Stand mount speaker safety and young children!!! Ls50 down!
Posted by: charlesphoto on 10 September 2016
I'll preface this by saying my two young children (girl, 4 and boy, 7) have been nothing more than stellar about the stereo, better than most roommates I've had. That is until a couple of nights ago. Suddenly from the next room came a resounding crash, and there was my four year old with a Kef Ls50 face down on her foot, still blue tacked to the heavy, cast iron, sand filled stand. Fortunately the bowl of yogurt that was in her hand stopped the fall, and not the totality of her foot or other body part. No damage to the new oak floors, but the driver in the Ls50 was toast with a gaping crash - the speaker totally shattered the bowl. A couple of small gouges to the front plastic baffle but otherwise speaker unharmed. Pic of it making the rounds at Kef HQ now I guess!
I wondered how the bowl could end up so centered on the driver. Upon further questioning, it turns out she was trying to feed the speakers because they were so hungry. "No sweetie, amps only (Naim preferably)." She must have tried pulling it closer and over it went. The Ls50's are incredibly heavy speakers, as well as the stands. It could have been a trip to the emergency room. I always worried about this potentiality, but as my kids were always so disinterested in them... My biggest fear was that it would be somebody else's child.
So, I'm now the proud owner of new pair of factory second Rega Rx3's for almost half price (can't figure out what's second about them), and couldn't be happier. Took the spikes off, backed them up to the wall with a bit of toe-in, and blu tacked them straight on to the new oak floor (new sub-floor as well). Sound absolutely freaking amazing and can take a good knock before going anywhere. Sad thing is the Ls50's were never really right for the room and amp, and I was considering trading them on anyway, but first needing to convince wife, who loved the look of the 50's, the Rega's not so much. Now need to pay for repair and take a big loss on selling (they were mint before). Oh well. Just glad she didn't get hurt. So that's my warning - if you have small children don't get too blasé - you never know when they might have that momentary psychotic break or brain fart, even if the original intention might have been well meaning.
Many years ago I had my boss and his wife stay for a couple of nights with his two young children, one about 4 the 6.
My home office at the time, was just by the front room, which also contained my Rotel speakers and technics turntable and JVC amp.
I Returned to the front room with the after dinner coffee only to notice door of office open, and 4 year old standing on the record deck, apparently he thought it would be fun to climb from office desk to deck, I grabbed him and pulled him off the deck, the dust cover was on the deck so I thought no damage done....until I had a verbal onslaught from child's mother, accusing me of over reacting... apparently the child was only trying to express himself.... they then decided to leave rather abruptly....on returning to office I noticed one speaker cone somewhat inverted.... And ortofon ff15e cartridge somewhat flattened, he must have lifted the lid before starting his climbing expedition..... 
I occasionally wake up in a cold sweat just thinking about it...
wenger2015 posted:Many years ago I had my boss and his wife stay for a couple of nights with his two young children, one about 4 the 6.
My home office at the time, was just by the front room, which also contained my Rotel speakers and technics turntable and JVC amp.
I Returned to the front room with the after dinner coffee only to notice door of office open, and 4 year old standing on the record deck, apparently he thought it would be fun to climb from office desk to deck, I grabbed him and pulled him off the deck, the dust cover was on the deck so I thought no damage done....until I had a verbal onslaught from child's mother, accusing me of over reacting... apparently the child was only trying to express himself.... they then decided to leave rather abruptly....on returning to office I noticed one speaker cone somewhat inverted.... And ortofon ff15e cartridge somewhat flattened, he must have lifted the lid before starting his climbing expedition.....
And rightly so wenger. This is the stuff nightmares are made of... seriously !
You haven't drawn any conclusion though, but a couple come instantly to mind... most obvious 'never invite your boss round to dinner'. Perhaps second most common preventative action observed by many of us... 'Don't allow children below the age of 25 into your house'.
rjstaines posted:wenger2015 posted:Many years ago I had my boss and his wife stay for a couple of nights with his two young children, one about 4 the 6.
My home office at the time, was just by the front room, which also contained my Rotel speakers and technics turntable and JVC amp.
I Returned to the front room with the after dinner coffee only to notice door of office open, and 4 year old standing on the record deck, apparently he thought it would be fun to climb from office desk to deck, I grabbed him and pulled him off the deck, the dust cover was on the deck so I thought no damage done....until I had a verbal onslaught from child's mother, accusing me of over reacting... apparently the child was only trying to express himself.... they then decided to leave rather abruptly....on returning to office I noticed one speaker cone somewhat inverted.... And ortofon ff15e cartridge somewhat flattened, he must have lifted the lid before starting his climbing expedition.....
And rightly so wenger. This is the stuff nightmares are made of... seriously !
You haven't drawn any conclusion though, but a couple come instantly to mind... most obvious 'never invite your boss round to dinner'. Perhaps second most common preventative action observed by many of us... 'Don't allow children below the age of 25 into your house'.
I was young and naive at the time.....fortunately now I am the boss 
.
I would also include mother in laws on that list as well, after coming back home when 'said lady' was on baby sitting duties , only to find a couple of pot plants re- positioned on to each speaker 
Richard Dane posted:Wenger, I'll see your flattened FF15e and inverted cone and raise you...
About 5 or 6 years ago a very good friend and his two young daughters came to stay for a long weekend. On saturday morning I came downstairs to find that the girls had been up and about since the early hours. I then noticed that the door to the music room was open and they were playing on the floor. My eyes were then immediately drawn to the fact that the SL2 grilles were off and the tweeter domes pushed in. If that wasn't bad enough, I then noticed that the "toy" they were playing with on the floor turned out to be my Naim Aro tonearm and SPU cartridge ploughing nice furrows through the wilton pile...
I bit my tongue and never said anything about it to my friend, who was going through a divorce at the time. A lesson learned though; always lock the door to the music room when children are around.
Charles, sorry to hear about the damaged speakers. We live and learn...
Richard, I'm getting sweaty palms just thinking about it....full credit for not saying anything and allowing the children to 'express themselves in such a beautiful way'......
Sentimentalism apart, I never understood why people would allow children anywhere their precious investment.
Get a grip folks!
(Still joking)
wenger2015 posted:Many years ago I had my boss and his wife stay for a couple of nights with his two young children, one about 4 the 6.
My home office at the time, was just by the front room, which also contained my Rotel speakers and technics turntable and JVC amp.
I Returned to the front room with the after dinner coffee only to notice door of office open, and 4 year old standing on the record deck, apparently he thought it would be fun to climb from office desk to deck, I grabbed him and pulled him off the deck, the dust cover was on the deck so I thought no damage done....until I had a verbal onslaught from child's mother, accusing me of over reacting... apparently the child was only trying to express himself.... they then decided to leave rather abruptly....on returning to office I noticed one speaker cone somewhat inverted.... And ortofon ff15e cartridge somewhat flattened, he must have lifted the lid before starting his climbing expedition.....
That's what you get for sucking up to your boss (and his wife?) too much
It's only money and things can be replaced, I am lucky my three girls have never been interested in my audio gear my little nephew though I always keep an eye on him when he pops round 
wenger2015 posted:Many years ago I had my boss and his wife stay for a couple of nights with his two young children, one about 4 the 6.
My home office at the time, was just by the front room, which also contained my Rotel speakers and technics turntable and JVC amp.
I Returned to the front room with the after dinner coffee only to notice door of office open, and 4 year old standing on the record deck, apparently he thought it would be fun to climb from office desk to deck, I grabbed him and pulled him off the deck, the dust cover was on the deck so I thought no damage done....until I had a verbal onslaught from child's mother, accusing me of over reacting... apparently the child was only trying to express himself.... they then decided to leave rather abruptly....on returning to office I noticed one speaker cone somewhat inverted.... And ortofon ff15e cartridge somewhat flattened, he must have lifted the lid before starting his climbing expedition.....
I assume then that she'd be equally happy with her child 'trying to express himself' with a box of matches and her car!
HiFiman posted:It's only money and things can be replaced, I am lucky my three girls have never been interested in my audio gear my little nephew though I always keep an eye on him when he pops round
My little nephew (age 6) wanted to help me unpack the Sats I had just brought home, and did actually (with my careful physical help) take one to the stand and sit it in place. He must have obviously liked the system, because he then asked me: Uncle Max, when you're about to die what will you do with it?
I told him that if it was within one week no chance, he was too small for it; but if it was in, say, ten years it would be his. At least he has great taste.