Condos and sub woofers (1 Viewer)

[MarkHastings]

Anyone who owns a condo and a sub woofer: How has your experience been with the neighbors?

I am looking to buy a condo...I am only looking at end units so I don't have to worry too much with my sub, but I'm curious as to what experiences you've had?

 

[Alf S]

Not worth the potential problems...subs resonate throughout said buildings usually..no getting around it.

Buy a house!

 

[Phil_L]

I can speak for Mark (since we both live in CT) and say that house prices in the Northeast are sky high, leaving most single guys like me the opportunity only to buy a condo or a townhouse.

I would forgo the sub, it's not worth the problems it is sure to create. But if you're in an end unit townhouse, it could work. I'd be careful.

 

[Jon_B]

I live in a condo with people on both sides of me. I know that from 1:30pm to 3 I can fire up the sub. As for any other time forget about it. Probably not worth it, but I do enjoy that time period every day.

J

 

[Mark Murphy]

I live in a 3 family unit and have an SVS. As long as I don't go nuts after 10p my neighbors are fine. They tell me that they don't even notice it.

 

[MarkHastings]

I know! Anything under $250,000 is just plain crap! and I live in one of the more cheaper towns. :frowning:

 

[Kenneth]

I have used my subwoofer successfully in an apartment which is even more difficult. The key thing will be proximity of the subwoofer to the shared wall. If your subwoofer is next to the shared wall you will have problems. However, if it is far enough away and the shared wall isn't in their living room (or the room they spend the most time in) you should be okay except for late night and early morning. One key point, a subwoofer located on a second floor will create more problems than one located at or below ground level.

When I have been apartment shopping in the past, one of the key attributes I look for is the floorplan with respect to my home theater layout. This includes the room I will put the subwoofer into and its proximity to the shared wall (or walls for an apartment), the throw distance for my projector, and the seating arrangment with respect to the screen (can I get adequate distance from the screen without complicated walkways). Also, look for neighborhoods where your neighbors are younger or male as these will result in fewer subwoofer complaints.

Kenneth

 

[MarkHastings]

Yeah, hopefully they'd be cool and I can invite them over for movies, then I wouldn't have to worry about the "neighbors"


My Real Estate agent (who is also a friend) said her boyfriend used to crank his sub (in their end unit condo) without any complaints. I just can't imagine, even at low volumes, that it wouldn't annoy the hell out of someone right next door.

 

[Kenneth]

I you crank your sub where it will start creating resonances then you can easily annoy people. However, that usually doesn't sound that nice.

Since the sub (when set up properly) creates a kind of low level vibration people may not realize where it is coming from or what is causing it except in two close proximity situations I mentioned previously:

When you share a common wall and the sub is against that wall you will vibrate the heck out of them and they will definitely know where it is coming from. When I had that type of apartment I could only use the sub when they weren't home. Luckily that apartment was vacant alot.

When you have an upstairs neighbor (or you put your sub upstairs) then they will tend to notice the sub and identify its location.

I currently have an upstairs neighbor but they are out alot and younger so I haven't had any problems. Near as I can tell my other neighbors haven't been affected by my sub.

My situation looks something like the diagram below and I have only had problems when I vibrate my upstairs neighbor directly above me excessively. I haven't had any problems with neighbors behind me or to my right.

Kenneth

-----________________________
-----|-Sub-------------------|
-----|------------------------|
-----|------------------------|
-----|------------------------|
-----|------------------------|
-----|------------------------|
-----|------------------------|
-----|------------------------|
-----|------------------------|
-----|------------------------|
-----|------------------------|
-----|------------------------|
____|---------------------------/Entry
Hall------------------- ---------/
-------------------------------/
______________________-----|______________
-----|------------------|--------------------|
-----|--Counter---------|--------------------|
-----|------------------|--------------------|
-----|-----KITCHEN---------------NOOK------|Shared Wall
-----|---------------------------------------|
-----|---------------------------------------|
-----|--Shared Wall-----|--------------------|
_________________________________________|

 

[DavidY]

I have read good things about condos with concrete floors/ceilings and walls....should be pretty good for most HT IMO.

Dave

 

[Mark Murphy]

As long as the subwoofer is calibrated correctly using a SPL meter and Avia/VE it should be fine. When one goes for the "pimpin' in the mall parking lot sound" then there could be trouble.

 

[Erik_C]

1200 ft2 condo in DC. Velodyne FSR-18 sub. Concrete walls and floor. Reasonable levels (under 100db). No compliants.