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How have others kept their music habit alive while also having kids?

Kt77, turn down the testosterone, please, or you'll shortly find yourself banned for a couple of weeks at least.

Markus - moderating
 
may I suggest reading this thread whilst listening to Ennio Morricone in the background.
 
Its a very emotive subject this Mrs versus the hifi, never mind the child problem which is relatively minor.
We may understand the finer points of hifi, cables, amplifier theory, frequency response and IT technology, quantum physics etc but none of us can crack the imponderable female species, they are a law unto theirselves.
 
Very true! Even Professor Stephen Hawking, the Nobel Prize winning physicist and cosmologist, recently said that in-spite of his reputation for genius, the female mind was a complete mystery to him!! Me 'n all mate!
 
I/we made a conscious decision not to change our listening habits at all.

Both my kids pretty soon learned to sleep through the hi fi.

Chris
 
We all listen to music together, i put on whatever my wife or kids want as and when. It keeps the peace and the music's on - simples.
 
Teddy Ray said:
as for being concerned about the gear? shit man, it is audio equipment, not the ark of the covenant. it is meant to be used, not protected in a gilded cage.
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Music has saved my life and keeps me grounded. I do a tough job and need the peace and message that music brings to me. Through a violent upbringing in a violent home and neighborhood, music was all that kept me sane. After I fractured my spine in an auto accident it was music that brought me to my feet. Daily in my life as a social services professional it's music that helps me keep it real. My audio system and the music that I keep is not something I can run out and replace as I simply don't have the means. Were I wealthy I might be less protective, but I am not. It may not be the Ark of the Covenant but it has more meaning in my life than any ancient relic.
 
We moved house shortly after having our first kid. The music was a big issue for me - we were fortunate enough to find a house that has a basement, so my main system is down there. I now have a small system in the living room (which has no TV) - a Squeezebox, T-amp and Heybrook Sextets, which are against the wall, nice and discreet. There are also SBs dotted around the house for music and radio wherever. We use the largest bedroom as a TV/computer room.

When you have kids, you have to think about how you're going to live, it changes everything. I used to live in central London, and go to theatre and concerts at least weekly. I've not been for years now, but I do have a dedicated listening room, which I didn't have before! It's easy to assume that you can mostly carry on your old life, but it just isn't possible. You need to plan your life, and your house, around your new situation.

So the answer is to move house, I guess!
 
I have a 2 year old and a 5 year old. So far the hi-fi is intact, although there have been a few close calls e.g. experiments with the volume control.

I think it would be a terrible shame to mothball or get rid of a decent hi-fi when you have children. It's an opportunity to share an important part of who you are with your offspring, and enrich your life and theirs, with great music played in high fidelity.

Most of what follows is common sense.

1. Take the obvious precautions e.g. speaker grilles on, any delicate turntables or hot valves out of normal reach. I put some cardboard over the CD shelves as they did like to try to read them like books.

2. Without being totally over the top and 'Victorian Dad'-like, make it clear to your kids where the boundaries are.

3. Even after the above, accept that there is a chance of damage. Life is risk and children cost money anyway (if you think your hi-fi is expensive, ha, you ain't seen nothing yet!), so don't let the worry ruin your enjoyment of your children or your hi-fi.

4. Hopefully your kids will develop their own musical tastes soon enough, and with luck there will be some overlap with yours. Be prepared to compromise as to what gets played. Buy them the works of The Tweenies, Zingzillas, Bob the Builder, The Wiggles etc. If you like simple pop music you may be pleasantly surprised with how well some of it is done.

Best of luck and enjoy your kids and your hi-fi!
 
Elephantears said:
Never mind all these gender power struggles, there are 3 things you need to know about hi-fi and babies

1) Speakers; keep the grills on

2) Turntables; up on the wall

3) Music; Coltrane when they're hungry, Miles when they're fed
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All good advice!
 
Puffin said:
Most want to badger you, foist their opinions on you or just talk some crap shite, when they want to regardless of what you are doing.
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Na, my wife's not like that. Don't get me wrong, she's a woman therefore, does your head in at times, but that's a two-way street! But she's not a nag, unlike a lot of women, and she doesn't talk drivel, unlike a lot of women...

ArtK said:
Through a violent upbringing in a violent and home and neighborhood, music was all that kept me sane. After I fractured my spine in an auto accident it was music that brought me to my feet.
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Music was my first love and it will be my last. Music of the future and music of the past. To live without my music would be impossible to do. In this world of troubles, my music pulls me through.
 
James said:
Stop rising to the bait, KT. It's not worth the bandwidth.
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James, You're correct of course. There are more important matters in life to deal with, like senseless ongoing wars. I'm pass it now. Cheers,Oscar
 
Markus S said:
Kt77, turn down the testosterone, please, or you'll shortly find yourself banned for a couple of weeks at least.

Markus - moderating
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Markus, Point taken. It's not worth me losing my place at the table. Peace in the Middle East. Oscar
 
Indeed I got rid of the floorstanders and replaced with some near-fields that I wall-mounted and positioned for "my" chair, hehe. The amp etc was placed at a sensible height away from prying fingers and, touch wood, there have been zero problems :)
 
I got a pair of floorstanders that couldn't be knocked over, I put the rest of my kit in a cupboard. No accidents apart from one of my oldest's friends trashed a 1027be tweeter. Cist 300 ukp :)

Then me and my music hating partnet seperated
 
Simple recipe: dedicated listening room with a door that can be closed. Even parents have a right for a time of their own every once in a while.
 
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