Muffled? Do Some Metal Grills Muffle...

[Rezdog]

Greetings from the North,

I've been thinking about changing the grills on a couple of bass cabinets. Doing a little scanning as to what's available out there I've noticed that you can get grill patterns with as little as 25% to as large as 65% open area. Still seems like a lot of metal in front of the speakers. So does anyone know or have thoughts on how cabinet makers determine what is the optimum open area needed on metal speaker grill patterns so as not to muffle or muzzle a cabinet?

Rezdog

 

[JimmyM]

I don't know, but if there is a difference, it hasn't manifested itself in any metal grilles that I've used.

 

[RickenBoogie]

I don't think any grills, or fabric covers on a speaker cab impede the sound coming through in any way. At all.

 

[BurningSkies]

My next cab will have 63% flow through. Why mess with lowering any potential volume if you don't have to.

 

[GearHeadBassMan]

what about Mesa grills? I've heard talk about a lot of people removing their grills due to adverse effects

 

[greenboy]

I like the higher airflow patterns better.

 

[GearHeadBassMan]

I like the higher airflow patterns better.

that seems way too obvious of a choice. Is there advantages/disadvantages to using higher/lower airflow patterns?

 

[Foz]

I have never seen a gril in use as a speaker cover that had anywhere near a low enough transparency index to be a problem for a bass amplification. Generally reduction in transparency rolls in from the high freqeuncy side and no material you might pick and consider as appropriate is going to be a limniting factor for the low frequency or mid band signals you'd get out of LF or mid drivers that typically get speaker grills.

But I suppose its possible. If you want to do some math here is a resource.

http://www.iperf.org/IPRF_ACUSES.pdf

 

[Jaco who?]

I like 'em big enough to not impede anything from 'bout 40 hz to 11 khz, but small enough to impede drum sticks.

 

[JimmyM]

I don't think any grills, or fabric covers on a speaker cab impede the sound coming through in any way. At all.

I once covered my 810's grill with black fabric...bought 3 different black fabrics, got only one that didn't muffle the high end. So it definitely has an impact if it's too thick.

 

[Foz]

For fabric try the breath test - if you cover your mouth and your breath is restricted it will do likewise to HF... if not, sound will blow through like nobody's bitness.