Subwoofer & Speakers in apartments. Give me your advice! (1 Viewer)

[Trevor Dwyer]

I have had a few complaints from the guy upstairs about his televsion was moving along the floor. I would admit that my speakers are well over the top for the flat I live in.
Speakers:
Front L/R: B&W CDM 9NT
Front Center: B&W CDM CNT
Rear L/R A: B&W CDM SNT
Rear L/R B:
Rear Back L/R: B&W CDM SNT
Subwoofer: REL Strata III
Its good fun though
Trevor

 

[Chris PC]

Hey, good stories in this thread. Sorry its not a happy topic, as many are pissed with what apartments can end up doing to you. I might look for a small wartime home as long as it has a room I can use for HT

 

[David*RT]

The biggest problem is with the sub.

The low frequencies WILL go thru walls on all sides. Your neighbor WILL hear this. You will get complaints--even at low volumes. It's just the nature/karma of the beast.

The best thing to do is to skip the sub for now until you move into a free-standing house. Otherwise, you're wasting your hard-earned money on a device that will have VERY LIMITED use. TRUE HT w/ sub simply cannot be done very well in an apartment. Heck, my neighbors complain even with my little Aura computer sub!

If you want to live in an apartment that will handle subs, move to GERMANY. Their apts. are brick and AMAZINGLY well constructed (like their cars). They make our construction look like shanty-town hovels. Seriously!

 

[Ken Garrison]

If you don't like the neighbor under you, get a downfiring subwoofer. If you don't like the neighbor next door, get a side firing subwoofer. The kind that reflects off the wall. LOL

 

[Trevor Dwyer]

This is what I would have expected - however the complaints I have had are from the guy above me - I have the REL downward facing sub but the sound seems to be worse upstairs.

Sound is a strange thing so who knows what is going on - all I know is that he told me his television was moving across the room.

Best Regards

Trevor

 

[David*RT]

Whether the sub is downward firing or front/side firing, low frequencies have a tremendous knack of INFILTRATING every angle (up, down, sideways).
As an apartment dwellar, I've been relegated to monitors that go to 40 hz. Not that bad! I don't really miss the sub until one is put in front of me :frowning:. Hear no evil, see no evil.
As an apt. resident, I have to respect others (logically and humanely so), and subs are the surest way to get one's car scratched or egged.

 

[BobJ]

As an apartment dweller, I've been relegated to monitors that go to 40 hz. Not that bad! I don't really miss the sub until one is put in front of me . Hear no evil, see no evil.

Too true. Don't do any A-B comparisons with and without the sub and you won't miss it as much.

 

[Lou Loomis]

as one of the thinnest barriers between you and your neighbor, a lot of sound can escape through your door. particularly if there's a gap under it. I put a draft guard at the bottom of my door which has helped a bit (you can hear it in the hall, which isn't good) and have even been thinking about sound proofing foam (like the kind you line recording studios with on the back of the door. would look pretty ugly, but maybe could "hang" it for movies.

anyway, all this talk is actually making me re-think my upgrading to Paradigm Cinema satellites and a sub. hmmm. or at least a smaller sub. would front firing be better for the neighbors below???

 

[David*RT]

Lou,
I don't think so.
In the past, I've experienced both types of subs (downward and side). The low frequencies just PERMEATE everything.....to varying degrees, of course, but still enough to have wanted posters with a bounty on your head in the apartment hallway.

 

[Timothy_A.]

I think I've seen this mentioned but I'll second it. Introduce yourself to all of the neighbors, tell them you're passionate about HT and ask them to let you know if it's too loud. Puts the ball in their court and you'll find one or two who want to learn more about it. Good luck!

 

[DonJ]

Buy the biggest sub and speakers you can afford and blow them away. Thats what I did

 

[BobJ]

Buy the biggest sub and speakers you can afford and blow them away. Thats what I did

I once had a neighbor who did this. He thought he was the king of HT and would teach us all a lesson. He was quickly evicted. :wink:

 

[Heath_R]

I never had any complaints till sunday. My new neigbors called the police at 8:30 at night. I was watching U571 at -30. When I asked the old neigbors about it they said they didn't have a problem. I am going to write the new people a letter explaining that the police have better things to do, if they want me to turn it down to call me.

 

[David*RT]

For as much as I want to blast my music, I COMPLETELY understand that this irks my neighbors, so I keep it low.

Best thing to do is to get some Sennheiser 600 headphones!! I have these for those times when my girlfriend is sleeping or its lat at night.

 

[James Bergeron]

Well I listened to the pod race scene yesterday in my theatre in my basement of my townhouse. I cranked it to reference, the bass was INCREDIBLE! That THX intro on TPM is amazing as well!

Anyway, long story short my neighbour could hear nothing but we could feel the bass in his house, as well as outside the home.

I was happy to know that he couldn't hear the sounds besides the bass, so I don't have to worry about having it cranked too much, but the bass was crazy, his house was shaking but you could feel the rumble (kind of like a small earthquake).

This was at reference which I usually don't listen at. I usually listen at -10 or -5 for non-action movies. So I should be fine. I think I'll try -10 today and see if he can hear it, I'll feel better knowing it won't bother him. I'm also trying to figure out a way to reduce the transmition of the bass.

 

[David*RT]

James,
Count yourself one of the very lucky few that can get away with it. :frowning:

 

[Chris PC]

Wow. If I did have to move into an apartment, it would suck to get rid of my subwoofer. I guess I could get the PSB Image 7PT's instead of my 6T's and the Mirage BPS-400 but I'd rather not part with my beast of a subwoofer

 

[Calvin S]

We've lived in a condo with concrete walls since last November, and the neighbor directly above (a lawyer) says he has never heard anything from our condo. I usually listen at about -20. For shared living, I think concrete is just about the best way you can go. Of course, I also have the Mirage BPS150i subwoofer, which many dismiss as lacking serious HT bass. I discovered while calibrating that it can make our crystal vibrate in the kitchen, so it's obviously putting out something. I also have a wife that seems to be more sensitive to sound than I am, so I think I would get her complaints before I'd get neighbor complaints.

 

[Max Knight]

I've got an SVS in an apartment, and have had no problems (neighbors on two sides, and above and below). I usually listen at ref -15. It's an old house, so most of the noise transmission is up and down rather than side to side. I'm lucky that my above and below neighbors really don't mind.

In late September I'll be moving to my new condo, with neighbors above, below, and one one side. Well see what happens then. I'm not too concerned about the top and bottom, as the building was an old factory and the floors are seriously thick concrete. Not too sure about the one side neighbor, but I'll be placing the HT on the opposite wall from him.

I think the best rule is to communicate (if possible) with your neighbors and use common sense.

 

[Suibhne]

I feel the need to underscore what others have said - talk to your neighbors first, let them know that you want to be sensitive and that you welcome their feedback in order to adapt your sound system to your particular building. All buildings are different, and you can't possibly know what level will be appropriate; you may be able to get away with much more than you think.

Along the same lines, I have no sympathy or patience for passive-aggressive neighbors who let me know that they've been fuming for the last two months without saying a word. It's up to us be accommodating and communicative, and we should expect the same from our neighbors.