Scanspeak metal grills - opinions

[waltona]

http://www.tymphany.com/scanspeak/accg.php

What do you guys thinks of these? I have a toddler who has started taking an interest in my drive units. Unfortunatley I don't have grills and I don't really want to be adding grill fixing studs to my cabinets.

Are these grills going to severely affect sound from the mid/woofer? I know that tweeters are more easily damaged but I'm thinking that protecting one driver is better than none. Just how tough are the carbon paper drivers (18W8545)?

Cheers

Al

[Scottmoose]

Can't see a problem in terms of protecting your drive-units (always good when there's young children about), but take them off when you're listening. Thin metal in front of a driver = resonance problems and severe ringing. I listened to a pair of Epos M22s a while ago. They have metal grills. Removing them took 2db off the midrange and treble.

[waltona]

Unfortunately the grills are fixed in place by the driver mounting screws, i.e. a more permanent fixture. I don't think I'll unscrew the driver every time I listen to music.

I guess its the price you pay for having kids.

[Puggie]

Fit your drivers with steel (not stainless) cap head bolts and then get a set of these grilles, source some thin cylindrical magnets that will slot into the allen ket socket of the cap head bolts and epoxy them into the holes in the grille.

the magnets in the grilles will then slot into the cap bolts securing the driver, and the magnetism will hold the grilles on quite nicely, they can just be popped off should you want to listen unobstructed.

[Scottmoose]

Good way forward.

[waltona]

Very clever.

Cheers for the replies.

I wonder why scanspeak are selling grilles when they will degrade the sound? Seems strange coming from a pretty high-end manufacturer. Maybe scanspeak designers have all started having kids.

[sdclc126]

"I guess its the price you pay for having kids."

Hey, in just 18 more years you'll be able to take the grills off again!

[Jim85IROC]

I've been installing and using car audio speakers for 15 years and I have yet to find a single situation where a properly installed grill caused any audible changes.

As long as the grill isn't audibly vibrating (which shouldn't be an issue if it's properly installed), it'll be completely transparent.

[rabw]

assuming the cones on your 8545's are the same as my 8555's, id say theyre pretty tough- whatever they impregnate those cones with seems to make them pretty stiff. Dunno how toddler proof though!
how about making a "sock" for the front of your speakers with grill fabric, with elastic round the edge that fits over the front of the cabinets? then your kiddie wont be able to see the fun shakey things

at least theyre not the lowthers with the big red phase plugs- i cant imagine how interesting theyd be to a toddler! hehehe

[xcortes]

I use some similar grills to protect my Supravoxes.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=260-373

They were attached with four pair of magnets each. Four magnets glued to the speaker and four to the grill:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...number=329-045

The 18 month monster learned to pull them out so I thought: "if I double the number of magnets he won't have the strenght to pull them". I was wrong. Today he took them off.

I have decided to add a permanently attached grill (either glued or screwed). The protection will only be a thin fabric so I will need to mount the driver on the back to give it more buffer space in case he pushes the grill. This will also give the driver more space to move (these drivers have huge Xmax). I know there'll be some diffraction issues but I have to compromise. The good thing is that I'm using Fostex horn tweeters on the top which are solid metal and I won't need to cover them.

Don't underestimate your kid. They're smarter than us.

xavier