[gtv]

I need some strong cloth cover the speaker cutout areas in my screen wall. I want to go with a black color and I would like to have a strong cloth that serves two purposes:


1. Hopefully keep my toddlers from sticking sharp objects, etc. into my speakers housed behind the cloth wall.


2. Keep as much light transmisson as possible out so that the cutouts look as opaque as possible and does not show the light from behind coming in from the basement windows.


I am considering going with either a tightly woven speaker cloth vs. GOM. I have not looked at any samples and was hoping someone with some experience could help me out.


Thanks,


Glenn

 

[jeeper]

Glenn,


I just got done with my black fabric (see attached picture). I did not use GOM, but got some speaker cloth from fabric store. It stretch very nicely and did a nice job covering the Linacoustic material behind it. It is strong, however, I think it will cut or rip if poked at with a sharp object....I think most fabrics would. Also, when up against the wall...I can not see though it...looks totally black. However, it would not be good for blocking light from behind. You may have to incorporate some block-out shades for your windows in conjunction with the black speaker cloth.



Good Luck,

Steve

 

[Chad Varnadore]

Where can you buy black speaker cloth and about how much should you reasonably expect to pay per yard? Also, I keep seeing GOM mentioned in posts, but I've yet to figure out exactly what type of cloth it is or where to buy it. Is GOM the initials for something?


Thanks.

 

[Thomas F]

GOM = Guillford (sp?) of Maine


They make acoustically transparent cloth that can be used for speaker grills or room treatments, among other things.

 

[trunks]

I like to use hardware cloth behind the material. This not only protects your speakers from finger pokes, etc, but it also helps so that your fabric doesn't develop wrinkles or sags over time.

 

[Toxarch]

I believe the correct spelling is Gulliford of Maine. There are alternatives that are very similar.


The GOM would hold up better to kids and is a thicker weave than speaker cloth. But both are equally accoustically transparent. Neither would totally block that light from the window.

 

[gtv]

Quote:

Originally posted by trunks I like to use hardware cloth behind the material. This not only protects your speakers from finger pokes, etc, but it also helps so that your fabric doesn't develop wrinkles or sags over time.

Thanks for the replies! Trunks, what do you mean by "hardware cloth". Are referring to using some type of metal screen, like that used in screen doors? Would that effect the acoustics?

 

[trunks]

just do a google search for hardware cloth. In fact I just did a quick search, this shows what it looks like:

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/crafting/ar...399756,00.html


you should be able to find it at any lowes or home depot. It should not affect your sound at all. (think about all the perferated solid speaker grills you have seen before)

 

[patrickwebb]

 Guilford of Maine

 

[Toxarch]

There you go Patrick.


Glenn, they will send you free samples.

 

[dave7]

I had the same issue with kids and speaker protection. My grills are huge - 8.5' high by 2' wide on the front - and I used a grill cloth from Acoustical Solutions. The grill cloth is quite expensive, but really nice looking. It is also somewhat transparent. What I ended up doing was blacking-out everything behind the grills. When everything back there is black, you can barely see anything. And I have full size windows and a walkout with clear southern exposure on the opposite side.


As for protecting the speakers, the cloth (which is actually a very strong plastic/nylon like material - not stretchable) keeps the poking from happening, but I was afraid of some kids running full speed and tripping into it. So integrated in the wood grill frame is a 12 gauge, very open (I think it is a 2"x4" weave) fencing material. I know it sound ridiculous, but it worked nicely.


My only problem is that now in the winter, the grills (like everything wood in my house) have shrunk a little causing the cloth to look a little loose.


If you want, I will pull a grill off and take photos of the back of one grill. It was not a very easy thing to build. You can look at my gallery to see some general images. So far, my 6 yr old and 2 yr old have yet to break through...for that matter, all the neighborhood kids can be included.