Only allow close friends and trusted family members in your listening room. Or fellow audio ethusiasts....
How do you stop house guest from damaging your speakers?
Over the years I have had many adult guest coming to my house and curious about my speakers though I never mention to them I’m an audiophile. Most of the time they will lean close to the speaker, looking at the driver, maybe occasionally touching the cabinet or knocking on the cabinet. But in other times I’ve had guest touching drivers gently as well and I usually just tell them to stop to prevent them from damaging the driver when I see them doing that.
Yesterday I had a little sit down with a few guests and one of them wanted to play my Blade 2. Out of nowhere, while the music is playing he stood up and walked to the speaker and knocked on the side driver woofer and asked “are these speakers too?” It was probably 3 or 4 consecutive hard knock on the woofer while the woofer is playing, and you guys can already imagine my facial expression. I don’t want to blame the guest as the blade’s woofer doesn’t look like regular woofer and I can’t expect guests to have knowledge of how not to damage speakers, but man, that really hurts when I saw that happen.
I inspected the driver afterward and it seems like all is good and the driver survived. I don’t remember if I heard distortion while the music is playing but to my knowledge this would easily fall into the abuse category for an audiophile.
I’m wondering, do I attach a label to say do not touch on those drivers? Do I tell guests not to physically touch the speakers?
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@cdc honestly if this was my family, I would jump off a bridge |
Our adult friends of a certain age are very respectful, because that's the way kids were brought up back then. So no problems there. Their kids and grand kids on the other hand are clueless, non-respecting little %#*&'s ...you know what I mean. Very entitled, enabled and non disciplined. Since my (our) listening room is also the family room in the house, and I don't have a dedicated room for my very expensive gear, I drape a cover over my Kharma speakers before arrival. It doesn't look as pretty, but does the job. I'm not here to entertain you with my audio system and they are likely happy listening to their Bose at home. So no more cartwheels in this room, OK? |
Put a big ass "DO NOT TOUCH or COME NEAR" sign. Imo some of the actions by the guests you mentioned are just rude, adults should know better. But my experience suggests some people just love to touch at things that are new to them. This hobby and owning gears has really taught me to appreciate beauties with just my eyes. |
A good musical experience is one of the purest and most genuine human experience. It's hard to explain to people that haven't experienced it. But some of us audiophiles know this and develop a bond with our gears especially our speakers. Like man and dog. Or you can say, our companion. It's not to be touched when not necessary. Not many can understand this. It's the same thing when people buy their brand new iPhones, they treasure it like a piece of gem. The different is some people stop caring after 2 weeks. Some never stop caring. |
If someone would have touched my Joule Electra VZN100's, I wouldn't have to say anything. Of course they wouldn't have been able to hear me against the own screaming. Had to eventually sell them as I was worried my little guy might seriously hurt himself even though he knew what those huge glowing tubes meant. Hell, he loved slowly turning that big variac till the meter read good. Budding audiophile... We had friend guests over for a weekend. At the end of that weekend I had a punched in phase plug on a mid-woofer. I looked at the teenage girl and said it was her, why, because you just know. I take paper and tape it around the speakers in my HT room. No one is allowed in my high-end room. |
An exposed loudspeaker dome is asking for it. Especially when its a tweeter. At the very least it’s being provocative. Pushing buttons is something we’re all brought up to do. A difficult habit to resist for most non audiophiles. I’ve even heard some people say how much they want to push them in. So, unless it’s protected by a wire mesh (great idea) you’re better off leaving the grille securely in place. Especially when it’s a very expensive alloy dome. Sometimes it’s good to take precautions, as I remind my nephew who refuses to get a case for his super slippery Samsung phone. He’s on his 2nd screen now and that’s also broken. |
Keep the grills on. If it’s an Adult tell them "please don’t touch anything it’s all very expensive" If it kids tell the parents to tell them leave the stuff alone if the room is able to be closed off do so lock the door. Portable Dog gates also work well, seriously. Lastly tell the parents if your kid breaks anything you will have to pay and it's going to be expensive , give them an example ...if the people or parents get miffed throw them T F O.. |
