched them.

Grills are claw magnets. No benefit to looks or sound.

 

[Mystic]

Kids love them with the grills off. Just can't resist those center dust covers.

Neither can very young and even not-so-young children, which is why, during the years I lived w/ (again, very young to youngish) children @ the house, it was, always, dust covers on. After the kids became teen-ish, I dared to remove the dust covers, to no ill effect(s), no fingers poking & denting or otherwise damaging the center caps.

 

[ev13wt]

Both, as the mood, style or company allows.

If there are kids present ...

 

[AlphaEcho35]

My Totem Acoustics Hawks do not come with grilles, so I guess the answer would be...grilles off!

 

[Powertech]

As I designed and built mine, and I didn't design any grills - it's got to be GRILLS OFF

 

[dbxdx5]

Off. If I left them on, they'd be a scratching target for my cat. Bonus: My GF thinks the speakers (Alon II) look better without.

 

[squirrelnest]

I remove the drivers from the speaker boxes and power wash them once a month!

 

[Route 66]

Grills Off, I don't want ANYTHING between me and my music.

 

[musichal]

What grills? Were there speakers in there?
I didn't notice.
Still haven't, my mind wanders.


Scribbled on bathroom wall:

I like grils.
You mean girls.
What about us grils?
​

 

[Wildcat]

I leave them on. I don't care to look at the drivers and leaving them open is only a matter of time before damage comes around. Some sound different some don't.

I'm the same--I'd rather not look at them, and some types of cloth are transparent enough that it makes hardly any difference. One pair I own from the late 70s has a tweeter on the bright side, so the grill helps tame them. (In fact, I once did the old "Yamaha studio trick" and taped tissue over the tweeters.) With some, also, the speakers are voiced with grills in place.

Current status? Can't take the "socks" off of my Vandys. And my next pair can't even be designed for grills (electrostatics).

 

[Marine0811]

Any that came with grills I have on. The 3639 may end up getting some made for them