Loudspeakers in apartment?

[EJ1]

I'm testing out some B&W 683s right now in my apartment and I really want to let them fly, so to speak, but I worry about the people living below me (I'm on top floor). Is there anything I can do to help the sound or bass to be heard from the floor below me or should I just turn the bass down. I have the speakers mounted using their supplied plinth. Should I use spikes instead (carpeted floors)? Should I lay a rug underneath the speakers or use a sound isolating mat? And if so, what brand/kind? Thanks. Any other options are welcomed.

 

[Alex2507]

Here is some good reading on the topic.

http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/connecting-your-system/tips-for-building-a-home-theater-in-an-apartment

 

[rnatalli]

Highs and mids are easier to block. Carpet does it really well. Bass is trickier as it carries through the building structure. Depending on the building, carpet or rugs alone might do the trick. If the floors/ceilings are really thin, then more extreme measures might be needed like applying green glue and pad to the floor structure. Granted, this is worst case scenario.

 

[Guangui]

Why complicate everything...Just do a "Get Together" or "Get to Know Each Other" for your neighbors. Have wine, cheese, and different spirits, play music loudly, brag about the B&W's; you will probably find a couple of audiophiles, or audiophiles wannabe, amongst your neighbors, or if single you might get laid that night.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Why complicate everything...Just do a "Get Together" or "Get to Know Each Other" for your neighbors. Have wine, cheese, and different spirits, play music loudly, brag about the B&W's; you will probably find a couple of audiophiles, or audiophiles wannabe, amongst your neighbors, or if single you might get laid that night.

Sounds pretty optimistic to me (especially that last bit.)

 

[Guangui]

Forgot to mention...If you kindly ask your guests to move to a certain position in the room, you might experiment using them as acoustical treatments. That way you know where you need to place treatments and solve that question.

 

[EJ1]

Why complicate everything...Just do a "Get Together" or "Get to Know Each Other" for your neighbors. Have wine, cheese, and different spirits, play music loudly, brag about the B&W's; you will probably find a couple of audiophiles, or audiophiles wannabe, amongst your neighbors, or if single you might get laid that night.

Haha, not really what I was looking for. Making friends with them won't allow me to play my music any louder or have them not hear anything on their floor.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I'm testing out some B&W 683s right now in my apartment and I really want to let them fly, so to speak, but I worry about the people living below me (I'm on top floor). Is there anything I can do to help the sound or bass to be heard from the floor below me or should I just turn the bass down. I have the speakers mounted using their supplied plinth. Should I use spikes instead (carpeted floors)? Should I lay a rug underneath the speakers or use a sound isolating mat? And if so, what brand/kind? Thanks. Any other options are welcomed.

You will have a tough time 'to let them fly' in an apartment. Sound can penetrate through electric outlets, switches, windows, everything. If you control your floor to some extent, you have other avenues to isolate. I doubt it will ever fly unless your section is on vacation. As to the lows, forget it, you will not control it unless it is down low enough where you might as well have it off.

 

[mazersteven]

Haha, not really what I was looking for. Making friends with them won't allow me to play my music any louder or have them not hear anything on their floor.

Your not going to stop low frequencies from traveling if you have a quality subwoofer. So you can run sub-less, or turn your system down really low, or calibrate it low.

I can't see what the problem would be if you listen to a movie a coupe times a week, and not past 11pm. If you up listening to music all hours of the day all week long at reference levels then you have a problem.

 

[EJ1]

I only listen to music about an hour a day and nowhere near reference levels but sometimes the need comes, so I was going to try and help it the best I could. Thanks for the tips.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I only listen to music about an hour a day and nowhere near reference levels but sometimes the need comes, so I was going to try and help it the best I could. Thanks for the tips.

I don't listen at reference levels and I don't even have neighbor issues as you do
Unfortunately the way some apartment buildings are constructed, you will have an issue unless it is very quiet and then why bother. Just enjoy what you have for now and later when you can move to a better place where you don't have such issues, well, you are free, just be careful with your hearing loss.

 

[Rico]

I have the same issue but we live on the first floor/corner unit. That way, we have 2 direct neighbor (side/above) and 1 across the hall. Other day I turned everything off just to listen to them, checking every noise around and, besides the lady/guy upstairs with some 'hard' shoe, nothing else. I double checked, they were all home so, I guess that's good, If I coudn't hear, they coudn't either, I hope. All I can hear is the TV upstairs really loud at 6 a.m almost every morning but, I'm not gonna say a thing, because from 7pm to 10pm is mine

BTW, How loud do you guys play music/Movies ?

 

[Alex2507]

Your not going to stop low frequencies from traveling if you have a quality subwoofer. So you can run sub-less, or turn your system down really low, or calibrate it low.

I can't see what the problem would be if you listen to a movie a coupe times a week, and not past 11pm. If you up listening to music all hours of the day all week long at reference levels then you have a problem.

11 PM? Ugh....I get up at 4AM.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

I haven't had a complaint in almost 4 years in my apartment. Living on the ground floor helps. Also, I only play music/watch movies between 8:00am and 9:00pm.

 

[Guangui]

Are all your neighbors housewives, unemployed and/or retirees??? If not, just take a day off work and do your testing anytime between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM during a weekday. Probability of anyone complaining is low.

I still like the party idea, you totally missed the concept. They will not be there so you can make friends, they will be there as guinea pigs.

 

[masak_aer]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Auralex-Great-GRAMMA-Speaker-Isolation-Riser?sku=422033

that works for me...

 

[Alex2507]

My sub is plugged into a switched wall outlet. Around 8 PM the sub can be turned off with the flick of a switch. I try to make 6 PM movie hour. If I feel like listening to a piece of music loud, I do. Then I turn it back down. Usually it's only 1 or 2 songs and I don't ever do that in the late evening. So far no problems. The dynamic range compression feature really helps with not letting the TV commercials blare away.

 

[Guangui]

My sub is plugged into a switched wall outlet. Around 8 PM the sub can be turned off with the flick of a switch.

Or just buy thee: "CLAPPER"

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Or just buy thee: "CLAPPER"

Just don't play any recordings that include loud clapping!

 

[Guangui]

Just don't play any recordings that include loud clapping!

LOL...Live recordings are out of the question...