Eyor
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bookshelf vs upright speakers and babies
smejias
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Hi Mark.
I'm not sure which type of speaker -- floorstanding or bookshelf -- would be easier to baby-proof.

Even if you go with bookshelf speakers, I think you'll ultimately want to use them with stands in order to get the level of performance you'd be paying for. In fact, our editor, John Atkinson, really dislikes the phrase "bookshelf loudspeaker." He prefers "miniature." Because that's really what they are. Put a mini against the wall, on a shelf, and you're losing out on a lot of the sound quality. Unless, you go with something like the Sjofn Guru, which is made to be placed near a wall.

Generally speaking, the size of speaker you choose has more to do with the amount of space you want to fill and your taste in music.

In our 2005 Buyer's Guide, Wes Phillips wrote:
"So how to choose one? First, consider your taste in music. If you worship Wagner, you probably won't be happy with a speaker that doesn't make Wotan sound, well, godlike -- and if you need to feel the bass in your favorite dancehall hits, a stand-mounted two-way probably won't cut it. On the other hand, if chamber music or acoustic folk is your thing, a floorstanding, multidriver monstrosity just might not float your boat -- unless you have a big room."

I hope this helps a bit. I have no experience in baby-proofing, but I'd imagine a floorstander would be harder to knock over than a mini on a stand.

Eyor
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I was thinking more along the lines of a wall-mounted speaker (I thought these were also called bookshelf?).

Those Sj

smejias
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Quote:
I was thinking more along the lines of a wall-mounted speaker (I thought these were also called bookshelf?).

Bookshelf speakers and in-wall or on-wall speakers are different things. Bookshelfs are the kind that sit atop a stand and are placed somewhere in your listening room. On-walls or wall-mounted are mounted on the wall. In-walls are placed in the wall.

Here's a list of in-walls and on-walls reviewed by our sister pub, Home Theater.


Quote:
Those Sj
bobedaone
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Just be sure that your speakers have grills, and you're fine. I was careless one day and left the grill off one speaker, and my little cousin popped four foosballs into the bass port. I had to remove the lower bass/mid driver and reach into the cabinet to fish them out.

Speakers are pretty kid-proof with grills on. I think you'd be better off sonically buying floorstanding or stand-mounted bookshelf speakers than going in-wall.

Bookshelf speakers offer the advantage of being too high for kids to reach, but also come with a higher center of gravity, making them more tip-prone.

I'd go for floorstanding speakers with full-length grills, such as Paradigm's Monitor 11 or Reference Studio 60.

Eyor
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In case anyone else is interested in this topic I found this article http://www.tnt-audio.com/edcorner/october04.html about the coexistence of kids and hi-fi.

Personally, I think I'll end up going with the Sonus Faber Wall Domus (http://www.sumikoaudio.net/sonus/prod_wall_domus.htm), went to listen to these and loved the sound, amazing imaging. I may end up switching to floor speakers after a while but, I think these will be a nice start, and I still think it's easier to get something like this with kids around (also more portable as I may be moving in the next couple of years).

I haven't found anyplace to listen to any of the paradigm speakers so I may keep looking for a bit.

cyclebrain
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Sorry I know that this is of no use, but I can't help but think of the red-neck bar in the Blues Brothers movie.
Except that kids can be more distructive than drunk red-necks.

bobedaone
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Chicken wire! Why didn't I think of that?!

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