Visual Sound Hubcap Speaker Grill

thinskin57 · Sep 25, 2010

gotta tell you guys- if you've got a single 12 cab that's directional (aren't they all?) and spikey, you must check out Visual Sound's hubcap speaker grill. totally eliminates the icepick to the ear effect and also disperses the sound as not to be so directional. i was skeptical, but have to say, this thing WORKS! i have the new 2010 version of the fender supersonic. this amp sounds great but is more directional than any single 12 i've ever had. no it has a nice, balanced sound whether i'm right in front of it, or way off to the side. i had a weber beam blocker in another amp i used to own. it got rid of the icepick effect but it attenuated the highs a bit too much for me. anyway, check one of these things out. best 30 bucks you'll ever spend on your single 12. they have them in the "custom shop" section of their site, btw.

EtherealWidow · Sep 26, 2010

Know what looks way cooler? A resonator cone. Probably sounds friggin neat too.

thinskin57 · Sep 26, 2010

hmm...possibly. i'm not looking back though

94Tremoverb · Sep 27, 2010

Did you fit it behind the grille, or like they show? If behind, does it need to be in front of the baffle or could you get it between the baffle and the speaker? - ie does that cone thing go far enough back to possibly hit the speaker's dust cap? There is no way I would cut a hole in the grille cloth to fit it, and I suspect most others wouldn't either.

thinskin57 · Sep 27, 2010

94Tremoverb- the grill cloth on my supersonic is the type that's framed and held on w/velcro. i simply removed it and attached the hubcap to the front of the baffle. so i guess i did it like they show. by eye, i would say i've got a little over two inches between the apex of the hubcap cone and the speaker's dust cap, and that's with the Warehouse Veteran 30 Speaker (a vintage 30 clone). it's too bad that the grill cloth has to come off because this thing works great. if you've got a soft grill cloth like an old fender type or whatever, i'm sure you can put a slit in it to accommodate the cone and mount it right over the grill cloth like visual sound suggests. but as you know, mesa's grill material is way too tough and coarse. i don't think it would work well at all. this thing spreads a balanced sound so well that i'm considering removing the tilt-back legs. don't need 'em. sounds great flat off the floor. i may actually buy one or two for future amps just in case they discontinue these things. great item.

94Tremoverb · Sep 27, 2010

If you've got as much as two inches between the hubcap cone and the speaker dustcap, you could mount it between the speaker and the baffle - that will move the hubcap back by no more than 3/4" of the baffle thickness plus the depth of the hubcap rim (1/2"?) relative to where you've got it, and speaker cone forward movement doesn't exceed about 1/2" with a normal guitar speaker, probably less, so I would think you're still in the clear.

I definitely wouldn't attempt to make any kind of opening in the grille cloth - even if you never intend to take the hubcap off, the tear could spread. I'm really surprised they even recommend that, it's just the wrong way to fit anything.

(Just on a completely different tack, I saw that ad they're running at the bottom of the same page for the Celestion 70/80 speaker saying that it sounds better than an Alnico Gold :lol:. They must be delusional... or just trying to shift a load of speakers they wish they'd never bought! I've got a couple of them and they are probably the worst-sounding full-size-magnet Celestions I've heard.)

thinskin57 · Sep 27, 2010

i don't think i'd mount it between the baffle board and the speaker though. it is made of plastic. i don't think it would be stable. in my opinion it has to go over the front of the baffle, or nothing. luckily in my situation (with the pull-out velcro grill) it works perfectly. i can easily return it to stock if i ever decided to sell the amp. btw- it comes with a rubber washer built in for cushioning and preventing vibration. kind of like the ones they put on speakers. can't comment on the 70/80's. i'm sold on the Warehouse stuff anyway. at least in my amps...