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OMG, just removed my speaker grills and the sound just opened up to a new level!

My recently purchased Focal Maestro Utopia speakers look so good with their black front baffle and side and back Camara white, I couldn’t even think about removing the grills to hear what they sound like with them off. With nobody around to voice their displeasure to seeing those drivers I boldly went were no man, or in this case myself, said he would never go and removed the grills. Hello, said the speakers
this is what I really sound like. I might not be as pretty, but love me for what really counts, how I sound,
not how I look. I have to say I love them even more and they’re not looking too bad either! 
hiendmmoe
kenjit
1,771 posts
 
@hiendmmoe 

what you would need to do is remove the crossover. And then have it retuned. That will make a bigger difference. You will not believe how big a difference it makes. 
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,220 posts
 
I have tried my Focal speakers with the tweeter grills off when the speakers were new. It helped break up some of the upper frequency shrill/glare. But as they broke in that shrillness dissipated and I reinstalled the tweeter grills. I now think they sound better with the tweeter grills on.

The main covers over the mids and woofers have been off from day one. I think the raw speakers look great without the grills.

ozzy
ebm
9,311 posts
 
Have not used grills in the last 25 years.Took grills off my Avalon’s and Magicos does not use them on my 3rd pair. Focal is another wonderful sounding speaker.Good luck be well!!
tooblue
1,890 posts
 
I prefer the sound with the grills on my Sophias, I listen in a somewhat near field setup in an acoustically untreated room so this probably has a lot to do with that. Enjoy the music
erik_squires
15,805 posts
 
Well, I don't know about "new level" but the effects of grills on output are readily measured.  Not just damping, but causing excess refraction, and making what would otherwise be very smooth output ragged, something I'm pretty sensitive to.

@Ozzy Highly encourage you to try felt around those tweets. :) You can buy PSA felt and cut holes with a hobby felt stamper.


Best,

E
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