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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
larryi
3,716 posts
 

I just don't have house guests, this works great not just for protecting the system.

alerrico
29 posts
 

Wife's Aunt sat on my subwoofer for the theater system. Very few get invited to the reference room.....they don't get what we get...they start talking while you are pulling out some strange detail and they just smile like what?  Now if any of you are near Chicago suburbs let me know...Audiophiles welcome.

 

 

jrbirdman333
105 posts
 

Slow torture followed by decapitation. 

jonwolfpell
342 posts
 

Fortunately, the only house guests I have over (or want) know me well & that I'm serious about my sound sound & at least know its very expensive & not be be touched. 

I think I would be like an alert jaguar ready to pounce w/ folks I didn't know anywhere near my equipment & it would be no fun for anyone anyway. 

My Dad taught us 3 boys back in the 60's that his nice system he mostly built was off limits &  we go it! Big Bozaks from kits, Dyanco pre & power amp & a Fairchild turntable (he worked for them) w/ a a 15" platter a Pritchard wooden arm! Then later, an automatic Elac Miracord 770 H w/ a Shure V - 15 type II which we were allowed to use w/ his supervision only. 

petg60
1,486 posts
 

Just be polite and ask them not to touch anything, everybody behaves like little children when things are unfamiliar to them. The ones who visited you before can respect that easily. But when there is a lot of people in the room, turntable without the lid on and speakers without grilles are a good bate for satisfying their curiosity.

 

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