Carlspeak Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 I have updated my previously posted study because the heavy weight cotton muslin supply was no longer available. However, I have found an even better alternative that more closely matches the original AR grill cloth. It is heavy weight linen. This fabric has replaced the HW cotton muslin in the study. It is a premium fabric with performance, look and feel that are well suited to those refurbishing their valued, vintage AR speakers.Sample swatches of all three fabrics covered in the study update are available at no cost.Remember, it's all about the musicCarlCarl's Custom Loudspeakers1658.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynaco_dan Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Hi Carl;Thank you again for taking the time to do this study.We all benefit from your efforts, thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyC Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 The material used in the old AR's was 100% linen. Today it can be found in most crafts stores (ie Michael's) in the "cross stitch" or "needle point" section of the store. It is not manufactured in the US, with Ireland and Belgium being the most common sources. There are no magical sonic properties to the material, as AR used from 18ct to 32ct over the years. Folks using something heavy like burlap are probably taking a sonic hit, but any linen as described above will get you as close to the original look and sonic character as possible.Attached are some photos of examples of the cross stitch linen I have used in the past year with comparisons to the original material. Given slight shade and weave variations, the material is very close to the original.Royhttp://www.classicspeakerpages.net/dc/user_files/1661.jpghttp://www.classicspeakerpages.net/dc/user_files/1663.jpghttp://www.classicspeakerpages.net/dc/user_files/1664.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynaco_dan Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 Hi Roy;Looking at your AR-2AX's on the angle, I cannot tell if both are original, new material or different material.Thank you for this information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyC Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 Hi Vern,Both speakers have new cloth. I used 28ct Charlescraft Irish linen ("tea"...Check out www.charlescraft.com). The website prices are considerably more expensive than the crafts store prices, so it is best to shop locally if possible.The second photo is a comparison between AR cloth and a 20ct Charlescraft "natural" linen. I may try it out on a pair of AR-4x's or AR-6's.The third is a comparison between mid to later 70's AR cloth and again the 28ct Charlescraft "tea".This kind of linen is closer to AR's original material than the various types of cotton, burlap or linen blends that I have seen to date.Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynaco_dan Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 Hi Roy;I was actually thinking that the photo of your two speakers was with original grille cloths, they look so good at that angle.Thank you again, Roy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbruce4 Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Roy - Thanks for the lead to the fabric. I picked up 2 packages at Michael's yesterday and will redo both sets of AR4x grills. Will strongly second buying locally - with the Michael's 40% off coupon, it was only $5 for enough to do a pair of 4x grills.Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyC Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Your welcome...Another brand of linen that I have been looking into is Zwiegart (www.zweigart.com) needlework linen. It is made in Germany or Switzerland.Michael's has some, but it may be worth searching for elsewhere. It is more expensive than the Charlescraft material, but there are more color and thread count choices.Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Thank you Carl for sharing your study and data. Good to see that you took some measurements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Those look fantastic Roy, I've tried several Michaels stores in my area and none had the correct material. I'm going to order some direct. Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyC Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Thanks Pete...I also noticed that the Charlescraft "tea" sold at my local Michael's is now a darker shade (too dark). It is more like the "natural" shown on the Charlescraft website.Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zcon67 Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 Hi all,Info on the cloth was great however I have been all over without success. I found a site that claims to have linen for AR grills. Just wondered if anyone has used it. The web picture is not very good. http://www.classactfabrics.com/linen/linen_fabric.htmThanks, PZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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