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sc03979
08-07-2004, 12:59 AM
I recently purchased a 5.1 Yammie a couple of weeks ago and bought a five year old 100 watt aiwa front firing sub from my friend for ten bucks. Before I get to my question, I have to admit that by adding the sub it enhanced all of my speakers clarity and power. I almost bought a 200 dollar center and two book shelf speakers along with a new sub. Glad I talked to my friend before I did.

My question is since my sub is front firing and I put it on a resin coffee table, will it greatly decrease the amount of bass my neighbors hear?

I already had my system cranked while watching the car chase scene in matrix: reloaded w/out the sub and couldn't hear a touch of noise in the apartments above and below me with the bass maxed out.

Sealed
08-07-2004, 03:36 AM
that will help a bit, because it decouples it from direct contact with the floor. Contact with the floor (solid) is an efficient transmitter of sound.

But frequencies below 80hz are pretty long waves. They might be hearing 40hz stronger than you are getting it.

Put it this way:

I built a 15" sub with a 1000w amp. The low bass in the 20's will rattle your privates from 50 feet away more than it will from 8 feet away.

skeptic
08-07-2004, 05:57 AM
There is virtually nothing you can do to prevent the bass tones from annoying your neighbors short of moving to a rural area where houses are far apart the way I did. You can add lots of thick rugs to the floor to shield people below you but you can be sure that at least some of the thump thump thump will get through. And that will do nothing for those above you and to the left and right of you. Even if they like your music, all they will hear is thump thump thump and at most, a highly muffled version of what you hear. Initially, it will be at best a minor annoyance to them but eventually it will become more and more irritating. If they are the most reasonable of neighbors, they will ask you nicely not to play it or not play it when they are home. However, eventually they will get irritated to the point where they will bang on your common walls, ceiling, or floors. And finally, they will complain to your landlord, the police, or if they are crazy, they may take the law into their own hands. There will ultimately be consequences if you are inconsiderate of their rights.

You must accept the fact that their right to enjoy their home in peace and quiet supercedes your right to listen to your music or watch your HT with sound that invades their space. That's the law and the rules in virtually every apartment building, co-op, condominium, and residential community in the civilized world. Even where noise is unavoidable such as in construction, there are rules and laws which protect residents. These are called "quality of life" issues and the courts have come down increasingly on the side of residents rights in a world gone insane with noise. And believe me, to many people, what is entertainment to you is nothing but noise to them. So if you don't like packing up and moving a lot, learn to make accomodations to it. Your apartment is not a movie theater and the rules will not change or flex to your wants. If you are smart, you will not have to learn this lesson of life the hard way.

sc03979
08-07-2004, 03:42 PM
That's pretty much what I thought. I think it can help. Luckily I live in a well built apartment. I gave my neighbors my phone number just in case I bother them. Still haven't gotten a phone call.

In fact the only time I hear my neighbors is if they slam something hard. Have yet to hear their TV or stereo. :D