Resonance effects of paralleled-pored protective mesh on tweeter frequency response

Tweeter grills are typically designed to protect drivers while maintaining high acoustic transparency, often using a combination of high-porosity stiff structures and soft fabrics to minimize sound attenuation. In contrast, this study investigates a 3-D-printed parallel-pored mesh with sufficient thickness and relatively low porosity to explore resonance effects, primarily Helmholtz resonance. The inertance originates from each pore neck, while compliance arises from the volume between the mesh and the tweeter surface. Numerical simulations using Comsol were performed across various geometries, with experimental validation conducted using Klippel and SoundCheck systems. Both approaches demonstrated satisfactory agreement, showing that frequency response can be selectively tuned and enhanced at high frequencies, followed by a sharper roll-off. On-axis measurements were carried out, and DeltaEC was used for rapid resonance frequency estimation, though deviations at high frequencies indicate the limitations of one-dimensional assumptions. This study illustrates the potential of tailored 3-D-printed mesh structures to offer additional control over acoustic performance in tweeter applications.