Tír Na HiFi

I would like to hear opinions on whether you should leave speaker dust grill on or not.Does it effect the quality of the music being played? I have Focal Aria floorstanding speakers and l can’t hear any difference!!

As a general rule I don't think it makes any difference, but some reviews I have read the reviewer recommends the speakers with the grilles off. The only speakers I did with were my beloved Acoustic Energy AE1s, they looked fantastic without the grilles and I 'think' it helped the sound. The speakers I am using now I don't hear a difference and they are actually distracting with the grilles off.

The Acoustic Energy AE1s...


The Quadral Chromium Style 8...

Its entirely down to the speaker and grill. Some grills are unobtrusive but others do affect the sound. I prefer to leave them.off, just to eliminate any doubt and have peace of mind!

I'd be the same as yourself Ivor and always tend to leave them off. Having read some reviews from the likes of Martin Colloms and John Aitkinson, the measurements they take do sometimes show there is a negative impact, usually in the higher frequencies and on things like off axis response, etc.
Personally I think speakers always look better with the grills off anyway! Although the stretched strings on some Sonus Fabers do look the business too..

I know on the Russel K Red 100 speakers the grills are metal, with a type of clover leaf / cruciform hole punched through.

The result is a softer type of sound from the speaker.

The Harbeth P3ESR..... well I never managed to get the grill off. They are on tight and I’m concerned over nicking the veneer in praising them off. I think they are supposed to be played with the grills on anyway.

But the Harbeth grills are fabric, not metal. So do they influence the sound, yeah probably...but not as much as the metal grills in the Red 100’s.

Grills can be handy for keeping little fingers away from delicate cones, changing the presentation of a speaker and perhaps giving a slight softness to the music if desired.

I’ve three sets of speakers on the go and they each exhibit a different approach. The grills on the Celestion 66’s are remarkable. They’re steel and with the perforations at approx 60% of the surface area - are probably better suited to grilling a nice piece of fish. And then there’s the acoustic cloth. Best left off - notwithstanding the generous ope left for the tweeter!

I’ve no choice with the Gales (GS401a) - the wrap around cloth is an integral part of the design. They sound and look great. And finally the Sonus Faber M - as Steve pointed out - the tensioned elastic cord ‘grills’ do “look the business” and being as open as they are, don’t mask. I do take them off occasionally - mainly because the front baffle is so beautifully made.