Cat resistant speakers

[kemmler3D]

Hello, I'm looking for new speakers (as I do from time to time). However, my cat has a history of ruining drivers- he likes to stab the woofer's surround with his claw.
It happened twice before (and was quite expensive to replace), so for the past few years I'm always with the grills on (which luckily the cat ignores). This time I want to be able to use the speakers "as nature intended" (grills off). For this purpose, I believe Kef speakers would be perfect due to their recessed drivers, in which the surrounds are hidden, so I'm considering the Kef R7 Meta. Does anyone know any other speakers worth checking with similar (or other) woofer protection? I prefer to have a few more options if such exist (passive only).

I have LS60s and while one of the cat likes to jump on top of them, they haven't messed with the surrounds. The same cat had ruined a surround as a kitten by using it to climb up the speakers, FWIW.

 

[ban25]

My cat does not touch my KEFs. She seems to ignore them entirely. YMMV, however.

 

[Philbo King]

Maybe wrap them in electrified chicken fence?

 

[Axo1989]

Thanks guys. Just a reminder- the whole point is to be able to use the speakers with the grills OFF. To be able to see the round thingies wobble a bit.

Audio Physic reference series models with glass outer finish and internally-mounted subwoofer like Avanti, Codex, Avantera or Cardeus. Impossible to scratch (by the cat I mean) no access to the low-mounted sub-bass driver/s, too slippery to climb to reach the higher mounted mid-bass/mid/treble (they also come with magnetically attached conventional fabric grilles, and glass substitutes that expose the drivers for your viewing pleasure). Our cats are entirely agile, routinely exploring the rafters in the same listening room, but have never climbed the speakers. Or even jumped down onto them, the landing area on top is small and slippery.

Edit: I guess you don't get to see the hidden subwoofer move, but if you crank it up, the midwoofer will do the same trick.

 

[Sal1950]

There isnt a thing as cat resistant speakers or child resistant ones either. I found my grandson once going around the house pressing in all the dome tweeters
he could find.

How many of his fingers did you break?
I would think not more than 2 would be needed to cure him of this bad behavior.

 

[flysouth]

these are not going to get touched. https://amphion.fi/products/argon3ls/

all the models have grills built in.

 

[napilopez]

I also was going to suggest speakers that are designed to sound and maybe look best with the grilles on. The Wharfdale Lintons (and maybe the newer Denton's) are designed with the grilles on as the primary way of listening. The Amphions are decent options.

But if you want grille off to see the woofers do their thing, the only speaker I can think of with exposed woofers that'll definitely survive a cat attack are the Devialet speakers. Those things are built with ridiculously sturdy woofers. Last time I used them the software was a pain, but it's been a few years and they sounded good.

 

[ban25]

I have never run the grills on my R11s (in fact, I'm not even sure where I stowed them), but I have a suspicion that my cat would actually be *more* attracted to the grills, since they would be something she could easily get her claws into!

 

[Pareto Pragmatic]

...he likes to stab the woofer's surround with his claw.

I can give you lots of advice for cats in general. However, your cat likes this? Likes the feel and the sound probably, it feels like a "kill" is my guess. Which means you cannot change it while you have that cat. That cat will always hunt drivers, and the fact that they are "hiding" behind the grills just makes it all the better when they can be attacked.

Best thing you can do is only take the grills off when listening, and put them back on when you leave the room.

I do a have a floor to ceiling cat tree, and training cats (ideally as kittens) where it is ok to scratch works well. Just move them to the right spot. The key is putting tree/posts in places they want to mark. Near but not right next to doors to the outside is a good spot. And being immediate with your redirecting.

Assuming you have a good relationship with your cat, you can try this. Get the most dirt cheap speakers you can find, broken is fine. Let the cat kill those, praise him, give him a treat if he is food oriented. Then when he looks at and approaches your real speakers, gently tell him no and redirect him to the sacrificial speakers. My experience has been that if you give a cat what they want, they will let you have what you want. They will cooperate, they just have to understand and feel like you understand them.

It might work, but I would still try to keep the grills on for a long time when I was not in the room.