Retro brown grey grille cloth?

[Rothchild]

Anyone know a good source for speaker grille cloth as seen on these beauts:

http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q569/vmboogie/image.jpg1_zps7ssiydds.jpg

Cheers,

[struth]

This is a similar colour
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INSTALLBAY-GCBEIGE-Grill-Cloth-Speaker-Grille-Cloth-Beige-66-Wide-1-Yard-/390962227639?hash=item5b072a29b7

[walpurgis]

You'll be lucky. I've looked for Tannoy type grille cloth many times. It's just not available. Not anywhere I've seen anyway. There are some that come close, but are not quite right. I'd have thought there'd be a decent market for something suitable.

[awkwardbydesign]

http://www.thevintagesound.com/store/grillcloth-marshall-style-grill-cloth-c-9_36.html
http://www.parts-express.com/cat/speaker-grill-cloth-fabric/319
http://www.retrospecialist.co.uk/traditional-radio-grille-cloth-for-vintage-wireless-radio-refurbishment-30-c.asp
Google "Tygan grille cloth".

[walpurgis]

This is near:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/161410506650?adgroupid=&hlpht=true&hlpv=2&rlsatarget=&adtype=pla&ff3=1&lpid=122&poi=&ul_noapp=true&limghlpsr=true&ff19=0&device=c&chn=ps&campaignid=&crdt=0&ff12=67&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff14=122&viphx=1&ops=true&ff13=80

[Rothchild]

This is a similar colour
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INSTALLBAY-GCBEIGE-Grill-Cloth-Speaker-Grille-Cloth-Beige-66-Wide-1-Yard-/390962227639?hash=item5b072a29b7

The £30 delivery kinda kills that one! I've had a look at the stuff on Ebay, was just wondering if anyone has a better source really?

I'm not totally fixed on it having to be exact Tannoy style, just after something suitably retro for my Armstong 602s (as there's now a baby and two new, inquisitive, cats in the house).

Cheers

[struth]

Ive been buying most of my cloths from this source. Its nice stuff although not very thick. Guess you could do it twice if needed.. They do some nice colours. The dark brown is good as is the yellow gold one
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271899698277?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

[PaulStewart]

Mark at Mainly Tannoy does a whole range and he's a first class bloke to do business with, check out his eBay store

HERE (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-style-speaker-cloth-Tannoy-Leak-JBL-AR-etc-NEW-COLOURS-/151765093552). I've just had a swatch set of these and they are really good, very authentic look and feel.

[EricS]

Marc,

Here is one source: http://www.richmonddesignsinc.com/grille_cloth_product_page

There are many others in the vintage tube radio world, so poke around a bit. I'm sure you will find something similar.

Eric

[awkwardbydesign]

Mark at Mainly Tannoy does a whole range and he's a first class bloke to do business with, check out his eBay store

HERE (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-style-speaker-cloth-Tannoy-Leak-JBL-AR-etc-NEW-COLOURS-/151765093552). I've just had a swatch set of these and they are really good, very authentic look and feel.

That looks like Camira Cara, as used by GIK to cover acoustic panels. http://gikacoustics.co.uk/product/camira-fabrics-by-the-metre/
And as you can see here, it starts to absorb at higher frequencies. http://www.customaudiodesigns.co.uk/acoustic-fabric-absorption-coefficients.htm Up to 25% by 6kHz, and I would expect that to rise further.

[awkwardbydesign]

Marc,

Here is one source: http://www.richmonddesignsinc.com/grille_cloth_product_page

There are many others in the vintage tube radio world, so poke around a bit. I'm sure you will find something similar.

Eric

Ooh, some of those are pretty!

[Rothchild]

Marc,

Here is one source: http://www.richmonddesignsinc.com/grille_cloth_product_page

There are many others in the vintage tube radio world, so poke around a bit. I'm sure you will find something similar.

Eric

Thanks Eric, they are nice!

And the first I've seen with sensible sizes, many seem to only offer 12x12 which won't work for my Armstrongs.

I'm still a bit undecided whether to go for one of these more 'patterny' tannoy style cloths or if it would be more appropriate for the era of my speakers to go for a nice 70s dark brown....

[awkwardbydesign]

Thanks Eric, they are nice!

And the first I've seen with sensible sizes, many seem to only offer 12x12 which won't work for my Armstrongs.

I'm still a bit undecided whether to go for one of these more 'patterny' tannoy style cloths or if it would be more appropriate for the era of my speakers to go for a nice 70s dark brown....

Pretty! Go for pretty! :D

[PaulStewart]

That looks like Camira Cara, as used by GIK to cover acoustic panels. http://gikacoustics.co.uk/product/camira-fabrics-by-the-metre/
And as you can see here, it starts to absorb at higher frequencies. http://www.customaudiodesigns.co.uk/acoustic-fabric-absorption-coefficients.htm Up to 25% by 6kHz, and I would expect that to rise further.

Yes well edam and cheddar are both yellow cheese, but they are different. Why would Mainly Tannoy sell and I recommend cloth that attenuates as grille cloth?

[awkwardbydesign]

Yes well edam and cheddar are both yellow cheese, but they are different. Why would Mainly Tannoy sell and I recommend cloth that attenuates as grille cloth?

Good question.

[PaulStewart]

Good question.

Too much gum flapping going on here, I'm out

[hermit]

Yes well edam and cheddar are both yellow cheese, but they are different. Why would Mainly Tannoy sell and I recommend cloth that attenuates as grille cloth?

You're definitely onto something here. Cheesecloth would do the job perfectly :lol:

[Reffc]

If anyone is after a light brown speaker grille cloth, I have it in stock. I use Cara Acoustic's cloth for re-doing Tannoy grilles (Colour code: Austen CF173). PM me for further details. Sold by the metre. (x 1.7m)

[awkwardbydesign]

As Paul Stewart recommended Camira Cara and Reffc sells it, I just phoned Camira. Austen CF173 is not one of their codes; EJ173 is. And if Custom Audio Designs' tests are to be believed, it will be about 2.5dB down by 6kHz. It may level off above that, but it seems unlikely.
http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m604/awkwardbydesign/Absorption_zpsyx5bw1ih.jpg
I looked at this fabric for covering acoustic panels a year or two ago, and decided not to use it for this reason, and price. I did get the swatches from them, and on a simple visual examination it appeared unlikely to be transparent to higher frequencies. The fibres are thick and "hairy", and quite closely spaced, which would tend to block HF.
Paul Stewart said "too much gum flapping". But I have actually done some research before commenting.

[walpurgis]

I suspect all grille cloths are likely to attenuate at higher frequencies. It'll just be by varying degrees.

[awkwardbydesign]

Many, if not most, listen with grilles off for that reason. If I use grilles, which I prefer BTW, I make them with a synthetic fabric that is almost visually transparent. Sometimes I've even used that mesh that's meant for underskirts and tutus, just to protect the drivers from fingers. It comes in lots of colours, but I've never been brave enough to go for really bold colours. Yet! :eyebrows:
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTAwWDUwMA==/z/uuoAAOxyLm9TGi~I/$_35.JPG
Unfortunately these wouldn't suit Tannoys, so Tygan might be the best bet.
At the moment I just have protective steel bars; they were temporary but my wife likes them! Who'd have thought it? And even thin bars across the tweeters were audible!

[Reffc]

As Paul Stewart recommended Camira Cara and Reffc sells it, I just phoned Camira. Austen CF173 is not one of their codes; EJ173 is. And if Custom Audio Designs' tests are to be believed, it will be about 2.5dB down by 6kHz. It may level off above that, but it seems unlikely.
http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m604/awkwardbydesign/Absorption_zpsyx5bw1ih.jpg
I looked at this fabric for covering acoustic panels a year or two ago, and decided not to use it for this reason, and price. I did get the swatches from them, and on a simple visual examination it appeared unlikely to be transparent to higher frequencies. The fibres are thick and "hairy", and quite closely spaced, which would tend to block HF.
Paul Stewart said "too much gum flapping". But I have actually done some research before commenting.


I buy direct off EQ acoustics who distribute Cara fabric (http://www.eqacoustics.com/products-page/acoustic-treatment/acoustic-fabric/cara-acoustic-fabric) , and it is recommended for domestic and professional installations where acoustic transparancy is required. There IS most certainly a CF173 Austen coded fabric because I have a rather large roll of it sat right here ;) The confusion lies in what EQ call it. They have re-coded the EJ fabric to CF but it is the same stuff. They also conform that it is suitable for loudspeaker use and sell a lot for this purpose.

All fabrics will absorb some HF frequencies but my own tests using calibrated mics at 1m show much less attenuation than the 2.5dB claimed. If it attenuated that much, I wouldn't use or recommend it.

[awkwardbydesign]

All fabrics will absorb some HF frequencies but my own tests using calibrated mics at 1m show much less attenuation than the 2.5dB claimed. If it attenuated that much, I wouldn't use or recommend it.
Fair enough. Much more useful response than flouncing off! If I get hold of a piece I will test it for myself, as it looks rather nice. But not as pretty as the Richmond design stuff, though.

[Reffc]

Fair enough. Much more useful response than flouncing off! If I get hold of a piece I will test it for myself, as it looks rather nice. But not as pretty as the Richmond design stuff, though.

It really is quite nice looking in the flesh and one of the closest, for example, to the Tygan fabric Tannoy originally used. The problem is with such cloths, that unless you go for the very lightweight and very sheer polyester fabrics (such as sold by Falcon Acoustics) then ALL other textured fabrics, irrespective of who sells them, will have some effect on upper HF response. However, I have found that for the most part, it is very much over-stated by those who've probably not even tried some. Also, I note you use bars in front of your speakers. It may be worth noting that such bars will give rise to more problematical effects, especially diffraction, and a textured cloth in that respect would be a better bet....except cats love the stuff!

[awkwardbydesign]

Also, I note you use bars in front of your speakers. It may be worth noting that such bars will give rise to more problematical effects, especially diffraction, and a textured cloth in that respect would be a better bet....except cats love the stuff!
But my wife likes them! Which is more important than diffraction. The 2.5mm bars I had across the tweeters had to go, as I could hear their effect, but the remaining bars should be less intrusive. Eventually I will test that.

[EricS]

many seem to only offer 12x12 which won't work for my Armstrongs.

Contact them and ask for a quote on a larger size, I can only imagine they come on a roll. They are intended for old table top radios, hence the 12" sizes.