Speaker grille
Encyclopedia
A speaker grille is usually found in front of many consumer and industrial loudspeakers, and consists of either a hard or soft screen/grille mounted directly over the face of the speaker driver. Its main purpose is to protect the driver element and speaker internals (and possibly other audio components) from foreign objects while still allowing the sound
to clearly pass. However, because it sits in the direct path of the driver, the grille interacts with the sound produced. A suitable compromise between protection and sound quality must be made based on the speaker's application.
, stitching, foam
, fabric
upholsteries
and other similar materials. In general, soft grilles impose little resistance on the speaker driver because the material is free to move synchronously with the sound waves. Because the grille is capable of absorbing this vibration, softer grilles are (in general) less prone to rattling except at extremely high sound pressure levels.
Soft grilles offer protection from small, lightweight objects, and may be water resistant to some degree but could be susceptible to being torn, or even stretched enough to reach the driver.
Because hard material is not free to move with the speaker's sound like soft material, the speaker's output level must be considered when designing the grille. A grille with more holes will allow more sound to pass but will offer less protection from small objects. A speaker with too much material in front of the driver will begin to distort at higher sound pressure levels, and in severe instances could damage the speaker, resulting in unwanted rattling at the least.
s, for instance, are required to reproduce audio so accurately that anything in the path of the speaker could obscure aspects of the sound, and thus are rarely seen with grilles.
On the other hand, high powered subwoofer
s (such as those used in high-end car audio
applications), produce such a violent sound wave that a grille may susceptible to rattling or damage while the driver is under load. All but the most sparse grilles also pose the possibility of diminishing or distorting the low frequency waves being produced.
Some speakers simply don't need a grille, perhaps because they are enclosed in a case (such as speakers found inside personal computers) and are not meant to produce high fidelity
audio, but only audible tones
and noises.
Sound
Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
to clearly pass. However, because it sits in the direct path of the driver, the grille interacts with the sound produced. A suitable compromise between protection and sound quality must be made based on the speaker's application.
Soft Grilles
Soft grilles can be made from any well suited cloth, weavingWeaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
, stitching, foam
Foam
-Definition:A foam is a substance that is formed by trapping gas in a liquid or solid in a divided form, i.e. by forming gas regions inside liquid regions, leading to different kinds of dispersed media...
, fabric
Fabric
A fabric is a textile material, short for "textile fabric".Fabric may also refer to:*Fabric , the spatial and geometric configuration of elements within a rock*Fabric , a nightclub in London, England...
upholsteries
Upholstery
Upholstery is the work of providing furniture, especially seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The word upholstery comes from the Middle English word upholder, which referred to a tradesman who held up his goods. The term is equally applicable to domestic,...
and other similar materials. In general, soft grilles impose little resistance on the speaker driver because the material is free to move synchronously with the sound waves. Because the grille is capable of absorbing this vibration, softer grilles are (in general) less prone to rattling except at extremely high sound pressure levels.
Soft grilles offer protection from small, lightweight objects, and may be water resistant to some degree but could be susceptible to being torn, or even stretched enough to reach the driver.
Hard Grilles
Hard grilles can be made from many types of construction material including metal, wood or plastic. Some solid grilles are made from a board or sheet of material with holes drilled or cut for the sound to pass, while others are made with thin strips of material either crosshatched together or equally spaced in parallel.Because hard material is not free to move with the speaker's sound like soft material, the speaker's output level must be considered when designing the grille. A grille with more holes will allow more sound to pass but will offer less protection from small objects. A speaker with too much material in front of the driver will begin to distort at higher sound pressure levels, and in severe instances could damage the speaker, resulting in unwanted rattling at the least.
Impracticalities
Some types of speakers have such eccentric characteristics that a grille would interact too much with the sound to be practical. Studio monitorStudio monitor
Studio monitors, also called reference monitors, are loudspeakers specifically designed for audio production applications such as recording studios, filmmaking, television studios and radio studios where accurate audio reproduction is crucial....
s, for instance, are required to reproduce audio so accurately that anything in the path of the speaker could obscure aspects of the sound, and thus are rarely seen with grilles.
On the other hand, high powered subwoofer
Subwoofer
A subwoofer is a woofer, or a complete loudspeaker, which is dedicated to the reproduction of low-pitched audio frequencies known as the "bass". The typical frequency range for a subwoofer is about 20–200 Hz for consumer products, below 100 Hz for professional live sound, and below...
s (such as those used in high-end car audio
Car audio
Car audio/video , auto radio, mobile audio, 12-volt and other terms are used to describe the sound or video system fitted in an automobile. While 12-volt audio and video systems are also used, marketed, or manufactured for marine, aviation, and buses, this article focuses on cars as the most common...
applications), produce such a violent sound wave that a grille may susceptible to rattling or damage while the driver is under load. All but the most sparse grilles also pose the possibility of diminishing or distorting the low frequency waves being produced.
Some speakers simply don't need a grille, perhaps because they are enclosed in a case (such as speakers found inside personal computers) and are not meant to produce high fidelity
High fidelity
High fidelity—or hi-fi—reproduction is a term used by home stereo listeners and home audio enthusiasts to refer to high-quality reproduction of sound or images, to distinguish it from the poorer quality sound produced by inexpensive audio equipment...
audio, but only audible tones
Musical tone
A musical tone is a steady periodic sound. A musical tone is characterized by its duration, pitch, intensity , and timbre . The notes used in music can be more complex than musical tones, as they may include aperiodic aspects, such as attack transients, vibrato, and envelope modulation.A simple...
and noises.