Grills: Round or S, quare??

jimo · #1 01-30-2013, 08:34 PM

Which is considered best? I always liked the full square grill but now I'm kinda liking the round ones that cover the speaker only. Is one better, from a performance or buzzing standpoint?

dukeorock · #2 01-31-2013, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimo

Which is considered best? I always liked the full square grill but now I'm kinda liking the round ones that cover the speaker only. Is one better, from a performance or buzzing standpoint?

I'd say round grills ("bug eyes") are typically lighter...some folks like the way they look and some don't. I think they look fine

A full grill can be a little tricker with buzzing and resonance, but not that difficult to correct, really. A full grill also protects the entire baffle as opposed to just the speakers themselves.

Hope that helps a little!

bassgod0dmw · #3 01-31-2013, 04:58 AM

Looks wise I strongly prefer a grill that covers the entire cab front.

jnewmark · #4 01-31-2013, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dukeorock

I'd say round grills ("bug eyes") are typically lighter...some folks like the way they look and some don't. I think they look fine

A full grill can be a little tricker with buzzing and resonance, but not that difficult to correct, really. A full grill also protects the entire baffle as opposed to just the speakers themselves.

Hope that helps a little!

I've always gone with the round grills. Never had a problem with them buzzing, and easy on/off when switching out drivers. Have had many a buzz and rattle with full grills.

badstonebass · #5 01-31-2013, 05:50 AM

I like old school cloth full grill.

jimo · #6 01-31-2013, 07:31 AM

With the round, you still use the isolation standoffs, right?

wcriley · #7 01-31-2013, 07:35 AM

No standoffs required.
Most (all?) drivers have a gasket on the front. Most (all?) round grills have a vinyl "cushion".

johnpbass · #8 01-31-2013, 07:45 AM

Full grill.

jazzbo58 · #9 01-31-2013, 07:50 AM

I like the full grill on my cabs.

Cheers,
Jim

dukeorock · #10 01-31-2013, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jnewmark

I've always gone with the round grills. Never had a problem with them buzzing, and easy on/off when switching out drivers. Have had many a buzz and rattle with full grills.

Truth.

jimo · #11 01-31-2013, 11:22 AM

I will be building the TL606 and the speaker covers most of the baffle anyway. Thanks for all the replies, I know I will have more questions before I get through. Thanks for your patience!!! I appreciate the help!!!

Mykk · #12 01-31-2013, 11:42 AM

Full cab grills. They appear way more professional to me. Isolated round speaker grills are to 'home/garage made' for my taste.

Now, as far as full cab grills are concerned I prefer a circular pattern as opposed to a square pattern.

HolmeBass · #13 01-31-2013, 11:46 AM

No dispersion penalties or frequency masking with the round "bug eye" grills? I had a fEARful builder bail on my project when I insisted on round grills... he claimed there was no way they couldn't interfere with dispersion.

will33 · #14 01-31-2013, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HolmeBass

No dispersion penalties or frequency masking with the round "bug eye" grills? I had a fEARful builder bail on my project when I insisted on round grills... he claimed there was no way they couldn't interfere with dispersion.

That's weird. They won't interfere any more or less than a full front. Which to use is pretty much just based on looks. In order to interfere, the grill would have to have such a small percentage of open area it could act as a boundry for the wavelengths being produced. Any wavelengths that short would be coming from the tweeter anyway and are pretty much non-existant in bass guitar sound.

will33 · #15 01-31-2013, 12:17 PM

He may've meant diffraction, but even still, the grill isn't going to have any effect you could hear.

Mike Arnopol · #16 01-31-2013, 12:35 PM

The new Penn Elcom round grills look really nice. On my composite builds I have to use round grills. I never really liked the look of the "waffle" grills. But the new ones look really slick. I think they actually look a bit more "high tech" than the full grills.

Not trying to sell my cabs---there are pics of the new grills in a recent thread about my composite cabs---take a look. You can get them from

speakerhardware.com

will33 · #17 01-31-2013, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Arnopol

The new Penn Elcom round grills look really nice. On my composite builds I have to use round grills. I never really liked the look of the "waffle" grills. But the new ones look really slick. I think they actually look a bit more "high tech" than the full grills.

Not trying to sell my cabs---there are pics of the new grills in a recent thread about my composite cabs---take a look. You can get them from

speakerhardware.com

Those to look a lot cleaner, more professional/less "home-made", to me than the waffles.

Have you ever heard of grills, assuming a good portion of open area, ever causing some problem with radiation patterns? I haven't, and can't hear any difference with mine on or off. I suppose there technically could be some interference but I think it would take a controlled environment/critical listening room to hear, and maybe even then not with a live intsrument. Sounds like cork-sniffer stuff to me.