Please, DON'T TOUCH


Hello Audiogoners, I could really use your advice...

I have some visitors from Europe that will be staying at my apartment for 1 week. They also have a 6 year old. Can anyone give me any advice on how I can tell them not to touch the stereo without offending? All I can envision are curious 6 year old fingers (i.e. dimples in tweeters, pushing ten buttons at a time, etc.)

Thanks!
portugal11
Hi Seandtaylor99,
you seem to be the only one to openly acknowledge this. The others seem confrontational &/or in denial (to various degrees). Yes, this audio gear is expensive. Yes, this audio gear is expensive to fix if it breaks accidently or otherwise. Yes, this audio is our obsession. But, hell, don't put a piece of eye-candy metal above a human relationship! That's all I'm saying. Put the whole thing in perspective & realize what's of higher importance (it's not audio gear!).

It is true that advertising here is very, very strong & they get you when you are very young & condition you to give material wealth the highest pedestal. Somewhere along the line, I hope, that mature adults will be able to keep that advertising influence in check. Maybe this is occuring but at not a high enough rate?
"Somewhere along the line, I hope, that mature adults will be able to keep that advertising influence in check."

There's a whole ad. industry dedicated to making sure that doesn't ever happen. We are so immersed in advertising that, and the advertising industry is so manipulative that is very difficult for folks to step back from it all.

Recognize also that there's a difference between being wedded to ones posessions, and simply not wanting to be put in the difficult situation of having to pay a lot of money (which we all have to work for) to get something fixed. When we goof and break something we feel stupid, but if friends or family break something expensive it is quite an arkward situation.
Bombaywalla, in the words of an old rock star "there ain't no good guy, there ain't no bad guy, there's just you and me and we just disagree"
Why would a reasonable person invite a child anywhere near his audio system....I had a friend bring his child over to my home for a visit and I met them at the door and wouldn't let them in.....The kid was known to be death on speakers.....
Some people think that the tweeters atop my B&W N803s are karaoke microphones and attempt to remove them to start singing. I have my 1911 .45 ACP for those and I prevent the removal of the "microphones" beforehand.....just kidding.

No really, the suggestion to put the components in closets or their original boxes and turn the speakers towards the wall is the best one.