Guest suddenly takes it upon herself to move my speakers


Has this ever happened to anyone here?

You have your speakers positioned just as you like them, and then a guest takes it upon themselves to suddenly move your speakers?

Obviously I’m not going to get any sympathy from anyone in the non Audio world, so I thought I’d post my frustrating experience here.

I also imagine that many of your speakers can’t simply be slid out of position due to spikes or carpeting or sheer weight. Probably a good number of you, who like me have speakers on hardwood floors, have some marks in place to be able to return speakers to their exact position. (Which I didn’t)

But a recent female first time guest was sitting on the floor positioned between the speakers as we listened and for some reason decided that they should be pointed directly at her. Now some people might think “how obnoxious,” and others might think, ‘hey, a woman who wants the toe in angle optimzed for her seating position! She’s a keeper! Let her handle whatever she wants!”

And while I did like the enthusiasm, there was a supertweeter precariously balanced atop each speaker fireing rearward that could have easily toppled off and broken. (And no, there are no kids in the house).

I still haven’t found the exact sweet spot I had them in. For a long time I felt like a bit of an audio slacker since I never installed the factory spikes or rounded cones TAD provides for the CR1’s. Until a few months ago I read on another forum that many CR1 owners choose to just keep the stands on the floor, or haven’t found a benefit to using the spikes/cones on hardwood.

Obviously I’ll use the incident to try and eventually find an even more optimal positioning than they were in, but it still irks me that someone would just assume it’s okay to move a sophisticated audio setup that they truly know nothing about.

emailists
+1 big-greg, jl35.  I don’t think the OP’s guest knew what she was doing. Maybe it’s more like watching a TV show, and turning the TV slightly so it is more viewable from your seat. Yes, you should always ask first… But I imagine she did not know the implications. @onhwy61 and others with similar statements, I do not get your premise that you standby and watch while a guest does something drstructive, either out of ignorance or malevolence… A host only need practice kindness, not foolishness. OP: What happened to you while you watched as your guest rearranged you speakers?  Were you paralyzed? Others who are incensed: if it were you, would you also have just stood by and watched and then gotten resentful?

Where did I say "standby and watch"?  I said to either make your system unavailable or accept some responsibility for what may happen.  Is that hard to understand?
glupson

I understand the mathematical point. I truly do. However, having some kind of attachment to humans rather than to some inanimate object is what I am talking about. It may be whatever kind of difference, but I had people put glasses all over the place and I never got upset. It is simply that once I invite a person, that one is welcome to feel at home. Including opening refrigerator, moving speakers, etc. What kind of host restricts guests? Again, maybe different world and values we all have.

I think you are imagining some false dichotomy. You, the chill, friendly host, me (or others) uptight, breaking in to some party-pooping anger.

No. Someone puts their drink on my speaker, I solve the problem by getting a tray or coaster and putting the drink on that for them. People feel very at home in my place. I host people all the time (I have guests coming tonight to watch a movie, had guests a couple days ago watching movies), my place is the de facto gathering place for certain big sporting events (I have a great home theater room with a big projection screen) and everyone raves about the experience.

But, for instance, there is a speaker covered in black velvet (to disappear in low light near the projection screen) near the room entrance. I will sometimes point out to new guests the presence of that speaker so they’ll know not to bump in to it by mistake and possibly knock it over.No one’s time is spoiled by this and usually they thank me for letting them know.

I don’t want my equipment to be ruined; my guests don’t want to unknowingly ruin my equipment either. This is not some non-negotiable situation that can only mean me being a prick or their being made to feel unwelcome.

Again...do YOU not care about ruining anything in someone else’s home? If YOU as a guest decide to put out a cigarette through the speaker grill of the host’s expensive speakers, do you really see that as your right, and that any consternation from the host is their fault?

If so, you’d be a truly rotten guest. If not...then I don’t know what you are going on about this "a host should let a guest do whatever he wants and everyone should be fine with that."





I actually had the solution to this problem and other uh, nosier problems a long time ago. Blindfolds. If they didn’t agree to it they didn’t come in. Problem solved! 🤗
People like to touch things. Go to any car museum, show or display and despite all the Do Not Touch signs displayed in full view, people will touch the cars.

I used to go to a lot of auto shows and it always amazed me. The same goes for museums. If guards and crowd ropes aren't present, people will go right up to a centuries old painting and touch it, knowing they shouldn't. 

Ignorance abounds and it's nothing new to anyone here so the onus is on the host to let it be known that no one touches their system. Don't let that little voice in the back of your head tell you you'll be considered weird or eccentric and hope against hope that your guest will behave. They won't. And, you know it, so some proactive measures have to be taken on your part.

I had a friend who'd intentionally touch, tweak and manhandle things just to inflict damage. He was jealous of anyone who had it better than him. It could be anything, a book or magazine, some stereo gear, or even a car and he'd mess with it. It taught me that there are myriad reasons why people do stupid things and not to trust them. Don't even try to figure them out.

All the best,
Nonoise