Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Child Proofing Speakers

The order is on the way!!! I ended up going with M60s, QS4s, and an EP 350.

I am not concerned about QS4s (on wall out of reach) or sub (I will struggle to pick it up), but am concerned about M60s. By pictures they look a little top-heavy and weigh enough to hurt a small child. We have a 1 year old and expect another sometime in 2009. Has anyone done anything to make speakers more sturdy? Or are there products on marketplace to anchor the speakers?

Was hoping to get some opinions from the group and ideas from others that may have experienced the impact of a toddler on home theater.

Hello g texas

I know that there were some treads not long ago with brackets that extend the base of your M60/M80. My little boy broke one of our M80 and axiom replaced it (No Charge) by the way. great company to do business with.

May be some will remember the thread and post the link.

I don't recall the thread exactly, but it is out there. (real helpful, I know). But basically, you either need "outriggers" (a base with feet wider than the tower) or a heavy base (granite, etc) or both. The Outriggers are the most common approach in the industry and prices range from DIY (if you are a wood or metal worker) to exotic. I know there were some being sold for the Axioms that ran in $150 range, I think.

I brought my towers through two kids and thankfully never had a problem. I used to cage the speakers off with "stuff" when I was not around. A shock collar also works wonders.

Yours Truly, Expert Parent.

What about putting an electric fence around the speakers? ah !!forget that, it would probably make static noises in the speakers

No, that's how the shock collar works. You run a low voltage line around the areas they can't go to. Then, when they approach, they get a warning sound. If they continue on, they get a zap. Thus, the learning begins. Works great.

This may be what you are looking for. I believe HAY uses them , or a similar product.

http://mihorn.com/stand.htm

That was it!

You will wan to look for a product like this or make your own as some on the forum have done.

I think this is the thread you need to read:

http://www.axiomaudio.com/boards/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=207944&nt=13&fpart=1

Do you have hardwoods or carpet? I had my M22's on homemade speaker stands and was concerned because they were top heavy. Having twin boys that were learning to walk made me very nervous. I had hardwood floors and used the Blue-Tack putty that you use to hang pictures and posters on walls to anchor the stands and speakers. It worked like a charm. The stuff sticks like glue and doesn't mar the vinyl on the speakers or the hardwoods.

Very good idea but how do you send the little guys to bed if their feet are stuck to the floor with blue putty?

Good one.

Thank you all for the responses, and Zimm frightens me.

We have hardwoods, those outriggers look like they would kill the floors. It was hard enough convincing the wife to spend $$$ on speakers, no way she goes for those.

I think we will try the "tacky" stuff solution. Speakers arrived at Texas depot, and we should get them tomorrow. Probably won't get to child proofing until the weekend.

My boys go hard enough all day that we just let them sleep standing up! Being over 50 years old, the only way I can keep up with them is to put blue tack on the soles of their feet.

Was it the shock collar? Bet it was the shock collar. The nice lady from social services said people might not buy into that as fast as I did.

But on the outriggers, you don't have to use the spikes. The spikes come with plates to protect the floor, or you can just use the rubber feet to protect the floor. Outriggers, are the safest bet, and wont' mar the floor.

...if you refuse to consider the shock collar.

Zimm, they now call then 'training collars' so as not to get folks at social services panties all in a wad. How bad could it be? They have training wheels, training pants (training bras;o). I better stop here.

I hate to admit it, but it is bad. when setting the collar (for a large dog) I accidentally set it off while laying on my leg. It will flex every muscle you have at once! Fun stuff.

Next time turn the karma switch to 'OFF' before making adjustments.

That's a powerful collar. My dogs is like a bad static shock at best. I too made sure I tried it before investing in it.

For me, it's a Godsend because it keeps him from heading down to the seafood buffet that is our shoreline and coming back all round bellied, sick and stinky.

Very humane too as I don't think he ever goes by the warning beep so his total shock count is like two from the couple I had to let him experience during initial training. Sure beats him being sick or worse.

Murph,
How does the warning beep work? Is it a separate button on the remote? If doggie does not respond to beep, them you press the electrical button? I like that Pavlovian warning option!
tks

It's all automated. You run an underground wire around the perimeter of your property. This is hooked into a low powered radio emitter. When the collar gets close enough to the underground wire to receive the signal, it beeps. If he goes even closer, he gets a shock. The signal strength is of course adjustable. Basically, if he gets 5 feet to my property edge, it beeps, if he gets within 2 feet, he would take a small but unpleasant reminder.

I understand there are now kits where it goes strictly by a radius created by a central radio transmitter. Saves burying the wire but I would think that calibrating it to your property lines would be tricky as you would be dealing with a round perimeter shape instead of customizable and also, I wonder how much your buildings and any other obstructions on the property effect the signal strength.

Yep, the concept works great. The warning beep is enough. We had the hand held too, so you could use the warning sound to train him, deter action, etc. Seldom every shocked, add actually used if for years without a battery. Just put it on and he know to act right.

Oh... a DOG collar (I just flipped back to the first page).

Never mind.

What?


Oh, yes, yes, "DOG". Yes. Of course, what else could I mean.

I don't know, by the look on that smoking kids face, it looks like he's afraid to move an inch. I know there is a glass of bourbon, just out of the picture to his left. Actually, I can see his collar!

My attorney has advised that I not answer these questions. In fact, I am not even me. Prank call, prank call!

Always good to check with counsel.
You are not representing yourself are you? (you know what they say.. rhymes with tool... ;o) )







...My counsel injects... "Dave, step away from the keyboard! Poke at an attorney at your own risk!"

No truer statement has ever been make, I've seen it happen.

Not on the point of stability, but to protect the grill cloth (which will be attacked for its see-through flexible nature) you should search for the metal grills that came up on the forum in the last few months. I forget who did it, but will try to remember. Really came out great, although the look was not for everyone.

Edit: it was Turbo16v that did the metal grills.

Probably a better look than dented cones, which Ken has had to 'suck out' with a vacuum a few times from his curious toddler. (or worse)

I lost a tweeter to a curious 2 year old. It aint fun.

Too bad we can't lose twitter to a two year old.

Yeah, the dust caps get pushed in a fair amount on my mids. NO big deal; they sound just fine and I only notice on the rare occasions I take the covers off. I'll probably replace those drivers when the kids get to the age of reason.

What age would THAT be? 40?

Took the words right out of my mouth. I can tell you 7 is still not it.

Well, if you start at the second page of the "childproofing speakers" thread the discussion is all about electric shock collars, so someone unfamiliar with the Axiom forums might assume that the posts had something to do with the thread subject

I have also been party to a few incidents involving kids and collars, mostly starting with a question like "Dad, can $friend try $dog's new collar ? I promise I'll only turn it up to 6 this time."

... ... ...

That caused a flashback: in collage a guy asserted that another guys dog was a wimp for paying attention to the invisible barrier that kept him from running to the busy street. So, after careful prep (yep, booze) and a philosophical debate about the potential voltage of a 9v battery, he agreed to try it. Ran full speed for the property line and ZAP. I can't describe it, but it was the funniest thing we had ever seen - like he was hit by lightning, but in a cartoon. Closest I'll admit I've come to peeing myself. He gained a lot of respect for that dog that day. I also think he realized the benefit of fur! Good times. If we had just filmed it we could have started the show Jackass.

And an idea for a dangerous playset was born....

Toy Tasers for Tots ?

Oh Mark, that is good. It's too early, but when they get tired of the set and want a real freaking Mountain or some crap, I'll add some excitement to the games.

Great idea.

You guys would probably enjoy this game. Takes a few seconds for the jingle to load.

Board Game for Zimm
.

Very cute. That' confirms it, the Internet has everything.

kcarlile - One of my kids also pushed in the center on one of my midranges. Here's what I did to fix it. This will sound funny (and maybe gross) but it works. Take an empty toilet paper roll. Make sure there's no dust or other things inside it. Place it over the pushed in cone. And suck/inhale (thus make sure there's nothing gross inside the roll first). The center will pop right back out. There may be a little dent left over, but it does look a lot better.

Gene

Well, the vacuum's been working for me, but that sounds like a good, potentially less dangerous, alternative. Thanks!

I can't envision it.

Can you post a YouTube video?

::runs away snickering::

Mark, the emotional Kenyan.

Must be drinking Powerthirst.

I knew you guys would get a kick out of that! I made sure no one was watching before I tried it. But it works like a charm with no potential dangerous vacuum side effects (except if you don't clean the inside of the roll that is). I know you all can't wait to give it a try