Child friendly hifi speakers.
Discussion
At the moment I have a crawling, climbing 8 month old and stand mounted bookshelf speakers. The 2 aren't a great mix. I'm steering my son away from the speakers but want to minimise risk.
Ideally I'd like some low, broad floorstanders but you can't buy them new anymore (that I've seen). I don't mind buying vintage speakers but I'm worried that my Cambridge Audio 640a amp will be too much for them at 75w and will blow them. Are my concerns correct?
Ideally I'd like some low, broad floorstanders but you can't buy them new anymore (that I've seen). I don't mind buying vintage speakers but I'm worried that my Cambridge Audio 640a amp will be too much for them at 75w and will blow them. Are my concerns correct?
I had a phone conversation with the 12yo son the other day where he told me he had put a 'Now' CD on and wanged the volume up to full. It was rather scary, evidently.
It might be my imagination but my Rega Ela floor standers now have a buzz to them.
The hi-fi worries don't end when the kids get older unfortunately!
It might be my imagination but my Rega Ela floor standers now have a buzz to them.
The hi-fi worries don't end when the kids get older unfortunately!
phil_cardiff said:
At the moment I have a crawling, climbing 8 month old and stand mounted bookshelf speakers. The 2 aren't a great mix. I'm steering my son away from the speakers but want to minimise risk.
Ideally I'd like some low, broad floorstanders but you can't buy them new anymore (that I've seen). I don't mind buying vintage speakers but I'm worried that my Cambridge Audio 640a amp will be too much for them at 75w and will blow them. Are my concerns correct?
Isn't it possible to make your speaker stands much more stable and then attach the speakers securely to the stands ?Ideally I'd like some low, broad floorstanders but you can't buy them new anymore (that I've seen). I don't mind buying vintage speakers but I'm worried that my Cambridge Audio 640a amp will be too much for them at 75w and will blow them. Are my concerns correct?
Some stands are designed to be mass loaded by lead shot or dry sand. If your stands can't be mass loaded then possibly a heavy weight such as a paving slab, could be fitted to the bottom of the stand. The speakers could be attached to the stands using double sided self adhesive foam tape.
This would be a low cost solution without any concerns regarding power handling.
Crackie said:
phil_cardiff said:
At the moment I have a crawling, climbing 8 month old and stand mounted bookshelf speakers. The 2 aren't a great mix. I'm steering my son away from the speakers but want to minimise risk.
Ideally I'd like some low, broad floorstanders but you can't buy them new anymore (that I've seen). I don't mind buying vintage speakers but I'm worried that my Cambridge Audio 640a amp will be too much for them at 75w and will blow them. Are my concerns correct?
Isn't it possible to make your speaker stands much more stable and then attach the speakers securely to the stands ?Ideally I'd like some low, broad floorstanders but you can't buy them new anymore (that I've seen). I don't mind buying vintage speakers but I'm worried that my Cambridge Audio 640a amp will be too much for them at 75w and will blow them. Are my concerns correct?
Some stands are designed to be mass loaded by lead shot or dry sand. If your stands can't be mass loaded then possibly a heavy weight such as a paving slab, could be fitted to the bottom of the stand. The speakers could be attached to the stands using double sided self adhesive foam tape.
This would be a low cost solution without any concerns regarding power handling.
Tom_C76 said:
Don't think floor standing speakers will solve your problems, the dog has knocked mine over a couple of times. Problem seems to be that all the mass is high up, and they're Kef Q5s so not a very stable shape anyway.
The speakers I'm after are the vintage type that are usually about 50cm high and 30cm wide and deep, so much more square and stable than your Q5s. I hope it'll work.I can't put mine on bookshelves due to a window getting in the way!
paving slabs aren't good for domestic harmony but adding extra mass to the base of the stand doesn't have to be that agricultural; there are companies who make plinths which will add mass and give a much larger footprint. Some of these might even pass the WAF test. http://www.oregondv.com/Floor_Standing_Speaker_Sta...Imho the tape is a non issue because it wouldn't be seen when installed but it sounds to me like you've set you're heart on some new speakers.
Whichever way you go, good luck.
Edited by Crackie on Friday 4th July 14:17
Vintage floorstanders tend to be shallow front to back - so you run a greater risk of the speaker being pulled over on to the child.
When my two kids were going through the crawling / growing up phase, my speakers and HiFi stayed right where it was, and my kids were adequately supervised.
I never had a problem.
Also - double sided tape will just tear with the amount of leverage offered by a speaker on top of a speaker stand.
If you really had to go down that road, you would need to screw the speakers to the stands, and in turn bolt said stand to any concrete supports you use.
You might just as well fix the stands to the floor. That would probably improve your bass anyway.
When my two kids were going through the crawling / growing up phase, my speakers and HiFi stayed right where it was, and my kids were adequately supervised.
I never had a problem.
Also - double sided tape will just tear with the amount of leverage offered by a speaker on top of a speaker stand.
If you really had to go down that road, you would need to screw the speakers to the stands, and in turn bolt said stand to any concrete supports you use.
You might just as well fix the stands to the floor. That would probably improve your bass anyway.
TonyRPH said:
Vintage floorstanders tend to be shallow front to back - so you run a greater risk of the speaker being pulled over on to the child.
When my two kids were going through the crawling / growing up phase, my speakers and HiFi stayed right where it was, and my kids were adequately supervised.
I never had a problem.
Also - double sided tape will just tear with the amount of leverage offered by a speaker on top of a speaker stand.
If you really had to go down that road, you would need to screw the speakers to the stands, and in turn bolt said stand to any concrete supports you use.
You might just as well fix the stands to the floor. That would probably improve your bass anyway.
I'm confident we'll adequately supervise my children too. However I’m risk adverse and I want to minimise potential problems. I take on board your point about vintage speakers and will have a good look at any I may purchase. When my two kids were going through the crawling / growing up phase, my speakers and HiFi stayed right where it was, and my kids were adequately supervised.
I never had a problem.
Also - double sided tape will just tear with the amount of leverage offered by a speaker on top of a speaker stand.
If you really had to go down that road, you would need to screw the speakers to the stands, and in turn bolt said stand to any concrete supports you use.
You might just as well fix the stands to the floor. That would probably improve your bass anyway.
I'm not screwing my stands to the floor...
TonyRPH said:
double sided tape will just tear with the amount of leverage offered by a speaker on top of a speaker stand.
If you really had to go down that road, you would need to screw the speakers to the stands,
Hi Tony, it does need to be the right tape but in my experience tape will easily be strong enough. Google 3M VHB and have a look at a demo video. If you really had to go down that road, you would need to screw the speakers to the stands,
Funk said:
Wall brackets. The speakers can stay at the right height but without the stands underneath. When sprog is old enough remove and put back on stands, fill mounting holes.
Shouldn't be more than £50 for decent ones and if they're on a solid wall they'll sound fine too.
If only you could screw wall brackets to a window...Shouldn't be more than £50 for decent ones and if they're on a solid wall they'll sound fine too.
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