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? 

bwang29

If a guest shows an interest in your system you then have the opportunity to educate them about its workings.  Sure, things can go badly, but don't sweat it.  Be polite to your guests.  The alternative is to that guy who parks his car in the far corner of the parking lot taking up two spaces.

None of the folks I know are audiophiles, and they have no clue regarding a hi-end system. They’re content with listening to mp3s. So, I don’t even let them into my listening room, and I like it that way.

Who are these people you call friends? I wouldn't have a friend if I couldn't tell them point blank not to do something and chew them out if they did. Are these your wife's peeps also? That could definitely add a huge wrinkle in that approach.

Another approach is just have a nice boombox for tunes - seems like they have no appreciation for what you've created so why have them listen to it?

Like several comment here, my listening space is off limits (they don't even know I have one), and I don't tell them either...

Hey, I'll let anybody and everybody look at my stereo, sit in the sweet spot and to listen to their choice of tunes. They can pull an LP from my shelf if they so wish but I politely tell them to please keep the LP in its sleeve. Naturally, I try to lure them into listening to one of my 3D imaging spectaculars.