Isolation, Parents and Neighbours

[iBug]

How do you guys deal with your neighbours or parents if you are still living with them? I didn't hear anything from my neighbours yet but I don't know if I disturb them or not with my music. I normally listen to my music in less than 8 o'clock on the pre.

But I have lots of problems with my parents because of the volume for 6 years now. I am thinking to cover two walls of my room with some isolation material, one wall for my parents, one for the neighbour. Did you all do isolation to your listening rooms? If so, what material is cheap and useful? I don't need 100% isolation like a recording studio, but enough to keep my parents calm : ) You get the idea. Any recommendations are welcome.

[markw]

What generally irrates neighbors and parents most is bass, which is transmitted directly through the structure. Lining the walls and such will cut down the highs and possibly the mids from seeping through but I strongly suspect it's the bass that disturbs them. About all you can do until you get your own digs is to either use earphones or keep the volume really, really low. ..or turn the bass all the way down.

IMHO. earphones were made for situations exactly like yours and can be extremely cost effective. You might even get to prefer it.

[iBug]

I've just spend 4000$ for a new stereo with speakers+power+pre+SACD. I want to use them as loud as I want. I am going to ask some studios about isolation material, you know the ones they use for recordings. And cover my walls with that material. I've heard that it only makes your walls 2 inches thicker and no sound, even deep bass, goes out of your room then.

[markw]

Just two things to keep in mind.

1) Reread my first sentence in my initial reply to you. How do you think insulating two walls will cure this? (hint... think "floors")

2) Studios are more concerned with keeping externaly generated sounds out as opposed to keeping internally generated sounds in.

Frustrating as it may seem, having a stereo and wanting to "play it as loud as you want" sometimes requires on maintain a residence physically apart from others. Common walls/floors has caused problems with this hobby from day one, particularly since subwoofers have become commonplace.

Again, good luck.

[iBug]

My main concern is not with bass, and we have our own house. I don't live in an apartment. I share just one wall with the neighbour (the twin dublex) and my problem is with my parents, not my neighbour (yet). My parents live below my room and the sound goes all the way down the stairs easily even when my door is closed. I don't listen to music in extreme volumes. As I've said I listen to it on 9-10 o'clock on my pre but even that bothres my parents. Thus I need to cover that wall at least with something which will lower the volume going outside. I don't have to cut it 100% like a studio. Just make it as low as I can with a small amount of money.

[_Luke1_]

with MarkW on this one. Your challenge is greater than you may believe because of sound's ability to travel. If you step inside a studio, you'll notice that when you speak, the sound really isn't good - it will be very muffled - because of all of the sound deadening used inside of them. The studio wants to capture the sound from point A (the singer) to point B (the mic) without capturing any echoes provided by the room (or ambient noise from outside the room, of course). They can then use a mixer to put reverb back into the music so it sounds normal.

Many people use sound deadening material to control echoes in their homes as well. Things like carpeting and furniture do that, and well placed commercial absorbers do the rest, primarily at first reflection points. But these measures are taken to reduce echoes and improve the sound inside the room, not reduce the sound to other areas of the house.

If you have very little absorption material in the room now, you might add some, improving your sound and helping a bit with the parents. If you have no carpet, a cheap throw rug on the floor might help. Sound deadening material on the door or at first refection points might help a bit too. Unfortunately, too much absorbing material will kill the sound of your new toys.

The cheapest is probably that egg-crate looking foam used for matresses. I also recall someone here using acoustic ceiling tiles hanging on the walls. Getting into the commercially available stuff, a 2 foot by 4 foot piece costs about $20. You can cut it to size.

All of that MIGHT get you some improvement and some experimentation will be in order. Arranging an hour or two of time during the day with your parents that is your time to play loud might be a compromise.

[donbryce]

Here's a great site for information on the subject. http://www.soundproofing.org/infopages/links.htm