Guest suddenly takes it upon herself to move my speakers
Has this ever happened to anyone here?
You have your speakers positioned just as you like them, and then a guest takes it upon themselves to suddenly move your speakers?
Obviously I’m not going to get any sympathy from anyone in the non Audio world, so I thought I’d post my frustrating experience here.
I also imagine that many of your speakers can’t simply be slid out of position due to spikes or carpeting or sheer weight. Probably a good number of you, who like me have speakers on hardwood floors, have some marks in place to be able to return speakers to their exact position. (Which I didn’t)
But a recent female first time guest was sitting on the floor positioned between the speakers as we listened and for some reason decided that they should be pointed directly at her. Now some people might think “how obnoxious,” and others might think, ‘hey, a woman who wants the toe in angle optimzed for her seating position! She’s a keeper! Let her handle whatever she wants!”
And while I did like the enthusiasm, there was a supertweeter precariously balanced atop each speaker fireing rearward that could have easily toppled off and broken. (And no, there are no kids in the house).
I still haven’t found the exact sweet spot I had them in. For a long time I felt like a bit of an audio slacker since I never installed the factory spikes or rounded cones TAD provides for the CR1’s. Until a few months ago I read on another forum that many CR1 owners choose to just keep the stands on the floor, or haven’t found a benefit to using the spikes/cones on hardwood.
Obviously I’ll use the incident to try and eventually find an even more optimal positioning than they were in, but it still irks me that someone would just assume it’s okay to move a sophisticated audio setup that they truly know nothing about.
Aren't the Tad CR1s over 100 lbs, with the stands adding more weight ? Not easy to move, and certainly, she was out of line. Balancing super tweeters on top of them would also be tricky, as the tops are not a flat surface. The closest I ever got to an experience such as this, was a gf once turned off the power to some of my gear, without her realizing I left the gear on, 24 / 7. This was my fault, as I should have explained this to her. Anyway, although it would be exciting to meet a woman who is an audiophile / music lover, it is my opinion, an act like this, shows total disrespect, with signs of arrogance an narcissism.
It's all good, pops. Nothing I said was meant to offend but to reflect on what is said as this thread seemed to be taking a turn for the worse, which is getting commonplace, good intentions aside.
I was just looking at other threads past performance as an indicator. I guess that makes me the party pooper.
Nonoise how do you know I am a male? Most people on these sites prefer anonymity. I have been a Agon member for 20 years and have kept it that way. Sometimes joking on this site inevitably rubs someone wrong or is misunderstood. In this case WG took it wrong and as bad taste. I certainly didn’t mean it that way. The first think that came to my mind was the Lenny Kravitz song along what I assumed to be a not so serious post. Sorry if I offended anyone.
moving the speakers is at least better than touching the drivers...but I guess if you don't know you don't know...most people have no idea that speakers are carefully positioned...
Last Winter, the day before we were going to leave for New Orleans, my baseboard heating in living room sprung a leak. When the oil company came to repair it, I told the 2 Techs to be very careful around my speakers, not to touch them or move them. (they were not in the way). After the techs left, I noticed my right speaker had been dragged away from its resting place and the inserts for the threaded spikes were broken and 2 of the spikes had sheared off.
I complained to the oil company and the techs denied it. I had to buy a new plinth and spikes for the speakers from GE at my expense. Not only that but the flawless piano black lacquered speaker had multiple scratches, fingerprints and smelled like oil. The owner of the oil company would no do anything. He said I should have moved them before the techs got there.
I changed oil company’s after that and when I received the bill for the heating repair, I sent it back with the invoice for the new parts for my speaker which was more than the cost of the heating repair. I Never paid them.
It's hard to discern the intent behind the post on a venue like this. One need only to remember that there are women in this hobby and on this site and it's the casualness of comments that can lead one to think that we've not come a long way, baby (to coin a bad phrase).
Another opportunity for a plethora of rampant sexism...man...I assume "pops" meant he'd knock her out with a Cosby drug as clearly he displays the insecurity of a true coward. Speak to any of the strong women in my life with the weird disdain and sexism shown here and I promise it will end badly for you. Wake up.
Not woman related but I had some uncouth tradesman in the basement man cave. I checked in on him to find him unscrewing a sheet of sheetrock from the ceiling and putting the dusty screws on the pool table. I politely asked him not to do that, no way, never, thanks man. I had to do stuff upstairs and popped back down 20 mins later to find dozens more screws and plaster dust on the walnut plinth of my Garrard 401.
People here are getting really worked up about this. The OP stated that he appreciated her interest but could have told her not to do that. Awkward as that would be, it would have ended right there and then. I've been in the same situation and it is awkward. I once had to tell a handyman not to stand on my speaker cable. He moved. Conflict over and done with.
I wonder how many here who would have harmed her would do the same if it were a man, or would they simply speak up and explain things. I guess we can add misogynist to our growing list of biases. Some take the term, boys club, a bit too literally.
I can’t imagine taking it upon myself to just move around someone else’s furniture or speakers in their own house, without asking (and having a darned good reason!).
The closest I get to that is the fact that my 2 channel listening room doubles as a living room/home theater room, so there are often guests over.
I’m amazed how many guests have no respect for, or idea of, valuable speakers. Usually. my speakers are fairly striking and of obvious high quality finish (I like good aesthetics) and yet guests constantly lean on the speakers, place their hands on them while talking, and even sometimes put their drinks on the speakers! These people are still stuck in their animal-house-dorm idea of what stereo equipment is - speakers are as much ash tray holders as music producers.
I don’t care WHAT piece of furniture or equipment I was aware of in someone else’s home. Especially if it looked expensive I’d be CAREFUL around it.
On a more serious note, this one guy at work thought all my talk about the tiny things I can hear was BS. So when I host a little work party he decides to play this little prank. Only it made no sense but then people like him seldom do. Because what he did was move it when no one was looking. Only it made no sense because I was playing music for everyone else, so he only was ruining it for everyone else. But I guess since he was dumb enough to believe it makes no difference then he wouldn't know that either.
Anyway, his bad luck. Because as it happened the next one was a little older and the record she wanted to hear I thought should be played at a different level so while everyone had wandered out of the room I decided to put it on just to level check.
Immediately noticed the balance was off. The Aronov integrated I was using back then had individual volume controls which was a hassle and sometimes I would screw up. So quick double-check, no that's not it. Sat down again, listened, knew what it was, pulled out the tape measure (fastest way by far) made the adjustment, sat down to double-check. Okay fine.
This whole process took like a minute. Two at the most. If you count from the time the record went on. Yes I am that good.
Only as I was leaving the room did I notice Ron standing in the doorway, and the story was written on his face. All the frustration, astonishment, guilt, and disbelief.
Just one of many stories illustrating how much better people hear than people think they can hear. I have others. Lots of em.
The speakers should be spiked for optimum sound.Anybody moves my speakers would not be asked back to my home however my MAGICOs weight 250 pounds so 1 person could not move them.I would tell people please enjoy your system but do not touch anything.Good luck though!!
If so, it would seem she has good ears but is also a bit rude. The rudeness will present itself again in other ways, too. Personally, I wouldn't want to put up with it.
Thats a bit strange honestly. I’d take that as a red flag. To her credit, she at least understands the importance of speaker placement. To her discredit, her enjoyment, and placement, of your stuff is more important to her than your enjoyment, or placement, of your stuff. I spent hours dialing in my friends LS50’s (he wanted me to) and came back a week later only to see his cleaning lady moved them in order to vacuum; I wonder if its the same woman....
And on another side note, I was at my local stereo shop listening to some personas and the other customer asked if he could change the toe in of one speaker. The look on the sales guys face was priceless. I’m sure he wanted to say “are you nuts, Paradigms rep spent hours setting these up” but instead, he politely said “sure”.
Frankly, that's a rather obnoxious move on your guest's part. A long time ago I started lying about what my system costs. Right now if anyone asks its $20,000. Keeps everyone but the most nervy guest pretty far away from anything.
No but I visited a Friend who had his monitors sitting directly on a wood floor and I had to assert great restraint. I am going to find that guy a pair of stands.
I would have told her that I spent months getting the speakers tuned and that she ruined it. I also would have asked her why she didn’t ask first. Thirdly, she would never be invited into my home again.
Well, this is a reminder of what a blessing it is to have a well broken in audiophile wife. Since this is a first time guest, I assume you don't know her well. I'd watch carefully. This could be an early indicator of egocentricity, or it could be an early indication of a golden eared gem in training.
I've made the same mistake myself. Got the speakers very well positioned, and didn't have sense to leave well enough alone or use a bit of scotch tape to mark the position. Won't make that mistake again.
Duke has the perfect idea. Get yourself a laser tape measure ,invite her back, open a nice bottle of wine, measure exactly from side walls, front wall, rear wall, toe in, laugh about her moving them on you.
Find the sweet spot, marry her, enjoy life listening together and growing old.
You now have the perfect excuse to invite her back for a speaker-position-tweaking session! And her ears may be better at it than yours, because she is probably completely free of our preconceived notions!
Audiophile etiquette can be picked up but audiophile enthusiasm for "dialing it in" cannot. If she innately cares that much about sound quality, dude, give it every possible chance to work out between you.
I have that covered. Anyone who tries to move my speakers is going to get a 6000 volt shock from my custom adjustable high voltage power supply which I felt no need to cover. Certainly not UL approved:)
One Christmas day I watched in horror as my mother-in-law backed into my Martin Logan Aerius and tipped it over. I swear it seemed like I was watching it all unfold in front of me in slow motion
Give her a break. Women tends to be touchy before and during valentines day. seriously though, she’s “at home”. Either a good thing or a bad thing?; only you can decide.
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