Grilles or No Grilles

Gentlemen,
Vandersteen speakers not only sound better with grills they measure better. Any one who thinks they can hear a very sheer double knit grill double blind is most likely hearing the diffraction caused by improper grill frame design. Many of the worlds most expensive tweeters use wire mesh or fabric for protection without sonic effect.
Thanks Johnnyr

If a speaker comes with a grill its made to be used with one, in this insane anal hobby if a maker didnt think it was a good idea he simply wouldnt offer it OR he would sell it as an option....grills on, they look and sound better. As a closer if Johnnyr tells you sometihng you can be pretty confident its the truth.
And for those who say its there for protection and not sound I can name many turntables that come with no cover and are all things considered much more vulnerable to damage.

I have never heard a speaker that did not sound better with the grills off. However, some speakers look "but ugly" with the grills off.

Orpheus10 wrote:
I have never heard a speaker that did not sound better with the grills off.

I have heard speakers that are better with them off and speakers that are better with them on. It really is not something that one should make a blanket statement about unless one has heard them all.

How they look with the grilles on or off is another matter.

Kal

Interestingly enough I had planned to leave the grills off as I liked the look better. I could hear a slight difference on some but not all recordings. Figured the wife would want them on so I never really planned on arguing the matter. I go to put the on and the wife stops me. Says she was playing with it after cleaning and decided she liked it better with grills off. felt it was clearer at the high end. um, OK. cool. Never mentioned it to her or anything. who'd have thunk? Now she wants me to not put my guitar behind the speaker as it sounds "funny" when I put it there. May have created a monster with good ears.