Speakers ??

[Jay Registrar]

Regarding the Herseys in the picture below my user name:

I am posting this in architetural section, as it concerns the cabinets. In another post, I was told they were Hersey Industrials. Either way I am looking for the metal grilles. Your assistance please! If anyone wants the original picture file, email me or post the instructions for posting it on this form. Your assistance in locating these grilles is much appreciated!

Thanks!

[Speedball]

duplicate...

[Speedball]

if you are a little creative and halfway good with tools try to locate some metal and make some nice grills yourself. Just an idea.

[WMcD]

Do they look like this? Parts Express has these in chrome and black and 10, 12, and 15 inches. I could not get them to come up in a general search for grills.

Part numbers are 260-440 through 260-445.

Gil

[Jay Registrar]

Thanks Gil. The ones in your picture are interesting.

[jacksonbart]

Who is the lady?

[tenzip]

Who is the lady?

See here, almost all the way to the bottom of the page.

[WMcD]

Jay,

Now that Tenzip gave us a lead to a larger photo I see that my suggestion does not come close.

The problem was the small photo size and my low rez monitor setting up an artifact which looked like horizontal lines.

I see the actual model was made of black expanded metal. Nonetheless, it seems to me the Weber grill type I suggested fit with the disco theme.

Gil

[tenzip]

Actually, the model looks to be made of sugar, spice, and everything nice. []

Oh, I see, you were talking about the speakers.

You should be able to get expanded steel or aluminum like that at a steel supplier, and I'd suggest getting it powdercoated. The steel supplier should be able to cut it to whatever dimensions you want, and likely knows of a powdercoat shop in your area. Or you can mail them to me, I'll get them powdercoated for you for the cost of shipping both ways.

[WMcD]

How about this one.

The structure of the grill does not show up well. The description says it is expanded steel mesh. This ususally describes one of two ways of making the stuff. The result is a harlequin pattern.

Gil

[Jay Registrar]

Thanks to you Gil, and everyone above. I found the grilles are available from several sources (Google). Some as cheap as $1.95. Here is what steve Phillips, Klipsch Senior Tech emailed me regarding the speakers:

Those were HI, pro Heresy's from the late 1970's
to early 1980's The front had a fascia over the
motor board that covered the grill mounting,
available for churches and pro sound reinforcement

A project for the future.

[mas]

Bulk expanded metal and SO much more is available through distributors like McNichols Co. - www.mcnichols.com 800.237.3820

[Jay Registrar]

Thanks for the site. However, I think two speaker grilles might be under their radar.

[mas]

Thanks for the site. However, I think two speaker grilles might be under their radar.

They can supply any of the 'raw materials' that you can employ as a grill - from expanded to perforated to mesh metals in various finishes (and MUCH more) in every variation available. And their catalog is an excellent tutorial as well.

They are a materials supplier (just as Tenzip aptly suggested above). This is where the folks who OEM and who design and manufacture pre-fabricated speaker grills go to source their materials. But you are right in the sense that they do not have a section for "pre-fabricated speaker grills"...

They assume that you have an idea of what kind of material you desire (although they can suggest material if you do not) and they assume that you have some sort of inkling regarding what you wish to do with the material! And if you do, they are like a candy store for 'things metal'.

But, if you don't, they may be under your radar.[][]

[Jay Registrar]

What I meant was that I am only interested in two speaker grilles, and I assume that would not be worth their while. In order to fabricate a product, you need an order many.

[mas]

What I meant was that I am only interested in two speaker grilles, and I assume that would not be worth their while. In order to fabricate a product, you need an order many.

I was assuming that you would buy only as much material as you need for the number of grills you wanted to make. I did not assume that you were going into business manufacturing these things!

They source the material. There are many such businesses, I simply provided one with offices all over the country.

Expanded and perforated metal (metal with round holes punched in it) is a very commonly used material for speaker grills and a norm for most SR companies, etc. who manufacture their own speakers. It is easily available, but perhaps not as a prefabricated turnkey product. And you seemed pretty firm on the material after others suggested the more commonly available turnkey prefabricated grills! If no one can source prefabricated expanded metal grills, you don't have much choice!

But you asked where such material could be sourced, and this is the easiest route of which I am aware and we have used if frequently. But you might also find it in smaller pieces and quantities at Home Depot or Lowes, as it is often found in smaller pieces in the bulk metals section, often in either black or 'chrome/galvanized' (bright finish). Or any local metal fabrication shop should have lots of it laying around, although you will have to deal with finishing the surface.

Use it or don't, it is certainly your choice, I never expected this topic to become so complicated. But it just feels like you have created a double bind in that you don't like the alternative commercially available grills, and you seem hesitant to deal with the materials source in its 'raw' form. Other than those choices, I've run out of ideas on what to tell you. But its relatively easy to work with and its easily sourced.

I am sorry that you seem to have convinced yourself that this is too difficult to do yourself - its not! They are actually rather easily made. I just get the feeling that for every opportunity suggested that you adopt an assumptions that precludes being successful instead of asking how this can be done. It is actually quite easy! (perhaps one reason why is it such a common and popular option!)

Good luck.

You might give the folks a call in the attachment. I have not personally worked with them so I do not know their prices nor their minimums, etc. But hopefully they can help you out! []

RHCCatalogCustom.pdf

[Jay Registrar]

Yes mas, it probably has gotten complicated. A senior tech from KLipsch emailed me some specifics on the Hersey in the picture . They were a commercial speaker. The edges were rounded and they had a facia over the motor board which made it flush with the sides. At any rate, I would probably just buy already fabricated grilles sold by parts supply houses. However, I saved your info for future reference, and I appreciate your help and input.

[colterphoto1]

Here's how the expanded metal grille is employed in the HIP cabinet.

From the outside of the cabinet, working our way inwards:

3/4 7 ply void-free birch motor board

expanded metal grille material about 13x13 slightly oversized of the speaker

that is heavily gooped into place (remember it needs to be airtight for Heresy) with some sort of black caulking material

ANOTHER 1/2" motorboard that had T nuts attached from the front side

sorry, I'll have to open up a cabinet again to determine how the motorboards are sandwiched together.

12" K42 driver is BOLTED to the motorboard sandwich, not sheet metal screws like are commonly used.

I should think that expanded metal is much preferred over perforated sheet because of it's extremely high strength and that is is a much higher void/metal ratio (more open space for sound to travel through.

On later pro speakers, the KP250 sported a standard masonite grille board wrapped in traditional cloth grille material. The section where the woofer is had an extra section of perforated board inserted into that section. I like the expanded metal better. Plus it looks more 'Rock and Roll'.

[colterphoto1]

Here's the interior of the KP250 with cloth grille

[colterphoto1]

Close up of HIP grille