Wife stepping on speaker wire

One thing you could do is buy you a REALLY cheappair of speaker stands made from MDF, sit them between your amp and speakers, and use them as a cable props. If this does not work find you some yellow "POLICE LINE - DO NOT CROSS" tape and string it up from wall to wall in front of your entire system.

The key to success here lays in spousal behavior modification, rather than audio tweaks and home remodeling:

(1) Call Invisible Fence, have them surround the speaker cables with their own cables, and make her wear that collar ... it works with dogs ... it should work with your wife (I've seen her);

(2) Surround the cables with electrified bare wire ... this works with horses (no further comment);

(3) Keep one of those HUGE squirt guns (squirt cannons, actually) handy. Squirt (well, fire away!) when she comes perilously close to the cherished speaker cables. This works quite well with cats in behavior modofication, and I figure if it works with one pussy, then ...

(4) C4 ... strategically placed. This is a one-time behavior modification approach, and an extreme example of the art. Try this only if (1) -- (3), above, fail to achieve the desired results.

(8-(l) Doh!

Paul, in my experience, spousal behavior modification only works one way...female changing male. If the male should attempt to try this, specific and sometime legal remedies may apply/occur. Usually, you just end up on the couch.

The way I see it, you have two battles to fight, only one you'll win. If she will let you put your speakers where you want to in the room, consider this victory and let the cable stepping phenomea continue-split loom may divert this enough. If you push the speaker cable issue to much, then she may move the speakers against the wall-you loose, but your cable is ok.

Bear traps on either side of the wire should work.--Of course,I'm divorced--!!

Easy, get some diamond ring and place it every six inches on the wire. She'll see it from miles away.