Quantifying metal grill effect on sound?

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We're talking of subwoofers here, aren't we?

Come on, what kind of discussion is that? Does a speaker grille degrade subwoofer performance?

As long as the wavelength is much greater than diameter and length of those holes, such a grille forms a lowpass in front of the speaker. Exactly like a bass reflex port. Now calculate the cutoff frequency of such a grille: it will be somewhere in the high kHz range.

So, don't even think about it. Just place that grille in fron of your sub. It doesn't matter.
 
Reliable Hardware quantifies how acoustically open their various flat stock is. The more open to air flow a grill is, the less it reflects output back at the cone, and the lighter it will be for its type. I would never recommend anything less than 50% open. expanded diamond cut - 63% open http://www.reliablehardware.com/images/products/detail/4023F_4_final_B.jpg perforated 5/32" round hole - 62.4% open http://www.reliablehardware.com/images/products/detail/3163_2_final_B.jpg and in distant third: perforated 3/8" square hole - 56.2% open http://www.reliablehardware.com/images/products/detail/3725_final_B.jpg After doing a lot of web crawling these seem to be the way to go for full-coverage metal jackets. My preference used to be the expanded diamond cut, but the 5/32 round hole grill has taken its place. Downsides to Reliable? Minimum order there is $25, and shipping for only one grill is rather high. So you may want to order something else there too
I'm doing something different. I'm recessing a sound bar into a fireplace mantle. I can use white grille cloth or a metal grill. I never thought of how some of these metal grills can reduce the amount of sound coming out. SO for a sound bar that I'm recessing, I guess I should go with the grill "cloth", correct?
 
I'm doing something different. I'm recessing a sound bar into a fireplace mantle. I can use white grille cloth or a metal grill. I never thought of how some of these metal grills can reduce the amount of sound coming out. SO for a sound bar that I'm recessing, I guess I should go with the grill "cloth", correct?
If you don't want reflected high frequency sound from a metal grill, use acoustically transparent cloth of whatever color you feel fits your fireplace mantle.
 
I'd think the "issues" with grilles / and more particularly their mount frames, would be related to frequency - even at the top end of the operating range described in the first post ( i.e 1200 Hz - wavelength just under 12") I'd imagine that the supposed "artifacts and distortions" created by the standard 60-65% open mesh grilles would be less of a pain than having to repair / replace damaged cones.

In the upper mids and top end, ( say 3000Hz and up) yes the frames and thicker metal mesh / perfed styles would become a significant fraction of the wavelength and have audible and no doubt measurable effects, but with careful design of fabric grilles for drivers operating at those frequencies, much of those "evils" could be mitigated to the satisfaction of all but the most obsessive-compulsive of golden eared audio-nervosa -philes. Thankfully my membership in that club expired years ago due to ennui and middle aged hearing loss / tinnitus ;).

But you're talking woofers, and seriously, I really don't think it's that much of an issue. I'd rather convince myself that the drivers are reasonably protected than worried about what be wrong that I can't quite ascertain. If you read enough on the internet, there'll always be something wrong, and you'll never trust your own ears.
 
Chicken wire is super cheap, strong, and hides well under cabinet cloth material.
Home Depot carries an apparently fancier version called Poultry Fence, for trying to keep your chickens within the limits of your gated community:
Steel chicken wire bends pretty easily, once bent inward can tear up the cone.

The Poultry Fence is made of plastic and is flexible like fabric grill cloth.
 
Steel chicken wire bends pretty easily, once bent inward can tear up the cone.

The Poultry Fence is made of plastic and is flexible like fabric grill cloth.

True, but how I think we are talking about two different kinds of force here. Some people are trying to keep toddlers from poking fingers through, and some are apparently trying to design custom enclosures to keep moshers from hurting the cone. You gotta design to your market...

Interesting detail about the Poultry Fence though, I didn't look at the link long enough to see that.
 
Are you sure the grille itself is carbon fiber - I suspect the grille is regular metal and the bits that look like carbon fiber....

...are carbon fiber.

Regards, Ben

I'm pretty sure your right. It would have to be drilled out, not cost feasible. I subjected 2 mm carbon fiber to a great deal of force and didn't break it. It did cause some minor veining but all in all remained intact and structurally sound. I'm sure part of the speakers will be safe.
 
We're talking of subwoofers here, aren't we?

Come on, what kind of discussion is that? Does a speaker grille degrade subwoofer performance?

As long as the wavelength is much greater than diameter and length of those holes, such a grille forms a lowpass in front of the speaker. Exactly like a bass reflex port. Now calculate the cutoff frequency of such a grille: it will be somewhere in the high kHz range.

So, don't even think about it. Just place that grille in fron of your sub. It doesn't matter.

Gotta love the hi Fi crowd
 
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