kids and speakers

[shaemus]

I'm finishing my basement room for a home theatre but the room will also be used by our kids (toddler and one on the way). I figure that speakers on stands are just an accident waiting to happen. So can I get away with floorstanding speakers (with some type of wall anchor like we use to stop kids from toppling shelves) or should I go with smaller wall mounted speakers? I know that wall mounted would be the safest but I would sure like the quality of sound I can get with floorstanding speakers. I figure I can protect the kids but will the speakers be safe?

Any parents out there with some helpful suggestions?

[cam]

I'm finishing my basement room for a home theatre but the room will also be used by our kids (toddler and one on the way). I figure that speakers on stands are just an accident waiting to happen. So can I get away with floorstanding speakers (with some type of wall anchor like we use to stop kids from toppling shelves) or should I go with smaller wall mounted speakers? I know that wall mounted would be the safest but I would sure like the quality of sound I can get with floorstanding speakers. I figure I can protect the kids but will the speakers be safe?

Any parents out there with some helpful suggestions?
With floorstanders or standmount speakers which I have had both, my biggest problem wasn't that they were going to be knocked over, but was that my 2 kids friends would poke at the grill. My 2 kids knew better but whenever they had friends over I would have to moniter them full time. I wouldn't worry about them being knocked over as long as you have good stable stands, preferably with the ability to fill them with sand. Floorstanders usually have some sort of feet that can be leveled and as long as you spent some time to get them stable you should be fine. Just some advice, never, I mean never, take off the grill in front of your little ones, the next thing you will notice is that they will try to take off the grill and will be poking where they shouldn't be poking. It is best if they do not know the grill comes off.

[topspeed]

I agree with Cam, especially about grill removal. If you get floorstanders, get ones that have an outrigger type of base like NHT's ST4 or have one made for whatever you buy. The problem with today's narrow baffle speakers is that they can be easily tipped over. The outriggers really help in this regard.

[RGA]

Four Pea sized balls of Blu Tak from speaker to stand and it is doubtful a child is going to be able to tip them over - especially if the stand is filled.

Keep the grills on - teach kids not to touch speakers - respect for property etc.

[NickWH]

Four Pea sized balls of Blu Tak from speaker to stand and it is doubtful a child is going to be able to tip them over - especially if the stand is filled.

Are you for real? I'm not a parent but I've been around many young ones. They will just knock the whole thing right over.


Keep the grills on - teach kids not to touch speakers - respect for property etc

Ha! That is a good one. Really.

Look, if you truly want your gear (and children) to be safe, on-wall or in-wall or nothing at all. It's as simple as that. The higher up, the better. If you want full-range sound, use a quality powered subwoofer. You can use some pretty hefty monitors with good mounting hardware screwed directly into the studs. There should not be much of a compromise here, audio-wise.

[Weister42]

I'm finishing my basement room for a home theatre but the room will also be used by our kids (toddler and one on the way). I figure that speakers on stands are just an accident waiting to happen. So can I get away with floorstanding speakers (with some type of wall anchor like we use to stop kids from toppling shelves) or should I go with smaller wall mounted speakers? I know that wall mounted would be the safest but I would sure like the quality of sound I can get with floorstanding speakers. I figure I can protect the kids but will the speakers be safe?

Any parents out there with some helpful suggestions?

You could tie the speaker wire to the stand and add extra mass to stablize it if you use small speakers, most floorstanding speakers are heavy enough to be stable, but if kids really wants to knock something over, they probably will :(

I'm not a parent but I have to deal with drunk college people, not sure which is worse? I have two pairs of speaker stacked ontop of each other and if one decides to fall that's 70lbs. of dead weight...

[topspeed]

Another way to stabilize your speaker is to use an extending curtain rod, like those used for shower curtains, and put one end on the top of the speaker and the other end extended to the ceiling. A friend of mine did this for "audiophile" reasons (quelling cabinet resonance or some nonsense) but it was also a great way to keep the speaker stable. Trust me, your kid would have to hit the speaker like Ray Lewis to knock it over.

Just an idea

[Beckman]

Try:

http://www.bracketsandstands.com/brackets6.htm

Todlers like to climb I would go with bookshelf speakers until they are at least 25. Just don't get electrostatic speakers.

[markw]

Four Pea sized balls of Blu Tak from speaker to stand and it is doubtful a child is going to be able to tip them over - especially if the stand is filled.

Keep the grills on - teach kids not to touch speakers - respect for property etc.

Spoken like one who has no experience whatever with young children.

Kids can topple ANY speaker. And, kids will be kids.

[skeptic]

Building a HT into a wall is a good idea. Build a room at one end about 5 feet deep across the width of the basement. Frame out openings in the wall for A television set, speakers, and equipment. Mount the equipment on shelves inside the room and you will have access to the back for connections and servicing. You can even put doors on the openings which you can lock when they are not it use. Out of sight, out of mind.

[shaemus]

Spoken like one who has no experience whatever with young children.

Kids can topple ANY speaker. And, kids will be kids.

So am I to assume that your vote is for wall mounted?

I agree that speakers on stands will be high maintenance. Are floorstanders out? Am I likely to find a pen sticking out of my speakers?

If it helps at all. I am thinking seriously between Paradigm's On-Wall Moniter5 or the floor standing Monitor7 in front. The rears will be wall mounted.

Thanks for everybody's input so far.

[cam]

So am I to assume that your vote is for wall mounted?

I agree that speakers on stands will be high maintenance. Are floorstanders out? Am I likely to find a pen sticking out of my speakers?

If it helps at all. I am thinking seriously between Paradigm's On-Wall Moniter5 or the floor standing Monitor7 in front. The rears will be wall mounted.

Thanks for everybody's input so far.
You might find a pen sticking out of your speakers one day. I do not know how your kids behave. In my home my kids are not aloud to have toys, pens,paper or anything in the family room. Very strict rule in my home! I don't know about the grill on the on-wall monitor 5's but I do know that on the monitor 7's, the grill consists of a interwoven plastic mesh covered by fabric. It is impossible to push the fabric with your hand and come anywhere near touching the speakers. The 7's are a narrow speaker but they do have adjustable outrigger feet. The 9's are a little bit wider and heavier which in turn would be harder to topple over.

[shaemus]

You might find a pen sticking out of your speakers one day. I do not know how your kids behave. In my home my kids are not aloud to have toys, pens,paper or anything in the family room. Very strict rule in my home! I don't know about the grill on the on-wall monitor 5's but I do know that on the monitor 7's, the grill consists of a interwoven plastic mesh covered by fabric. It is impossible to push the fabric with your hand and come anywhere near touching the speakers. The 7's are a narrow speaker but they do have adjustable outrigger feet. The 9's are a little bit wider and heavier which in turn would be harder to topple over.

Ya, I'm aware of the plastic grill on the Paradigms and I believe that feature is on the on-wall monitor5. Your point regarding no toys etc. is appreciated. I guess I'm hoping that the room could actually be an activity room for the kids in addition to our home theatre. Of course when they're small they'll be supervised (16 months now and one on the way), but as they get older, and with teaching, I'm hoping they'll know better.

Wishful thinking?

Incidentally, even the on-wall monitor5 may be subject to tampering if not mounted high enough, I suppose.

[Bryan]

With my neice and nephew the simplist thing to do was to train them from the day they were born. Stay away from their uncle's speakers. When a hand would go near or curiousity arose they were verbally warned. Second time a stronger warning was issued. Third time, either the hand got slapped or the bottom got spanked. More a shocker than anything else as they know better. Of course, they give you that "I don't believe you did that look." But they know why they were punished and that is the end of it. My speakers at that time were nOrh ceramic 4.0s on stands. If kids can learn to stay away from those then floorstanders won't be a problem.

[aurobot]

i have three kids (6, 3, infant) and i throw the 6 and 3 year old off the scent by allowing the speakers to blend into the background. I know fine audio is sometimes about critical placement and ideal conditions, but i'd rather emerge from my kids' grade school phase with speakers intact than insist on critical placement and have nothing in the end. So I have some heavy bookshelves that are anchored to the floor and the speakers are basically hidden amongst the books. I have a fairly small set of speakers so that is totally doable for me. the thing is, put any item on a pedestal and people, including kids, will pay attention to it. in the case of kids, they zero in on it, pay it so much attention that eventually something WILL get broken. But try to make it part of the wallpaper and kids forget they are even there. Some of you trying this method will either have to sacrifice ideal placement for a few years, or have something custom built to achieve it. It is way, way worth the compromise in my experience. What also goes away is the comments from other adult family members about how all that electronic junk clutters the living room. Believe me, find a nice antique cabinet for your components (that matches the wood already in the room, dummy!) and hide the speakers away on multitasking shelving units and enjoy some domestic bliss.