Monitors are falling

While Jeff's suggestion is the best (and I will fight the desire to add a long diatribe about parents that overly coddle their kids, never teach them proper boundaries, end up with little monsters and then wonder "where did we go wrong"...) (didn't fight that impulse too hard, huh?), this thread got me to thinking.

The ideas regarding heavy stands are good, but if they *are* tipped over the results could be disasterous to a small child. Same with a speaker falling off a stand. The first idea that came to mind was to suspend the speakers from the ceiling, but that has it's downfalls and really only changes the "tipping" issue to a "swinging" one. So how about this?

Would adding a safety wire (picture a length of piano wire attached to each corner of the stand that is in turn attached to a single wire fastened to the ceiling. It would only be taut enough to take out any slack. This would not only keep stands from being tipped over, if properly designed could also help keep the speakers from toppling off the stands. Sonically it would have little effect (I think) and wouldn't be too offensive from the WAF perspective. Combined with filled stands, Blue Tack, etc. this might be a reasonable solution. Just trying to be helpful.

Doug, like you I sold off my Apogee Duettas fearing some kid would ruin them. Jeez I miss those speakers. Went to Martin Logan Quest Z's and you're right, poke and prod to your heart's content. Sorry if my rambling on about child-rearing appeared pretentious to anyone. Jeff

Slingshot--don't know about the Aerius as I don't own them. However, I can say the SL3 is more stable than it's tall figure would imply. The weight is on the bottom (like many of us) so they are not easily tipped.

Maybe some Blu-Tak under the "slider" feet that come with 'Logans would help glue them to your floors. Don't know what 'tak does to oak flooring...

Good luck!

I bought the Acoustat Monitor III's before I was married. Had them for 18 years while my kids were growing up--they even outlasted my marriage! They were tall with a big, hot tube amp on the back side. The only problems I had was with the cats clawing the fabric and once I accidently watered the amp instead of the plant beside it. Youch! I then thought I would upgrade to the ML SL3. Yes, my teenager managed to knock that over pretty easily! Put a small gouge in the woodwork. So I'm not sure there's an easy answer here! Listen to your wife (WAF rules!), get something that will be rock solid stable or at least out of the way. Plan on living with it for a while....kids are expensive.

I do plan on my child having limits and rules ... unlike some of our friend's kids. I just need to make sure that a tumbling monitor doesn't seriously injure my kid as she chases the dog or a friend around the living room.