Noisy neighbors complain about my SVS! (1 Viewer)

[Lee Carbray]

Is isn't the noise keeping your parents up too? Or do they work at night as well?

You are probably stuck, get some good headphones.

 

[John Gates]

Yeah, Mitch, this situation stinks.

My suggestions are:

1) Headphones

2) Win them over. Invite the neighborhood over on a Saturday for a cookout and a movie party. Invite them regularly. In my experience, if you share your stuff with your neigbors and get to know them a bit, they'll likely become more tolerant of your sub. Kill 'em with kindness.

3) Soundproof your room as mentioned previously.

Good luck in your situation...

John G

 

[BenK]

Sorry to hear about your neighbor problems but man I love hearing peoples neighbor stories.

 

[Carl Johnson]

How far apart are these houses? I have elderly neighbors on either side of me but if I were to play my system loud enough for them to hear it I would go deaf.

 

[Terry St]

Dig up a copy of "Master Handbook of Acoustics" by Alton Everest. He dedicates several chapters to how recording studios absorb low frequencies to keep noise from bleeding from studio to studio and into/out of the surrounding environment. Insulation and sheetrock alone won't do that much to stop lower frequencies unfortunately. What does work typically requires a fair bit of space and/or special construction techniques. It isn't going to be cheap or easy. Andrew's suggestion above is on target, but as you can see it involves a lot of effort and expense. It will allow you to keep things a few dB higher, but it probably won't be sufficient to please your neighbors if you don't limit your volume.

Higher frequencies are much easier to absorb fortunately, so if you turn down your sub or turn it off you will probably be able to crank your system to very high levels without a peep from your neighbors. If I were you I'd turn down the sub when the neighbors are sleeping and ask them to keep their car stereos down in the day when you sleep. If they keep their stereo's cranked, crank your sub. When they complain, remind them that your price for not disturbing their sleep is that they refrain from disturbing yours. You will both lose a little bass, but gain a little sleep. This should make relations much more neighborly. As for the gang in your alley, a little creatively placed over-ripe roadkill has only very rarely been interpreted as a cause for gang violence...

 

[CaseyLS]

I am moving into a house that has been divided into four apartments and I am worried about annoying them. I guess I'll just have to play nice. Right now I live in a dorm and the people who live next to me have learned that when they play loud music late at night, they hear louder music in the morning. I have an SVS, so they learned after 2 times.

 

[brentl]

As was stated go check on your local sound ordinance in regards to car stereos.

Brent

 

[Mitch Stevens]

Dig up a copy of "Master Handbook of Acoustics" by Alton Everest.

Thanks for the suggestion Terry. I'll do that. I also love the suggestion for the over-ripe roadkill. LOL! Now, THAT was funny!

Thanks to everyone. You've got some great suggestions. I'll going to try to sound-proof the room, as suggested. I talked to my mom today, and she said it's a great idea. (She hates the idea of the neighbors being mad at us.)

I guess I just needed to share my anger with the world. I hate my neighbors so much! Moving is NOT a possibility, as we just moved here 7 months ago!

Maybe having an SVS is a good thing! Maybe it it rattles his windows at -15dB below reference, I wonder it will do at full reference Maybe it will actually break the windows, like he claims it almost did! Hmmm....I'll think I'll order the B4 now!

 

[John A. Casler]

Go to a Mattress Store and buy enough used mattresses to cover the wall that faces them. Be sure to cover the window that faces them (that is where much of the bass is going through)

Put enough sheets/curtains up to make this not too unattractive and secure them to the wall.

I am assuming from your comments that there are no common walls. (if there are then all bets are off)

Visit your neighbor and tell him/her that you were unaware that the sound could come through like that but you did know that loud music like what he/she plays can come through since it was keeping you awake during the day.

Explain your measures to deaden the sound and ask that they call you if the levels still bother them. Give them your number and ask for theirs explaining that you will also call if their day music is keeping you awake.

Escalation is pointless, and calling the police will only result is everyone being pissed off. It is likely that they don't know that their sound is also annoying.

IMHO

John

 

[GeorgeS]

Lots of options. Direct reconciliation would be best. If you try your best and can't come to an agreement, here's what I would do -

If your local ordinance quantifies what is and isn't allowed when, get a sound pressure meter and measure outside sound levels at various frequencies - see if you are in fair or foul territory (remember to adjust low frequency readings to compensate for the meter's response).

If the ordinance isn't quantified, and probably best in any case, politely and respectfully enquire of your local law enforcement folks what would be considered reasonable at the hours in question. Don't accuse or even mention your neighbor - its all about you and your desire to enjoy your movies and still be a good citizen. Find something that produces a comparable or greater reading and ask if that would be ok. Lawnmower? Small tools in the garage? Sprinkler? (you get the idea). This will give you an idea of how loud you can play and expect the police to be annoyed with your neighbor for calling rather than you for watching movies. Done properly, it also establishes that you are a reasonable and conscienscous citizen and scores a preemptive strike - your grumpy neighbor's lost before he opens his mouth.


Good luck


(EQ'd Tempest on 87 acres sympathetic but not feeling your pain...)

 

[Jeffrey Noel]

Mitch, I'd move. Easily annoyed neighbors to one side and gang members to another; no way in hell would I stay there!

 

[Robert_Gaither]

Actually it might be best to make friends with the gang bangers and "suggest" to them that your neighbors on the left has a kick A' car stereo system the neighbor on the left has (maybe a friend of theirs will "borrow" it).

Of course learning how to sleep at nights again and invite the neighbor over to hear what clean bass really sounds like might be a better suggestion imho.

 

[Matthew Johnson]

Things could be worse:

http://www.knology.net/~carlos/redneck.htm

 

[TonyiBe]

Mathew,

Ohh my GOD that is a FUNNY site, man i was laughing so hard my head was hurting.........

 

[Cees Alons]

"See the Christmas lights in the background? The picture was taken in the summer." Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!


People who aren't very concerned about other people, like those who play loud music all night, also don't think the others have any right to bother them. It's the kind of people who never can bring themselves to think from the position of someone else.
So your story only makes sense.

My own neighbours are currently busy reconstructing something in their house. Lots of noise (drilling, hammering, etc.). I'm very glad they do, because within a month or so I'm going to do some reconstruction myself (and build a new HT!).
I almost can't wait to hear them ring my bell for a complaint.

Cees

 

[Lee Bailey]

-15db from reference is 85db, plus peaks(I take it your reference is around 100db?). This is actually very loud. In a work environment, you would be wearing ear protection during an 8 hour shift. Try turning it down first. Make friends with your neighbors. You may also try re-arranging the system onto a different wall in your room. It wouldn't hurt to play your system during the day like you normally do, and go to that complaining neighbor and see what it sounds like.

 

[MarkWC]

Matthew,

That site had me roaring, how come it hasn't been updated in six months? Did JD8 give up on the recreational home improvement when he realized the value of his home was depleting rather than increasing?

I can't believe I never though of bricking in my entire mailbox with our savior watches over the deliveries?

Too Funny!

 

[jeff_coil]

That JD8 dude holy shit! That is great!

 

[Dan Mastro]

this is better than any home theater!