Sheff

So I've seen threads on subwoofer noise on apartment / condo buildings, but most seem to be about noise above / below them. I just moved into a condo with cement floors that seem to block out pretty much any noise below, but the separation between units nextdoor is only a few inches of drywall, and no other soundproofing.

Our nextdoor neighbors have reported vibrating floors, even at very low levels. The only solution at the moment seems to be to keep the subwoofer turned off, or use it at very, very low levels during only Friday and Saturday nights. Other than this...are there any creative solutions (other than soundproofing the walls) that could let me use my subwoofer?

Thanks for any tips..

Brian Shannon

I am afraid if you could prevent them from hearing it, the solution would prevent you from hearing it. Subs are as much low frequency sound that can be heard as much as felt. To try to dampen that down would pretty much negate its performance.

You could try moving it to a different corner, you could try putting some carpet behind it.

dick_grayson

I'm in a similar situation. I have no one beneath me and concrete on most of the walls except one which is next to my neighbors bedroom. I have some pretty loud speakers (Ascend Sierras) and a huge drum set with rubber mutes to deal with the sound. Still, I can very easily hear my neighbors television at night which means my apt. much be loud as shit. No one complains, fortunately.

I'm considering getting some of these.

http://www.gikacoustics.com/gik_244.html

or perhaps one of their packages. another option (which you don't seem a fan of) is some rubber wallpaper stuff that will deaden the sound. Or there's quiet rock which is some sheet rock that is soundproofed. I own my place, so I considering that at one time. I still don't know what I'm gonna do. The cheapest thing would be to hang a blanket along the wall, I suppose.

Sheff

I'm in a similar situation - we own our place, and there's a mutual level of respect across units that we don't annoy the crap out of each other. Putting stuff on the walls would interfere with the girlfriend's decorating scheme, and I've already crossed the line with all my wires in the home theater.

I've heard about those foam pieces you put below the subwoofer so that it doesn't touch the ground (can't remember the name of it anymore), but I'd think this would protect more against floor to floor noise rather than nextdoor noise.

Spiky

Maybe if the entire wall is bass traps, she won't notice.

toddly6666

I got those foam things...they don't really do much...probably the best scenario are thick rugs or move to the burbs and get your own house...i'm never gonna fullfill my true home theater experience if I continue to live in the city!

dick_grayson

what foam things? sound diffusers? bass traps? beer cozy?

gimmepilotwings

Auralex pads.

Spiky

Rugs will do virtually nothing to bass.