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

Some people want to touch everything, like two year olds who never grew up.

Wonder why they don't want to touch red-hot exposed tubes?   Post sign saying anyone who touches the speakers must touch the tubes.

Get Electrostatic speakers and tell them they operate on 6000 volts and if they touch them they could wind up on the moon. 

Put up a sign that says this;

                                                         Achtung!

      Das machine ist nicht fur gerfingerpoken und mittengraben. Ist easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und poppencorken mit spitzensparken. Ist nicht fur gerwerken by Dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseeren keepin hands in das pockets, relaxien und watch das blinkinlights.

My speakers are about the only thing exposed most everything else enclosed (sans pre on top and TT).  GFs tribe here for xmas and was nervous ++.   I moved them back closer to the wall and I think my GF warned her outfit of my sensitivity.  Everyone stayed clear of the rig as well as the large rambunctious critters. One of the reasons I no longer have pets as I got tired of critter control in general. 

Couple years ago one of my friends came over and he leaned on one of my speakers and I quickly diverted him by moving to another room.   If somebody starts scrutinizing my speakers I move in close to head off problems. 

 

Guy down the street had 4 B&W 603s.  Between the grandkid's neurotic full size poodle and an over zealous cleaning lady the speaker looked tattered after a few years. Broken grills, dented tweeters.   I even notice one looked like it was sitting at an angle so I looked at the feet.  One of the front feet was almost pulled completely out of the base.  Best I could figure was cleaning lady was leaning the speaker over and jamming the sweeper underneath as I knew for a fact his wife insisted she sweep under anything that could be moved.    

@gjohns

There are two types of people in the world. Us and Them 😌

 

Agreed, though sadly compared to them we're the tiny minority.

My Tannoy Berkeley’s have solid wooden grilles with just a cutout for the 15 inch drive units.

Behind their beige fabric no one has yet realised that the grilles can be removed.

Nothing good could happen if they did.

As for this worrying tend to see some loudspeakers being sold without grilles, no, no, no!