Need Childproofing Tips

[agiletiger]

I’ve been binge reading this site for a few months now. Getting ready to upgrade/update everything with the following goals:

1. Must be safe for kids. Have one adventurous and curious 14 months old daughter.
2. Update everything technology wise. With the exception of a 6 year old DAC, everything else is 20-40 years old - no remotes, no correction, etc.
3. Eventually move to a an HT system - currently have two different old stereo systems.
4. Must sound good. Obvious, I know. I am a conservatory trained clarinetist and conductor no longer in the business. It’s heartwarming to know that the best speakers I’ve heard are well regarded here. So naturally, I do like stuff that are well regarded here.

Let’s start with childproofing. What have worked for you all? I’m especially concerned about speakers, subwoofers, wires, etc.

 

[spacevector]

Speaker grilles, blu tak for standmount speakers and stands that can be loaded with sand and such.

What worked best for me, however, was to teach my boy how the system works and tell him that the parts were sensitive and fragile. He caught on pretty quick and protects our system when his friends come over.

 

[Helicopter]

Putting the speakers and cables in the wall and the electronics in a cabinet works best. Putting one of those kid fences around everything works pretty well. Speaker cables made from a 12ga extension cord with ring connectors instead of something more fragile with bananas work pretty well. I also put neon red tech flex over the extension cord cables so everyone sees them and no one trips on them, and they have a ton of slack so when they do get kicked, nothing ends up on the floor. Speaker grilles are never left off. Touching speakers, hitting speakers or any hifi with a toy, knocking a grill off a speaker, or walking behind the speakers results in corrective action: you get re-located to the back of the room if you're little, you have to stand with your nose in the corner if you're big.

 

[Helicopter]

Speaker grilles, blu tak for standmount speakers and stands that can be loaded with sand and such.

What worked best for me, however, was to teach my boy how the system works and tell him that the parts were sensitive and fragile. He caught on pretty quick and protects our system when his friends come over.

My 4 year old son is the only other person allowed to touch a turntable. Wife and the little girls don't know how they work.

 

[Doodski]

I used this for ferret proofing my coveted speakers. I bent it out flat and then affixed it to the front of the speakers to protect the woofers from a untrainable angry psychO ferret that insisted on killing the woofers of my floor standing transmission line towers. It had a industrial look and was cut and trimmed nicely.

 

[markb]

Let’s start with childproofing. What have worked for you all? I’m especially concerned about speakers, subwoofers, wires, etc.

For that I can recommend the Genelec 8xx0 series, and their subwoofers as well. Built like tanks: cast aluminium housing, sturdy grills, XLR connectors, overload protection, etc etc. Mine have survived a few little ones growing up and are still in great shape.

Plus, they also sound and measure great.

 

[markb]

Oh, and they also protect your kid. Minimum edge diffraction enclosure means no sharp corners anywhere.

 

[Jim Matthews]

May I suggest something a little more modest, at first?

BlueSound makes a wireless speaker called Pulse.
It integrates with their streamers, and can be controlled by a phone App.

It may not be the last word in resolution, but it is unobtrusive.

 

[possumtaters]

Use a wide console table, the height you would use for a television, with wood doors and install equipment behind doors, speakers on top of the console. Be sure to leave doors open when using equipment or install fans and proper ventilation. Speakers such as KEF LS50 Wireless II would allow you to contour the sound based on unusual placement. You could secure speakers to top of console by drilling holes bolting/screwing speakers to console. Most Revel bookshelf speakers, such as M16, M105, M106, etc., include female threaded inserts. You would just need to find mating bolts and secure to console. If you use a tall console table, like those used behind a sofa, you could place everything on top and it should be high enough to keep small hands away. Just make sure it has a back so wires are hidden. You could get some tower speakers and wedge them between a console and a two subwoofers, one on either side of the console. Subwoofer, speaker, console, speaker, subwoofer. If speakers have magnetic grills, possibly use rubber cement, or some other temporary adhesive, to secure the grills to the speakers and keep small hands away from drivers. Bookshelf secured to wall for equipment and mount speakers to wall. If using speaker stands fill with sand. Another option is to secure stands to floor using screws and securing speakers to stands using screws or adhesive, permanent or temporary. Maybe utilize room correction if using non-traditional speaker placement. Good luck!

 

[agiletiger]

May I suggest something a little more modest, at first?

BlueSound makes a wireless speaker called Pulse.
It integrates with their streamers, and can be controlled by a phone App.

It may not be the last word in resolution, but it is unobtrusive.

I don’t think this will be the road I go down but one of the mini speakers would be great for my business trips. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[agiletiger]

You could get some tower speakers and wedge them between a console and a two subwoofers, one on either side of the console. Subwoofer, speaker, console, speaker, subwoofer. If speakers have magnetic grills, possibly use rubber cement, or some other temporary adhesive, to secure the grills to the speakers and keep small hands away from drivers.

This is the path of least resistance for my current state of things. I don’t have any subwoofers and have been wanting to add them.

I’ve read elsewhere online to get downfiring sealed subs to minimize the chance my kid could damage the driver or shove stuff into ports. Is this advise I should follow or no?

 

[Helicopter]

This is the path of least resistance for my current state of things. I don’t have any subwoofers and have been wanting to add them.

I’ve read elsewhere online to get downfiring sealed subs to minimize the chance my kid could damage the driver or shove stuff into ports. Is this advise I should follow or no?

That makes sense to me.

 

[Jim Matthews]

I don’t think this will be the road I go down but one of the mini speakers would be great for my business trips. Thanks for the recommendation!

I unloaded my B&W 801s when I found my toddler "Helping" by putting things into the front port. I would not have caught on, but the tennis ball got stuck.

Up on shelves, at the very least.

Avoid remote controls, unless they have a "locate" function.


*****
As to the rest of childbearing - trust your instincts. There's 8 billion of us today, how hard can it be?

 

[Jim Matthews]

I’ve read elsewhere online to get downfiring sealed subs to minimize the chance my kid could damage the driver or shove stuff into ports. Is this advise I should follow or no?

It's a *very* good idea.

 

[pjug]

Little ones love knobs, so going without knobs and just software control is a good childproofing measure. Unless you have a little one who is tech savvy then software control might be worse!

Old kids like me like knobs too so maybe you don't want to go without.

Also, Class D or even Class G or Class H might not need much ventilation so if you have low idle power amp you could consider a cabinet with doors that you can childproof.

 

[Trell]

Have a nice layout of the room so that children can run/walk in a "natural path" without bumping into things, where possible. Like, no speaker behind a door or too close to a door way. Even when lightly bumped things should not tip over.

 

[Trell]

Little ones love knobs, so going without knobs and just software control is a good childproofing measure. Unless you have a little one who is tech savvy then software control might be worse!

Old kids like me like knobs too so maybe you don't want to go without.

Also, Class D or even Class G or Class H might not need much ventilation so if you have low idle power amp you could consider a cabinet with doors that you can childproof.

Add a quiet fan or two to suck air out, though, as to not shorten the lifetime of the electronics.

 

[JWAmerica]

Don't buy front ported speakers

 

[pjug]

Don't buy front ported speakers

When they fill the rear ports with plastic dinosaurs you'll never even know it.

 

[Robin L]

First answer: Celibacy.*
Don't forget those little plastic covers for wall A/C outlets.
I've got a sub with a forward facing driver, so yeah, downfiring subs would be in order.
As much as possible, have everything up and off of the floor.

*[ the ultimate childproofing ]