How Do You Listen-Grill Covers On Or Off

[Steve williams]

The simple answer should be we should listen with grill covers off. The specs on the cover cloths on my speakers are such that Wilson Audio recommends not taking them off.

I ask this only because my trusted audiophile buddy Marty relates a story wherein he auditioned the new Wilson Sasha this past week while away in Florida. It was a well treated an EQ'd room with great components. Marty said he was nonplussed after which the dealer said, "wait a moment". He then proceeded to remove the cover cloths and Marty said the change was staggering, so much so that he rated this speaker better than the MAXX lll.

I listen to my X-2's both ways and honestly cannot tell a difference, sighted or not.

What do all of you here do?

 

[MylesBAstor]

The simple answer should be we should listen with grill covers off. The specs on the cover cloths on my speakers are such that Wilson Audio recommends not taking them off.

I ask this only because my trusted audiophile buddy Marty relates a story wherein he auditioned the new Wilson Sasha this past week while away in Florida. It was a well treated an EQ'd room with great components. Marty said he was nonplussed after which the dealer said, "wait a moment". He then proceeded to remove the cover cloths and Marty said the change was staggering, so much so that he rated this speaker better than the MAXX lll.

I listen to my X-2's both ways and honestly cannot tell a difference, sighted or not.

What do all of you here do?

Beauty of Martin Logan is that they don't have a grille cloth

Maggies-must remove the sock cloth. But be forewarned, they won't win a Miss High End Audio contest

Watt/Puppies, Alons and Vienna Acoustics-always sounded better to me w/o grillw cloths.

I always thought that Sonus Faber, one other speaker that I could live with quite happily, did what they did to avoid the degrading qualities of grille cloths but offer some protection.

 

[vinylphilemag]

My previous speakers (Spendor SP 1/2Es) had a removable grill, which I always removed. LIke Myles, I run a pair of MartinLogans (Spires), which have no grill.

 

[soundofvoid]

Always off.I use modified Quadral Vulkans MKV and my measurements show that with the grills on i start to loose presence /bite /sparkle right after 4000Hz resulting in a -3db from 15Khz upwards.
At the age of 45 you start to seek a bit more tremble!

 

[Sharp 1080]

Watt Puppy 7's and Sophias. Tried with grills on and off, lights on, lights dimmed down low. I ended up with the grilles on and light dimmed when listening to music.

 

[soundofvoid]

I've also heard that old type light bulbs enhance the listening experience.That orange tinted glow really serves late night listening sessions...

 

[MylesBAstor]

I've also heard that old type light bulbs enhance the listening experience.That orange tinted glow really serves late night listening sessions...

Enid Lumley also said shining a flashlight on the Magnepan panels affected the sound. Now Enid was a pioneer in many areas and was right about a lot of things--but I tried the flashlight experiment and none of us could hear a difference.

 

[es347]

My VSAs were voiced with grills on so that's the way I play em...except for photoshoots, then it's an R rating as the grills come off.

 

[jadis]

Maggies-must remove the sock cloth. But be forewarned, they won't win a Miss High End Audio contest

I had always listened to all my previous speakers without the grill cloth because it sounded better to me that way. Sigh. I cannot imagine removing the sock cloth of my Maggies though I feel it would sound better. I'm not that concerned about the sight of it, but how to put it back in case there is a need to sell it when upgrading. The cloth seems to be locked so tightly to the body and does not look easy to remove.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I have a simple, but very nice pair of Totem Sttaf speakers and they do not come with grilles. I am happy with the way they sound and haven't considered buying the optional grilles for them.

John

 

[audioguy]

Grills on. The Dunlavys were built that way as he designed absorption material into the frame of the grill cloth. Leave it to John Dunlavy!!

(And I'm like OB. I couldn't tell the difference either way)

 

[RBFC]

I listen to my B&W 801Ds with the midrange cover off. The diamond tweeter has a more solid protective "cage" that I leave on. I also cannot hear a difference with the woofer grill on or off.

Lee

 

[alfa100]

I prefer the Sasha with the cover off

 

[treitz3]

With my Tyler Acoustic Lynbrook Signature Series, I always listen with the grill off. With the grills on, it messes with the imaging. That is unacceptable to me.

Tom

 

[BlueFox]

All speakers, two channel or HT, grills off. At the very least, I prefer the appearance with no grills. With the Magico S5s in the two channel system there is an obvious increase in clarity with grills off.

 

[JackD201]

I listen with my speakers wide apart with only a little toe in. The grill frames get in the way. Grills off for me.

 

[Garth]

Martin Logans so grilles on

 

[Audio_Karma]

My Bose 901 series 6 mk2's sound best with the grills ON.

I know what your thinking, what the hell are doing with a pair of Bose speakers?

These 901's don't sound good at all without some tweaks done to them...
They sound pretty d$mn good after you put four coats of wood stain on the front side of the speaker cones..you also put stain on the plastic dust covers too and one coat of stain on the backside of the cones and you also put stain on the voice coil wires back there too. Putting the wood stain on the voice coil wires cuts down the distortion a lot BUT it does take over a year to loosen up those voice coil wires though...

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

Grills are for cooking!

 

[cpp]

Ya need another choice : I listen Both ways