Bass is annoying the neighbors... some advice on bass traps

[Fopp]

I recently purchased a pretty loud sub for my room. It sounds great, but the neighbors are complaining. I like my music loud.

I was looking for ways to prevent the bass frequencies from reverberating into their apartment, and I'm thinking about buying a sonipad to go under my sub, as well as bass traps for the corners of my room.

I realize this will make the bass acoustics in my room better, but will it also help prevent complaints? If so, will it have a significant impact?

Also, if you have any advice on which brands/places I should look for these panels, please share. I'm sort of a budding audiophile.

EDIT: I just noticed there is a section about this in the FAQ. I'll read that now. Sorry if this is a redundant post, but any advice is still appreciated.

 

[bpape]

Unfortunately, treating the inside of a space is not going to do anything to stop bass transmission outside of your space. That takes a combination of decoupling the structure and adding mass, in other words, a construction project. If you're in an apartment, probably not going to happen.

Sorry

Bryan

 

[XEagleDriver]

Start by buying the relatively inexpensive and very effective Auralex Gramma (~$50) or GreatGramma (~$80) based on the size of your sub. There is another similar product called SubDude which is a different size from the other two.

These will help isolate the bass from the apartment floor/structure, which is where a lot of the sound your neighbors are percieving is being sent to them!

One place to get them is:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--AURGRAMMA

http://www.zzounds.com/item--AURGREATGRAMMA


XEagleDriver

 

[Fopp]

What about just an isolation riser? I've heard that eliminates some of the reverberation in outside rooms.


EDIT: Eagle, just saw your post, thank you.

My sub is only 14'' x 14''

I can't post links yet, but I found a pad that is 1 x 1 feet on audimutesoundproofing dot com. Do you guys know anything about these brands?

EDIT2: The subdude got good reviews and the dimensions are perfect for me, I'm gonna go with that. Thanks again for the help.

 

[TLS Guy]

What about just an isolation riser? I've heard that eliminates some of the reverberation in outside rooms.


EDIT: Eagle, just saw your post, thank you.

My sub is only 14'' x 14''

I can't post links yet, but I found a pad that is 1 x 1 feet on audimutesoundproofing dot com. Do you guys know anything about these brands?

Bass has long wavelengths, and will bleed everywhere in a standard building. Transmitted vibration is only a small part of the equation. I'm afraid you will have to turn it down to keep the peace.

 

[lsiberian]

What about just an isolation riser? I've heard that eliminates some of the reverberation in outside rooms.


EDIT: Eagle, just saw your post, thank you.

My sub is only 14'' x 14''

I can't post links yet, but I found a pad that is 1 x 1 feet on audimutesoundproofing dot com. Do you guys know anything about these brands?

EDIT2: The subdude got good reviews and the dimensions are perfect for me, I'm gonna go with that. Thanks again for the help.

Get the Great Gamma. I had one of those in an apartment and it helped a lot with sub pollution.

 

[lsiberian]

Bass has long wavelengths, and will bleed everywhere in a standard building. Transmitted vibration is only a small part of the equation. I'm afraid you will have to turn it down to keep the peace.

The Great Gamma was far more effective than I thought it would be. I used to be able to feel bass in my other rooms, but when I got the Gamma that stopped.

 

[Alex2507]

You need to move. I live in a condo and there really is nothing for it. Music is a day time activity for me and I am keenly aware that when I turn it up my neighbors can hear it. A song every so often won't kill them but a couple of hours of it would make me a prize prick the way I see it. I like to get movies over and done with by 8 or 9 PM.

The Subdudes and Grammas and acoustic panels can only help your case and improve your sound quality so go for it but it's not going to make it so your neighbors don't know that your music is on. My advice is to pick your listening times with care.

Good luck.

 

[Fopp]

You need to move. I live in a condo and there really is nothing for it. Music is a day time activity for me and I am keenly aware that when I turn it up my neighbors can hear it. A song every so often won't kill them but a couple of hours of it would make me a prize prick the way I see it. I like to get movies over and done with by 8 or 9 PM.

The Subdudes and Grammas and acoustic panels can only help your case and improve your sound quality so go for it but it's not going to make it so your neighbors don't know that your music is on. My advice is to pick your listening times with care.

Good luck.

Haha, thanks.

My neighbor allowed me to enter his apartment (he's a nice guy), and we did a little test. I can actually have my music moderately loud without any noise pollution in his place. It's only when I have my music REALLY loud does he get bass and vibrations. I'm hoping that the subdude will allow me to increase my maximum "neighbor tolerated" volume. I realize that I still don't have complete freedom, but hopefully this will help me a bit

 

[lsiberian]

Haha, thanks.

My neighbor allowed me to enter his apartment (he's a nice guy), and we did a little test. I can actually have my music moderately loud without any noise pollution in his place. It's only when I have my music REALLY loud does he get bass and vibrations. I'm hoping that the subdude will allow me to increase my maximum "neighbor tolerated" volume. I realize that I still don't have complete freedom, but hopefully this will help me a bit

Alex is right. You need to move. You know there is a lot of help out for down payment assistance and there is a first time home buyer credit. I'd take a look at least.

 

[Alex2507]

My neighbor allowed me to enter his apartment (he's a nice guy), and we did a little test.

That's the best solution right there. Establish and respect boundaries. Really glad to hear that. See if he's willing to do a little on going testing as you get the isolation platforms and room treatments. Bribe him if need be.

 

[Fopp]

Alex is right. You need to move. You know there is a lot of help out for down payment assistance and there is a first time home buyer credit. I'd take a look at least.

Hah, thanks but no, moving is not an option. You mentioned earlier that a riser was more effective than you expected, and I'm hoping I have the same luck.

Alex, yes, I am hoping he will agree to a few more tests. The bribe is a good idea, I'll keep that in mind

 

[highfigh]

I'll have to disagree with Mark and say that transmitted sound is a large part of the problem because sound moves a lot faster through materials that are more dense. Once the vibrations reach the unit where the people are being annoyed, the structure-borne component can cause other materials to become secondary radiators, at whatever frequencies they can do this. If there's a physical break between one material and the one it would normally be coupled to, the attenuation is drastic. If there's any steel involved, it's not going to be easy to stop unless the floor, walls and ceiling can be physically isolated from the rest of the structure and the space between them and the next layer is filled with absorptive materials (the speed of sound in steel is about 15K ft./second). Air leaks at doors and windows would need to be completely sealed, and I agree on this point.

 

[highfigh]

Here's an easy solution- if you get along, you can invite each other over for movies. That way, you won't annoy each other from your place or theirs.

 

[TLS Guy]

I'll have to disagree with Mark and say that transmitted sound is a large part of the problem because sound moves a lot faster through materials that are more dense. Once the vibrations reach the unit where the people are being annoyed, the structure-borne component can cause other materials to become secondary radiators, at whatever frequencies they can do this. If there's a physical break between one material and the one it would normally be coupled to, the attenuation is drastic. If there's any steel involved, it's not going to be easy to stop unless the floor, walls and ceiling can be physically isolated from the rest of the structure and the space between them and the next layer is filled with absorptive materials (the speed of sound in steel is about 15K ft./second). Air leaks at doors and windows would need to be completely sealed, and I agree on this point.

I would agree for frequencies above sub range, but with the sub frequencies bass leak is primarily operative. However by the same token, I bet it is not the sub that is the only source of annoyance.

 

[Fopp]

However by the same token, I bet it is not the sub that is the only source of annoyance.

I think it is, because I've blasted music on my speakers (with no sub) in the past and it doesn't bother him. Granted, I have a pair of rather cheap Sony SS-B1000 bookshelves, but they still sound loud in my room. When we did the test, the sound that was coming into his apartment was exactly what it sounds like in my room when only the sub is on, only much fainter.

I think I can live with having the sub volume at a quarter of the maximum volume or even less; it still sounds good when it's that low. I'll be getting some higher quality Klipsch bookshelves soon, and if I can't boom my sub, it will at least complement the speakers and add some body to my music.

 

[skers_54]

I think it is, because I've blasted music on my speakers (with no sub) in the past and it doesn't bother him. Granted, I have a pair of rather cheap Sony SS-B1000 bookshelves, but they still sound loud in my room. When we did the test, the sound that was coming into his apartment was exactly what it sounds like in my room when only the sub is on, only much fainter.

I think I can live with having the sub volume at a quarter of the maximum volume or even less; it still sounds good when it's that low. I'll be getting some higher quality Klipsch bookshelves soon, and if I can't boom my sub, it will at least complement the speakers and add some body to my music.

I'm in an apartment and also have a large sub, and I use the tips mentioned so far in the thread with a lot of success. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is making sure your speakers and sub are level-matched. Pick up a Radio Shack SPL meter and turn the sub gain so that its output is the same as your speakers when playing pink noise. It sounds like you have your sub set pretty hot and this will help. You can also measure exactly how loud the sound is in at your neighbor's and in your place when it starts to get annoying.

But remember, there isn't anything you can do that'll keep LOUD sounds from your neighbors besides move.

 

[Shock]

Bass has long wavelengths, and will bleed everywhere in a standard building. Transmitted vibration is only a small part of the equation. I'm afraid you will have to turn it down to keep the peace.

^^^^ This

Gramma's will do little to nothing to prevent bass leaking into other rooms.

Some members swear that you can prevent bass from traveling to your neighbours in an apartment, I on the other hand am downright against subs in anything other than a house environment.

There really is nothing you can do to prevent low frequency high amplitude sound waves aside from massive amount of structure and room treatments. My advice is to just go without the sub.

You said you worked out a level of music with your neighbour and really that is the best thing you could do. Always good to work it out before it becomes a problem and you both begin to hate each other.

 

[just-some-guy]

Fopp

if you can, place that sub right up against your chair.

 

[Alex2507]

My advice is to just go without the sub.

BAN HIM !!!