Guest suddenly takes it upon herself to move my speakers


Has this ever happened to anyone here?

You have your speakers positioned just as you like them, and then a guest takes it upon themselves to suddenly move your speakers?

Obviously I’m not going to get any sympathy from anyone in the non Audio world, so I thought I’d post my frustrating experience here.

I also imagine that many of your speakers can’t simply be slid out of position due to spikes or carpeting or sheer weight. Probably a good number of you, who like me have speakers on hardwood floors, have some marks in place to be able to return speakers to their exact position. (Which I didn’t)

But a recent female first time guest was sitting on the floor positioned between the speakers as we listened and for some reason decided that they should be pointed directly at her. Now some people might think “how obnoxious,” and others might think, ‘hey, a woman who wants the toe in angle optimzed for her seating position! She’s a keeper! Let her handle whatever she wants!”

And while I did like the enthusiasm, there was a supertweeter precariously balanced atop each speaker fireing rearward that could have easily toppled off and broken. (And no, there are no kids in the house).

I still haven’t found the exact sweet spot I had them in. For a long time I felt like a bit of an audio slacker since I never installed the factory spikes or rounded cones TAD provides for the CR1’s. Until a few months ago I read on another forum that many CR1 owners choose to just keep the stands on the floor, or haven’t found a benefit to using the spikes/cones on hardwood.

Obviously I’ll use the incident to try and eventually find an even more optimal positioning than they were in, but it still irks me that someone would just assume it’s okay to move a sophisticated audio setup that they truly know nothing about.

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On a more serious note, this one guy at work thought all my talk about the tiny things I can hear was BS. So when I host a little work party he decides to play this little prank. Only it made no sense but then people like him seldom do. Because what he did was move it when no one was looking. Only it made no sense because I was playing music for everyone else, so he only was ruining it for everyone else. But I guess since he was dumb enough to believe it makes no difference then he wouldn't know that either.

Anyway, his bad luck. Because as it happened the next one was a little older and the record she wanted to hear I thought should be played at a different level so while everyone had wandered out of the room I decided to put it on just to level check. 

Immediately noticed the balance was off. The Aronov integrated I was using back then had individual volume controls which was a hassle and sometimes I would screw up. So quick double-check, no that's not it. Sat down again, listened, knew what it was, pulled out the tape measure (fastest way by far) made the adjustment, sat down to double-check. Okay fine.

This whole process took like a minute. Two at the most. If you count from the time the record went on. Yes I am that good.

Only as I was leaving the room did I notice Ron standing in the doorway, and the story was written on his face. All the frustration, astonishment, guilt, and disbelief. 

Just one of many stories illustrating how much better people hear than people think they can hear. I have others. Lots of em.


She was being obnoxious.

I can’t imagine taking it upon myself to just move around someone else’s furniture or speakers in their own house, without asking (and having a darned good reason!).

The closest I get to that is the fact that my 2 channel listening room doubles as a living room/home theater room, so there are often guests over.

I’m amazed how many guests have no respect for, or idea of, valuable speakers. Usually. my speakers are fairly striking and of obvious high quality finish (I like good aesthetics) and yet guests constantly lean on the speakers, place their hands on them while talking, and even sometimes put their drinks on the speakers! These people are still stuck in their animal-house-dorm idea of what stereo equipment is - speakers are as much ash tray holders as music producers.

I don’t care WHAT piece of furniture or equipment I was aware of in someone else’s home. Especially if it looked expensive I’d be CAREFUL around it.


People here are getting really worked up about this. The OP stated that he appreciated her interest but could have told her not to do that. Awkward as that would be, it would have ended right there and then.
I've been in the same situation and it is awkward. I once had to tell a handyman not to stand on my speaker cable. He moved. Conflict over and done with.

I wonder how many here who would have harmed her would do the same if it were a man, or would they simply speak up and explain things.
I guess we can add misogynist to our growing list of biases. Some take the term, boys club, a bit too literally.

All the best,
Nonoise