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

I have specially sewn covers that fit over the grills and cover the whole speaker,

I leave them in place when I feel insecure about the company I have.

Play music or not the guests don't seem to care but I worry less.

Now my male dog will mark everything if I am not around so we employ

blankets to complete the look. 

 

+1 for Uncledemp

I'm happy for anyone to come in and listen, choose what to play, etc.  But I do ease a little bit closer so I can intervene if anyone starts to reach for anything.  Especially the little kids.  Every room has at least one complete system.  No dedicated listening room.  Every room is for living and for listening.  Music is all over the house almost all of the time.

Audiophiles why don't others enjoy this hobby? Same audiophiles you must sit centered don't move and don't touch anything. No wonder audiophiles are lonely.

Sounds like some of your friends behave like ill-mannered children. Replace them.

33 yrs ago I owned 1 ohm Apogee Scintillas in my great room. Loved them! A friend brought his 4 young kids over for a cookout. I found one child laying in his side, kicking the bottom of the woofer ribbon repeatedly. Surprised to see no damage because all that protected the aluminum panel was a thin nylon sock. His parents thought that was amusing. I didn't. I let him live to see his 7th birthday. I did build a home with a separate listening room that nobody accesses without my permission, with limited seating. I love sharing listening sessions but not too much with non-audiophiles - usually they don't care to know how to listen; don't want to be taught, and will find the most critical musical moment to talk to anyone who is actually listening. It ruins the experience, but everyone get a chance! BTW, my current Apogee Divas are 32 yrs old, refurbished by Bill Thalman in VA 7 yrs ago, have never had any evil beset upon them! Superb speakers! Apogee made great equipment, and for classical, jazz and folk listeners nothing beat them IMHO. Happy listening!