Need Advice on Sound Dampening for an Apartment

[Adam Kelly]

I just moved into my downtown apartment last week and already received a comment regarding my music even though I had my stereo at -30dBA. I am only renting so I need to stay within reasonable solutions when figuring out the best way to soundproof my apartment in order to reduce the sound carrying outside of my apartment.

I've added a few pics.

It's all a pretty much an open area. Hardwood floors are throughout. The pic with the sconces (where my bikes are currently) will contain a dining table and I have a picture planned to hang on that wall.

I started looking into decorative sound panels to hang above the couch but not sure where else I can place them and so not sure that above the couch will be enough. I would like to avoid having sound panels being hung throughout because that will be an eyesore and is just not practical for a general purpose space.

Please help!!!!

 

[shadyJ]

Forget the panels, they will not help. You should look into near-field placement, for speakers and sub. By moving either closer to the speakers or the speakers closer to you, the volume needed for the same loudness at your listening position is greatly reduced. Use the sub in a end-table type placement next to your seat, or use it right behind your seat. The bass is likely the greatest offender here. Get that sub close to you so you can turn it down while keeping the same loudness for your listening position.

 

[KenM10759]

I'm probably wrong but I would think most complaints are going to be related to the sub output, just as shadyj mentioned. Is it a front firing or down-firing? Some area rugs may help with the rest of it, but isolating the sub would have the most affect on reducing complaints. If you can get it up on a isolation base that's a start. You may have to <gasp> reduce it's output level a bit depending upon where it is now.

 

[theJman]

What was the comment related to? What you can do to alleviate complaints about bass would differ from the solution for sound in general.

I'm probably wrong but I would think most complaints are going to be related to the sub output. Is it a front firing or down-firing? Some area rugs may help with the rest of it, but isolating the sub would have the most affect on reducing complaints. If you can get it up on a isolation base that's a start.

+1

If the issue was associated to your subwoofer than something like a SubDude would help with the transmission of the physical sensations deep bass tends to impart. An isolator doesn't do anything for sound though.

 

[highfigh]

You won't stop the bass easily. Sound moves in three ways- directly, through the air (radiation), structure-borne transmission (through materials and objects) and modulation sound through the air causing the structure and objects to resonate strongly enough that they radiate the sound. At -30dB, the second may not be the reason for the complaint, but the last one is probably is. Low frequencies travel a long distance in air without completely sealing the room but the floor and drywall act a bit like a drum head and you can't be sure exactly what part of a floor or wall will be the spot that causes the sound to reach the other people.

Unfortunately for you, the sub may have to sit idle until you find a different place. If you concentrate on having good mid-bass, you won't bother other people in the same building and for a lot of music and other material, it should sound very good but it won't rumble the way you might like during high-intensity action scenes, music with heavy bass or special effects.

The cost to prevent the bass from reaching the other people will be too high to make sense and if you do any construction, you'll need to get permission from the owner.

 

[Adam Kelly]

Thanks for your responses. I can't move the speakers in response to the first suggestion above. The placement is what it is. I am not sure what the specific complaint was. A security guard came to my door and told me there was a complaint. I think it is most likely the low frequency as well. I just purchased an Auralex Acoustics SubDude-HT Subwoofer Acoustic Isolation Platform. I'm hoping this will help. My sub is front firing with a port on the bottom. I can definitely hear the thump louder in my bedroom than in my living room so I'm convinced that this is probably what's happening elsewhere.

I also purchased one of those things that go on the bottom of a door to help keep heat in - hoping that it helps prevent sound seeping from out of my apartment because there is a small gap between the bottom of the door and the ground and the higher frequencies can be heard from the hall.

We'll see how it goes and whether I get anymore complaints.

 

[highfigh]

Thanks for your responses. I can't move the speakers in response to the first suggestion above. The placement is what it is. I am not sure what the specific complaint was. A security guard came to my door and told me there was a complaint. I think it is most likely the low frequency as well. I just purchased an Auralex Acoustics SubDude-HT Subwoofer Acoustic Isolation Platform. I'm hoping this will help. My sub is front firing with a port on the bottom. I can definitely hear the thump louder in my bedroom than in my living room so I'm convinced that this is probably what's happening elsewhere.

I also purchased one of those things that go on the bottom of a door to help keep heat in - hoping that it helps prevent sound seeping from out of my apartment because there is a small gap between the bottom of the door and the ground and the higher frequencies can be heard from the hall.

We'll see how it goes and whether I get anymore complaints.

Those might help, but I wouldn't expect them to be a real cure. OTOH, stranger things have happened.

Think in terms of what's happening when bass notes are produced- the cone moves far more than any other driver and if the cone moves in an enclosed space, the pressure changes. Make pressurization happen by preventing leaks and the next step would be to prevent the flexing/resonance in walls, ceiling and floor, if needed.

 

[KenM10759]

These issues have always made me wary of what people buying a condo may get or give to adjoining neighbors. Some folks would feel as though "I own it, I can do what I want, stop complaining." And it's hard to complain when they head up the owners association.

 

[theJman]

I just purchased an Auralex Acoustics SubDude-HT Subwoofer Acoustic Isolation Platform. I'm hoping this will help. My sub is front firing with a port on the bottom. I can definitely hear the thump louder in my bedroom than in my living room so I'm convinced that this is probably what's happening elsewhere.

I also purchased one of those things that go on the bottom of a door to help keep heat in - hoping that it helps prevent sound seeping from out of my apartment because there is a small gap between the bottom of the door and the ground and the higher frequencies can be heard from the hall.

The SubDude will decouple the unit from the floor, so transferred vibrations will diminish. Unfortunately it won't change the amount of sound (output), so hopefully the complaint wasn't related to that. The "thing that goes on the bottom of the door" will probably be of little use though. Realistically speaking, a half inch or less gap underneath a single door will not contribute much to the amount of bass leaked into an adjacent area. There's no harm in using it, but there's probably little benefit in using it.

 

[Adam Kelly]

Yes, I'm hoping the SubDude will diminish the vibration and thus its effects. I should be receiving it in a couple days so will provide an update. My sub's channel setting is -3.5 and the volume is less than a quarter of its capacity so not sure what else I can do other than try and find a location other than right against a wall.

The "thing for the bottom of the door" is an Evelots Jumbo Door Draft Dodger - meant to save energy by keeping heat in. It has double sided two inch tubes that go on either side of the door and is supposed to also block noise. It wasn't bass that was escaping into the hall. It was the mid to high frequency and so I am hoping this will address some of that.

Just trying to problem solve the best I can for all potential scenarios because I'm not sure which was the culprit.

 

[Adam Kelly]

Those might help, but I wouldn't expect them to be a real cure. OTOH, stranger things have happened.

Think in terms of what's happening when bass notes are produced- the cone moves far more than any other driver and if the cone moves in an enclosed space, the pressure changes. Make pressurization happen by preventing leaks and the next step would be to prevent the flexing/resonance in walls, ceiling and floor, if needed.

Can you elaborate on "Make pressurization happen by preventing leaks and the next step would be to prevent the flexing/resonance in walls, ceiling and floor, if needed"

 

[agarwalro]

Try placing the subwoofer in the far left corner, behind the white chase lounger. Then rerun auto calibration.

PS. Very slick place.

 

[highfigh]

Can you elaborate on "Make pressurization happen by preventing leaks and the next step would be to prevent the flexing/resonance in walls, ceiling and floor, if needed"

Weatherstripping on the door to common areas will help and because it separates your unit from the hallway and the other units, it should be solid core, so sealing the edges is a good step. Theoretically, the walls and floor/ceiling between units should be insulated but if an inspector is paid enough, some steps are skipped or reduced, in order to save money for the builder. You can't do much about these unless you get special permission from the owner AND want to spend the money. Low frequencies are hard to stop and the materials used are expensive- fiberglass does work, but only if it's very thick. A layer on the wall won't help for those frequencies.

If you can place your hand on a wall, ceiling or floor and feel strong vibration, it means the energy is being transmitted through the structure and when possible, the movement of that surface is acting as a radiator, in the way the head on a drum does, even though it's not the one being hit. Add cavities that can't be insulated (like heat supply and return air ducting) and chases for electrical cabling- it becomes more difficult to stop sound transmission. If the people who complained are directly below your place and your speakers are over their main seating area, you'll have a hard time making them happy. In that case, it would be a good idea to flip your system in the room, if possible.