Grill Cloth ?

[izzyrock]

I never asked this myself and I guess now it's the time.

What difference makes having or not the grill cloth on your 4x12 cabinet? I was wondering if I take it out, it would be so easy to place the microphone, cause right now I'm using a flash light to REALLY see whats going on.
Does it change the sound?

Thanks

 

[Aaron Smith]

I could be wrong, but I don't think it really affects the sound a whole lot. However, you are absolutely right that having no grill cloth makes it visually easier to place a mic, which consequently helps to unlock some of the mystery of mic placement...in other words, understanding which areas of the speaker create certain sounds.

 

[ahjteam]

I have found the sound difference pretty non-existing, but of course because of the laws of physics the shortest waves will/might stop at the cloth, so there would be a minor difference (at frequencies we don't want to hear on guitar anyway, my guess would be +15khz and up, so it really doesn't matter that much). If its your cab, go ahead and make a hole in the grill if it makes you feel better about yourself.

 

[garry666]

what about metal vs. cloth grills anybody notice any serious difference?

 

[AudioGeekZine]

And then you'll get a clumsy/drunken guitarist tripping over the stand and you get a nice 57 sized hole in the speaker.

 

[Flat Fifth Fury]

In conversations on this topic with some well informed folks including John Suhr, of Suhr Guitars and CAE amps as well as Bruce Egnater of Egnater Amplification and Reinhold Bogner of Bogner Amps, the consensus is that grill cloth does have an effect on the sound. Primarily on the upper highs and "presence" areas of the eq spectrum. I forget the details but the denser weaves, like basket weave, roll off highs more than simpler and more open cloths. Metal grates have essentially no high absorption.

 

[Metal Overload]

imagine a mic with a laser in the center to aim the exact point on the speaker, would be cool

 

[izzyrock]

Hmm.
My grill cloth is very thick which makes the mic position even harder. Its thicker than a marshal 1960.

About the high end, thats what i first though about : It could absorpt some of the high end and take out some of the fizziness. But im really not sure and I dont wanna take it out to find out.
However I have recorded cabinets with a metal grill cloth and I didnt heard any issue. But I think it sounded brighter , but I might be wrong tho.

Any other thoughts?

 

[53Crëw]

Having replaced the grill cloth on one of my cabs, I can say the heavy grill cloth like the basket weave does filter out the highs a tad. However, if it's something like a modern Marshall or Mesa grill cloth, it's pretty much sonically transparent.

I would leave the grill cloth on to protect the speakers. It's just too easy for the exposed speakers to get damaged as mentioned already.

If you're tired of using a flashlight, just pick a reference point on the grill cloth. I usually know where the mic goes relative to the logo on my cab. Then, I'm usually dialing in the final mic placement with headphones on anyway. So ultimately, the sound dictates where the mic goes.

 

[Metaltastic]

"Dialing in" a mic placement, eh 53? Seriously though, good info dude, makes sense.

 

[53Crëw]

"Dialing in" a mic placement, eh 53?

One of my over-used phrases, I guess.

 

[Suicide_As_Alibi]

Do you have covers on your stereo speakers? If so, put on a CD and listen with them on, then take them off whilst a song's playing - the high stuff will sounds noticeably louder. Same with vocals and pop shield, but the effect is less. It's basically the same effect with the grill cloth, except there isn't as much high-end on guitar, and the grill tends to be more open so it doesn't block as much out to begin with - so the effect is even less again.

On my cab you can't see through the cloth at all (even with a torch it's a pain). My solution is to draw round the mics with chalk

Steve

 

[TomAwesome]

There's usually very little difference in sound. I think it's a lot more about protecting the speakers. I've noticed lot of pros using gaffing tape to mark right where the mic goes.

 

[Student]

Leave the cloth on, it's there to protect your speakers from idiots at studio/show/children. Mic it right, you're golden.

 

[izzyrock]

Ok, thanks for the help guys !

 

[Let it burn...]

OT: To all the orange cab owners: how do you see where your speakers are in the cab? Even with the strongest flashlight i have I wasn't able to see the speakers.

 

[Where She Wept]

I was pondering this while looking at a Krank cab.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

I've recorded a VHT cab where you could easily remove the grill, it was velcroed, very clever idea! Although I don't care much about "seeing" where the mic is as much as "hearing"...