Can this be true?

[ode]

I was looking in the DIY tweaks forum and they claim that removing the covers from the speakers will make them sound better. I'd like to hear that from the people who designed the covers in the first place, does it really make a measurable difference to remove them or is that just an old audio wive's tale? If you did a blind test could you tell which speakers had covers on and which identical ones didn't? I kind of like the way they look with them on but if it's going to make the listening experience better I can go au natural.
Enquiring minds want to know :confused:

[beardog03]

I think it makes a difference...slight as it may be..I hear it....

[Vr3MxStyler2k3]

Grill cloth has been found to dampen frequencies around 13khz, which are crucial frequencies.

Sometimes, manufacturers will boost, or design the tweeter to be louder in this frequency to compensate for their grills. So at times, speakers will sound better with the grill cloth on rather than off.

[ode]

but what about Polk speakers?

[Vr3MxStyler2k3]

While I have no hands on testing with me...

The only speaker I know of with a spike in the 13khz range is the SL2000 from the SDA series, and I doubt it was because of the grill cloth.

But, I doubt Polk boosts their tweeters to compensate for anything. :)

[BobMcG]

ode,

It all boils down to one thing................. er, I mean two things and they sit on the left and right sides of YOUR head. :D

[scottnbnj]

i think, as much as the fabric, the frame interferes with sound. if you notice better imaging qualities with the grilles off, it's probably the frame.

)

[Vr3MxStyler2k3]

Polk has pretty much eliminated problems with the diffraction caused by grill frames. Hence their anti-diffraction technology. Polk has used two methods to completely get rid of the side of the frame interferring with anything. See the past few RTi lines...

Now the SDA, etc did not use any of this technology and may sound better with grills off!

*my speakers have no frames!* ;)

[ND13]

Whenever "critically" listening, I remove my grills. And I "can" tell the difference.

[labrat]

If any of you have little ones around be aware that exposed drivers seem to be magnets for little fingers. I had just got my RT800 and was setting them up when my then 5 year old came up and mashed his index finger into the tweeter - DOH. It popped right back out and no harm seemed to have been done but I now keep covers on all the drivers when there are little ones around. Hope others will be aware and take precautions when there are little ones around.

Scott

[scottnbnj]

Polk has pretty much eliminated problems with the diffraction caused by grill frames. Hence their anti-diffraction technology. Polk has used two methods to completely get rid of the side of the frame interferring with anything...

yeah, i haven't read about polk's grille tech, but i think i hear ya about the sides of the frames. i don't know whether you're talking about lsi's too, but the top and bottom of lsi9 frames are solid and angled back towards the front baffle and the sides are mostly open in the center and the supports are offset and angled back towards the baffle like the top and bottom.

with the grilles on as you move along the verticle axis you can almost feel the pressure change in a wave and the image shifts from in front of you to below you. the change isn't so etched w/o grilles. i've wondered if that's part of the design, to help control floor/ceiling reflections?

anyway, for whether the design ~completely~ rids interference along the horizontal axis? i think whether you hear it will probably depend alot on your speaks, listening style, position, placement, toe, room and whatnot.

i think if you listen nearfield and/or do alot to control early and strong room reflections, you spend a lot of time setting up and listening for image coherence and you've got a pretty sharp/stable image to start with, removing the frame becomes easier to notice because subtle changes are not covered by so much chaff.

as good as lsi9 frames might be, even with my not so good room, gear and ears, the image is tightens up when the grilles are removed.

)

[Vr3MxStyler2k3]

I have not looked at the LSi frames, but they do not use the anti-diffraction baffle that I know of.

The only ones I know of that do is the RTi series... and the new floating grills from the RTi and Monitor series...

Interesting read about the LSi though, I wonder what Polk has to say about that...

[scottnbnj]

heh heh,.. might as well make it official and put the polk stamp on it. getting those sideways contorted eyebrow thing looks suits me well enough.

i'll still be here with my tunes, and my grilles off. that's all i need. ...and my magic coat rack. i'll need that. my tunes and my grilles off and my magic coat rack. and that's all....

)