Speaker Grill Differences

[Banquo]

I recently noticed that there is a difference in the speaker openings on some 2600s. On some the openings are cut towards the front and are very noticeable, while on others they are cut from the back, that is if you look at the console from the front you cannot see any openings at all. You have to turn the console around backwards to see them. I'm guessing it was an aesthetic change and that the ones cut from the back just looked better, but then why even bother changing them at all since no model ever had speakers and the openings were later completely removed anyway. I've read lots of discussions about the speaker openings and their history but I don't think I've ever seen anyone mention the direction of the openings. Just had me curious.

Edited February 16, 2019 by Banquo

[fiddlepaddle]

Never noticed that...

[Banquo]

Here's a picture of both of them; the first with the openings cut on the front of the grill fins and the second one cut from the back side. The grill openings on the second one are smaller and a bit harder to see. Something else about the second one I don't remember seeing before is the coating over the switch text. I guess they were trying to clear coat them with something to protect the lettering but it looks awful to me.

Edited February 17, 2019 by Banquo

[Skwrl63]

I have noticed that to. It seems as though the speaker vents that were cut towards the front were done on the earlier systems. Per original design if speakers were put in, the sound was be directed directly towards the players.

 

They might of changed the direction later on (cutting the vents towards the back) to make the vents a little less noticable since they weren't being used. When looking at the machine head on, you can't even really see the speaker vents that were cut from the back. Since most people had their Atari facing out into the room, cutting the holes to the back would hide it a little.

 

They eventually got rid of the speaker vents all together. I have a few late model for switchers that have no speaker vent holes.