Mana Wall shelf and Cats. Risks?

FWIW, I think you need to weigh up your priorities. I personally love cats, and believe that they can bring as much pleasure to your existence, if not more, than music. What I've noticed about cats, is that they have a knack of doing something like jumping on your turntable, just to hear you yell, "NO!!!!!" because they want your attention, either to be fed, or to be let out. I think the trick is to make it clear that you are not happy with them jumping on the turntable. Pick them up when they do, put them in another room out of the way for a few minutes, and THEN give them what they want, rather than rewarding their behaviour by giving in to them immediately. Our cat used to flex her claws on the expensive leather sofa, until she learned not to do so by being banished from the living room, except when someone was present, for a while. After a month or so, we were able to trust her alone in there when she had learnt that the most effective way of communicating to us was not to annoy us!
Cats are intelligent creatures. I only hope it has not become a case of teaching an old (cat) new tricks. I'd hate to think of one flexing its claws on my Scanspeak tweeters or the grilles!
When you have got your cats appropriately trained, you can think about upgrading your wallshelf to Mana. If this fails, you know the answer!

[This message was edited by Steven Toy on SATURDAY 23 June 2001 at 05:59.]

The problem is what happens with the cats while I am at work, sleeping etc? Are the risks with Mana real or imagined?

Jay

[This message was edited by Jaybar on SATURDAY 23 June 2001 at 09:14.]

Jaybar,

The best bet would be a Mana Reference Wall Shelf. This is a Wall Shelf with a board and a Mini Table on top which supports the glass. The Mini Table has uprights in each corner that would contain the sliding glass if the cat pushed off on the dustcover or glass. It's more likely the cat would push off the metal frame of the Mini Table which supports the glass leaving the glass in place. The frame extends about a half inch beyond the glass. You can see a picture of the Reference Shelf on the Mana website to see what it looks like.

A bare Mana wall shelf has uprights in the front but not back so there is a chance the glass may slide off the back spikes which is why I'd suggest the Mini Table. The spikes on the Wall Shelf dig into the board a bit so the board is going nowhere with the Mini Table sitting on top.

With a Mana Reference Wall Shelf the chance of the LP12 getting knocked off the Mini Table I'd say is nil, of course if the cat is the size of Vuks cat your in for some major trouble but I doubt that particular cat could jump that high.

When I had adjacent SO and Archidee floor stands which were a couple feet off the ground my cat used to sit on the amp while the system was playing. One day he jumped near LP12 while it was playing causing arm to skip... I think between scaring him and myself he never did it again.

You might also post this concern on the Mana forum and see if John Watson has any first hand experience with this situation.

Best,
John

We have tried just about everything that will not harm the cats. There are things I would consider such as Lance's suggestion that my lover (they were his cats when he moved in) won't. Suggestions re what might make the Mana more Cat friendly are deeply appreciated. Training of cat posts don't go anywhere. Thanks.

Jay

This is not a joke. I loved Jeremy's post, partially because I intitially mis-read it as "perhaps you could use your old cat as a shelf" - shades of 1001 uses for a dead cat, I guess.

Rico - all your base are belong to us.

How about; ditch the lid but put up another wall shelf above the turntable, slightly larger, with some overhang all round. You could put an ornament on it.

Hi Jaybar,

I would be more concerned about doing a John Clark than the Mana going out of tune.

I have one cat and one LP12, and I intend to keep it that way. Until very recently I used an Audiotech wall shelf – very good sound and excellent VFM.

The main reason I’m not using it at the moment is that we are redecorating and the walls have been stripped in preparation, but the choice of new décor is more difficult than choosing between an XPS and a Supercap – I digress.

I originally put my LP12 on a wall shelf to get it any from my daughter – she decided that pulling the cantilever off a Troika would be fun – but we got the cat later. Although Minou (my cat) could jump to the LP12 on the wallshelf – jumping from a window ledge to make it easy, or climbing/jumping from the floor – she rarely did, as (I think) it didn’t get her anywhere.

Now that the TT is on a floor stand (sorry not Mana) she jumps on it far more frequently, as the TT is a convenient route to where she wants to get to (normally after she has a nap (ok pun intended) on the 250).

A questions or two for you:-

Do you have to use a wallshelf? Although my TT is more feline accessible I’m not worried about it being lower.

You say your cats land on the dustlid and say that getting to the TT they use the shelf as a jumping off point. Have I misunderstood, but I read this it is all happening on the way up.

My cat could easily jump from the window ledge and land on the dustlid, and when she jumped off used the side of the TT and the wall shelf as a platform to spring from when jumping down. This descent did not worry me as it as delicate, but the ascent did. However, as the jump to the table was fairly easy due to the window ledge no damage was done – if it had been a struggle to get there I would have been more concerned about her causing damage.

Can you position the shelf to make it less accessible – by putting it higher or in a place away from jumping on points?

What are the cats doing or trying to do when they jump on your LP12?

John Gilleran is absolutely right about the Mana Reference Shelf, it is a very good product, and while great sounding it is in my opinion not as utilitarian as other Mana products.

I’ve just persuaded myself that a Refrence Shelf is a strong possibility when the redecoration is finished but I’m either going to put it v high or fairly low (and check the insurance policy first).

Chris

Its the decent that is an issue in the way you describe. These are concrete/cinderblock walls and I don't see the shelf coming down from its anchors into the wall. Nothing even close in 12 yers with a SO. I still don't understand how the reference helps. Can you enlighten me.? Thanks.

Jay

Jaybar

If you have lived with an so wallshelf for 12 years with no problem I would not try to dissuade you from Mana at all.

My concern was more sliding glass off the top spikes - ie total destruction rather than going out of tune.

I've tried to copy/post a picture of the reference shelf from the Mana Acoustics site but they keep ending up on my desktop. Sorry but try http://www.mana.co.uk/menu-f.htm.

From what you say it doesn't sound like your cats are going to destroy your LP12 (that is not a guarantee) so if you like what Mana does (Have you tried it?) and you need a wallshelf I think you should go for it.

Chris

I believe that it is not at vulnerable to cats as other Mana
as the glass just about sits inside the fram of the mini-table.

THE actual MDF "shelf: sits recessed within the frame. It does not sit on raised spikes a la Mana. It is more immune to the issues I am raising. I cant compare the mana to the SO, it would be a leap of faith.

Jay

[This message was edited by Jaybar on SUNDAY 24 June 2001 at 09:11.]

I had a cat jumping and sleeping on a CDSii problem, but by changing the stepping stones that the cat used to get on top of the CDSii ie he used to leap from the floor to the A370 to top of the main stand onto the CDsii, after an upgrade he now has to go from the Floor to top of one of the 135s to the stand to CDSii, the gap to the stand has been increased sufficiently to make the path just that bit less interesting - so the cat does not get onto the CDSii so frequently - if at all. Also the cat no longer has a very warm interim perch on the A370.

Especially with cats ymmv

Derek

Jaybar,

Your question seems rather specific, and you refuse to accept that alternative solutions may apply. I believe you're asking whether a slight shifting of the glass on a Mana wall shelf will cause it to go out of tune. Yes?

If so, then I don't think it's a problem. As I was setting up my Mana a couple of weeks back, I would occasionally nudge one of the glass shelves out of "perfect" position. When I checked the tuning in this new location, it was just as good as the old spot. For the sake of perfection, I would shift the glass back to center, but it didn't affect the tuning. (I guess the glass is flat enough to deal with it.)

I suppose if you're concerned with extreme lateral motion, you should get a reference shelf where all corners are shielding the glass. The glass can be nudged a little, but it will not fall. If you care, then you can occasionally check to see if it's been moved, and re-center it.

Although the concept of glass on spikes seems inherently unstable, it's actually quite robust when you get it loaded up with equipment. I suspect that the spikes do bite into the glass just a little, which does help.

Does that answer your question? If not, then I suggest that you repost it in a different manner, so that we can give it another try.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

I've had experience with both together - my next door neighbour's cat, Bracken, is a frequent visitor in my house. This is cool, I like animals yet don't want to be tied to a pet right now (although my girlfriend is, but that's another story).

On occasions, Bracken would jump from the sofa onto the LP12's top (it had the cover on) without any problems. Obviously I would quickly extract said cat, but the glass doesn't move one bit. The thing to remember is that laden Mana (as opposed to unladen) is pretty stable indeed, and the glass will only really move if it is given a very strong sideways knock, or if the weight of the gear on top is minimised (say, by lifting at the edges of the TT) - therefore, no real risk.

What you must be careful about, however, is leaving the lid off - if a cat jumps onto the LP12 armboard or platter, it could knock the suspension off big time, and possibly the arm could get damaged too. Therefore, leave the lid on. Can't recall if you said you had an LP12, but this goes for other TTs too, and some CD players (top loaders; keep those drawers shut in case moggie's paws end up on your laser's lens...)

John