• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Speaker Grill Cloth

nadude98

nadude98

7MGTE Power!
I need to replace the grill cloth on a few speakers I have. I was looking at the cloth that Orange County Speaker has and just wondered if anyone has experience with it.
On the web page it says that it's basically the same cloth that AR, JBL and some other companies used. I am redoing AR9LS's, ADS L810's, Thiel 04a's and B&W DM330's.
There are no reviews on their website so I was wondering if anyone here has used their speaker cloth. They have the AR brown and the others I will be keeping original black. The ADS and Thiel's look like the exact same cloth as the except for the color so if they have the same cloth that AR used I should be fine.... Just don't know if the quality is what they say it is.

???:smoke:
 
Register to hide this ad
Haven't had any experience with Orange County Speakers, so I cant help you there.

I did go into a fabrick store here locally and found some very sheer material that i thought would work great as grill cloth. I would try any of the Hancock Fabrics, JoeAnns, etc. They just might have what you are looking for, and cost you a lot less.

Just my $.02
 
Thanks,
I went into Joanne Fabrics here and saw what they had, did not like it! Very flimsy and didn't resemble the original at all! I appreciate the heads up though. I am sure it would make good speaker cloth but I want the speakers to look as original as possible.... personally I like to keep vintage stuff vintage....:yes:
 
FWIW - I went to JoAnne's a while back and they had a huge roll of black speaker grill fabric (might have had brown, too). I believe it's something that they carry in all of their stores. The big quality issue is usually with the white linen fabric for classic AR speakers which varies widely in thread count, weave and acoustic transparency.

*EDIT* I see you've already taken the Joanne's route. Sorry I was slow in typing this, but the picture at the bottom of Boonaroo's post was just crackin' me up and I was staring at it for while. Is that from "Citizen Kane" or something?
 
Last edited:
I just split a five yard order of 36" wide material from Acoustical Solutions with a member of another forum for our Bozak Symphony speakers. They carry the complete line of Acoustone speaker grill cloth and will send you a free sample of all their material and a dvd with it (very promptly too). I can tell you that this material is extremely high-quality, sound transparent material and expensive (it cost me $80 to do my speakers)...the kind of material that I am certain I will never have to replace again.
 
nadude98 said:
I need to replace the grill cloth on a few speakers I have. I was looking at the cloth that Orange County Speaker has and just wondered if anyone has experience with it.
On the web page it says that it's basically the same cloth that AR, JBL and some other companies used. I am redoing AR9LS's, ADS L810's, Thiel 04a's and B&W DM330's.
There are no reviews on their website so I was wondering if anyone here has used their speaker cloth. They have the AR brown and the others I will be keeping original black. The ADS and Thiel's look like the exact same cloth as the except for the color so if they have the same cloth that AR used I should be fine.... Just don't know if the quality is what they say it is.

???:smoke:
Click to expand...

I don't know anything about Orange County Speaker, but I do recommend that you buy something that is designed to be speaker grill cloth to be sure that it does not block the sound more than you might expect. If you are lucky (or know what you are doing), you can go to a fabric store and buy something not intended for grill cloth, but if you make a mistake, you will not be getting something that is "acoustically transparent".
 
acoustimac.com
the colors are fantastically brilliant and the quality of the cloth is very high. 100% recommended and cheap too.
 
Last edited:
I got JoAnn's designated "speaker cloth" and found it to be perfect. I don't think anyone would consider it to be flimsy or too light, so it is possible that they are not consistent with their stock. This was true speaker cloth with a heavy, draping quality to it, not at all like their other fabrics. My only concern was that, when holding it up to the light, the clear openings were not as large as the cloth on my CS3.5s. Thiel will re-cloth your grills for $80 including return shipping. I'm still on the fence as to whether to go that route, I'll see how reclothing my other 50 speakers goes first...
 
I'll show off the Bozak's with the before and after photos...worth the hours of work (about 5 hours per speaker) :yes:!
 

Attachments

  • before right2.jpg
    before right2.jpg
    87.3 KB · Views: 104
  • after right.jpg
    after right.jpg
    81.7 KB · Views: 114
I've used both brown and black grillcloth from Orange County Speaker and I prefer it over Part Express grillcloth but both are very close. My last two orders have been with Orange County if that says anything. I've got the sample chart from Acoustical Solutions and they have a good cloth selection but it really depends on what you need.
 
Thanks for sharing all that experience....so many places so much cloth. It's find out others experience with the quality of grill cloth as not all places provide a sample. I had already read a review on Parts Express website that informed me about the black cloth not really being black, that was useful info!
 
If you are just wanting a black cloth like whats on most of the new speakers . I've used with VG results what the fabric store lady called swim suit liner . It will stretch tight and looks like what came on the JBL 2800's I just finished .

Used contact cement and clothes pins when placing on frame . Then cut with a razor blade .

Around $6.00 a yard BTW .....

Barney
 
Large Advents?

Not to hijack the thread, but does anyone have a suggestion on removing a light water stain from the beige loose-weave material on a 1971 Advent Loudspeaker or know what replacement material to buy? Thanks
 
Last edited:
I too am not trying to hijack but am looking to replace the loose weave fabric used on the smaller Advents as mine have been stained by years of fireplace smoke and soot. I checked the previous listed sites in this thread but nothing that looks like the same material. I also checked a local recone shop, that's been around since the 50's, and they've reconed hundreds of Advents but no replacement grill cloth... help?!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom