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What would interfere with a neighbours loud stereo noise?
Hi all. I realised most of you love cranking up the volume and listening to the clear notes of your favourite tunes on your sound systems. My problem is so does the students next door but at all hours of the morning. We live in a mature residential area and new tenants have moved in next door to us in a terraced estate. I love loud music as much as the next guy but these guys are blaring everything from novelty songs to the worst dance and rave music I've ever heard at 2, 3 and 4am. My first reaction was to do the same back or get a loan of a huge amp from a friend and blast them out of it. That only turns up the general noise level when our family are trying to sleep and it's not fair on my nice neighbour on the other side of me. There is nobody in the house on the opposite side of the noisy neighbours so I'm the only complainer. One of them is the landlords daughter. (It's actually her grannies house) and he thinks the sun shines out of her a**. Although, I know he was delighted to get her out of the house. The police won't do anything, they say it's a civil matter and neither will the local council as they only look after industrial noise pollution. I'm at my wits end and this is really getting to us. My wife is pregnant, we're both trying to keep a job and the constant blaring means we're hardly sleeping at all and she's already exhausted as it is.
What I'm looking for is something that would interfere with their stereo more or less silently and that I can turn off when their music reaches a reasonable level. The idea is I'd turn this on anytime the music is blaring and turn it off again when the noise level goes back down. Hopefully they'll think there's something wrong with their stereo when they have the volume up full blast and learn to keep it down or else they get interference through the stereo.
I know many different things can interfere with the quality of sound coming from speakers including interference from walls, other electrical equipment and electromagnetic waves. I have been told that a CB radio with the antenna placed against the wall might interfere with the broadcasting from next door. I wondered if anyone here could shed some light on this before I purchase one or if any of you guys could come up with another effective solution? I'd considered putting in sound-proofing but where the joining wall is would make the job quite a big one with no guarantee that it would work as the door frames prevent any decent amount of insulation being applied.
Does anyone have a solution?
Thanks
Kev
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You'll never be able to out-annoy a teenager. Whoever told you it's a civil matter is dead wrong. It's a public nuisance matter that the local police MUST address. Demand to talk to a supervisor. Those are the only authority figues these kids will listen to. In general, teenagers will look at anything you try to do on your own as a challenge. It won't go well for you.
Just my opinion... good luck.
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Have you made any attempts to speak with them? You need to ask yourself firstly, where in this situation is the compromise? Thinking they will just fall in line is not reasonable. The early AM stuff must stop, but daytime usage will probably be hard to curb.
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Ever see "The Sopranos"? Blast some Dean Martin at 7:00 am for a hour or two each morning.
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Some advice....
I deal with this matter at work so I'm offering my semi-professional advice. Usually I'm working with gas compressor stations and their noise impacts but noise is noise.
1. Get the town ordinances, determine if there is a noise ordiance for your location. In most cases, there is. Usually its a DBA limit at the property line or nearest occupied structure keyed to time of day
2. Once you've determined the legal limits, go to your locka Rat Shack, get a cheap SPL (Sound Pressure Level) meter and take measurements at the property line, on your deck and inside your residence, windows open and closed, and include the time of day and night measurements were taken (important).
3. Armed with a copy of the law and your measurements approach the following individuals:
1. Police.
2. Police Chief or Sgt.
3. City Councilman or other elected representative.
4. Mayor
5. Local news stations.
6. Sue in civil court for damages.
Alll of this is assuming you've tried to talk to these kids and they've blown you off.
If you're rich you can build a sound barrier, they make temps and position it between your house and theirs. Hope this helps.
Worf
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Luvin Da Blues
Ever see "The Sopranos"? Blast some Dean Martin at 7:00 am for a hour or two each morning.
See Rich's post.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich-n-Texas
In general, teenagers will look at anything you try to do on your own as a challenge. It won't go well for you.
Just my opinion... good luck.
I agree, you'll simply become their entertainment(let's bug old man so & so). Talk to them directly. Then their parents if need be. You have to do it in steps, not come in like gang busters or you will get retaliation.
If that doesn't work, I would focus on the parents, not the kids. You need to talk to the organ grinder, not the monkey.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Worf101
I deal with this matter at work so I'm offering my semi-professional advice. Usually I'm working with gas compressor stations and their noise impacts but noise is noise.
1. Get the town ordinances, determine if there is a noise ordiance for your location. In most cases, there is. Usually its a DBA limit at the property line or nearest occupied structure keyed to time of day
2. Once you've determined the legal limits, go to your locka Rat Shack, get a cheap SPL (Sound Pressure Level) meter and take measurements at the property line, on your deck and inside your residence, windows open and closed, and include the time of day and night measurements were taken (important).
3. Armed with a copy of the law and your measurements approach the following individuals:
1. Police.
2. Police Chief or Sgt.
3. City Councilman or other elected representative.
4. Mayor
5. Local news stations.
6. Sue in civil court for damages.
Alll of this is assuming you've tried to talk to these kids and they've blown you off.
If you're rich you can build a sound barrier, they make temps and position it between your house and theirs. Hope this helps.
Worf
Excellent. I would add video recording the measurement process and results with the camera's time stamp feature engaged.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by luvtolisten
I agree, you'll simply become their entertainment(let's bug old man so & so). Talk to them directly. Then their parents if need be. You have to do it in steps, not come in like gang busters or you will get retaliation.
If that doesn't work, I would focus on the parents, not the kids. You need to talk to the organ grinder, not the monkey.
I'm a gun owner.
It's my gang buster.
I'm just kidding.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by luvtolisten
I agree, you'll simply become their entertainment(let's bug old man so & so). Talk to them directly. Then their parents if need be. You have to do it in steps, not come in like gang busters or you will get retaliation.
If that doesn't work, I would focus on the parents, not the kids. You need to talk to the organ grinder, not the monkey.
Just reread the the OP's note and realized they are students, not kids. Have you called the cops when the noise it's at it's peak at 4 A.M.? You could remain anonymous that way. I would keep calling until you become a pain to the cops. Who knows, if they can't bust them for playing loud music, maybe for something else (drugs, underage drinking etc.).
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich-n-Texas
I'm a gun owner.
It's my gang buster.
I'm just kidding.
Works for me!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Luvin Da Blues
Ever see "The Sopranos"? Blast some Dean Martin at 7:00 am for a hour or two each morning.
I like this idea. Anyone blasting music until 4:00am would be trying to sleep at 7:00am. I'm thinking maybe some Leon Redbone, or maybe Bela Fleck and the Flecktones "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo" just might do the trick. Anyone blasting until 4:00am isn't likely to listen to reason, unless there's something in it for them. Promising not to use "Chewy, Chewy, Chewy" by Ohio Express as a wake-up call just might be the correct deterrent.
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i, personally, am very fond of fire.......
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but if you don't want to be that extreme/risk burning your own home down/ and you feel the legit be legal ways of dealing with this are getting you no where, i would suggest finding the fuse box and pulling the fuses. if it is located on the outside of the home. typically where there is techno at 4am there are other things, call the cops and report smelling some pot drifting over the fence.
there is also the alternatives, move, quit your day job and start partying like you are 18.
I'm a bit confused when you say landlord, is this landlord the lord of both properties. if so, contact the apartment assoc. in you area and see if you can w/hold you rent until the issue is resolved.
you could also, since you said you wife is preggers, have her approach the police/other authorities. it could be your mannerisms didn't go over well for whatever reason and a preggers woman might get more sympathy.
Good luck, i've got a similar problem across the street from me. we did the police, we talked to them, my landlord sent their landlord a letter, and short of burning the place down, we got ear plugs and shut the window.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Worf101
I deal with this matter at work so I'm offering my semi-professional advice. Usually I'm working with gas compressor stations and their noise impacts but noise is noise.
1. Get the town ordinances, determine if there is a noise ordiance for your location. In most cases, there is. Usually its a DBA limit at the property line or nearest occupied structure keyed to time of day
2. Once you've determined the legal limits, go to your locka Rat Shack, get a cheap SPL (Sound Pressure Level) meter and take measurements at the property line, on your deck and inside your residence, windows open and closed, and include the time of day and night measurements were taken (important).
3. Armed with a copy of the law and your measurements approach the following individuals:
1. Police.
2. Police Chief or Sgt.
3. City Councilman or other elected representative.
4. Mayor
5. Local news stations.
6. Sue in civil court for damages.
Alll of this is assuming you've tried to talk to these kids and they've blown you off.
If you're rich you can build a sound barrier, they make temps and position it between your house and theirs. Hope this helps.
Worf
This is great advice right here!
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I'm all for having the wife talk to the police in person. Some things need a ladies touch.
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Thanks for the many suggestions. I have tried talking to them and the parent. Their father owns the house and we own ours. If they were council tenants, the council could do something. I've tried reasoning but the father thinks his daughter can do no wrong and just blanks my conversation now. I'm surprised there aren't more technical/soundwave/interference answers. I can't blast music back as we have another neighbour on the other side of our house and it really wouldn't be fair on him, so that's why I was thinking of maybe something less intrussive?
K
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How about a thin coating of Vaseline, nail polish remover and ricin on the doorhandle...
...well, it is less intrusive.
Actually, until you've exhausted every option offered by Worf I would follow that plan.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevboy73
Thanks for the many suggestions. I have tried talking to them and the parent. Their father owns the house and we own ours. If they were council tenants, the council could do something. I've tried reasoning but the father thinks his daughter can do no wrong and just blanks my conversation now. I'm surprised there aren't more technical/soundwave/interference answers. I can't blast music back as we have another neighbour on the other side of our house and it really wouldn't be fair on him, so that's why I was thinking of maybe something less intrussive?
K
There is insulation that could help, but you're talking quite a bit of change. I doubt that you are looking to spend the kind of coin required to soundproof your home. Think thousands, and then add multipliers.
Maybe you could try sleeping with your music on just loud enough to block out theirs.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevboy73
Thanks for the many suggestions. I have tried talking to them and the parent. Their father owns the house and we own ours. If they were council tenants, the council could do something. I've tried reasoning but the father thinks his daughter can do no wrong and just blanks my conversation now. I'm surprised there aren't more technical/soundwave/interference answers. I can't blast music back as we have another neighbour on the other side of our house and it really wouldn't be fair on him, so that's why I was thinking of maybe something less intrussive?
K
I don't think there are, unless they're using wireless speakers, if there even is such a thing. Short of cutting power to their house, there probably isn't much you can do from the standpoint of introducing interference, as far as I know.
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Nice suggestion Bobsticks!
I'm sure there's something legal and wave-orientated that could do it. If your mobile/cell phone goes off near your TV or Stereo while they're on, you get that horrible buzzing sound through the speakers. I'd like to do something like that. I've heard a CB radio will interfere with speakers if the aerial is close enough to the stereo or speaker.
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MOVING IS THE ONLY SOLUTION.
Some battles arent worth fighting.
Students tend to get treated like royalty in a college town, daddies money and all,
and they dont care about you're money, they care about a student boycott.
BACK WHEN I lived in apartments I sometimes had this problem,
but victories were short lived, and quite often the police wont do anything.
Find a place with a bunch of settled married people, then all you have to worry about will be the occasional domestic violence.
And be advised that even tho the police wont do anything against them, doesnt mean they wont do anything against you.
No, that is not fair, but I HAVE SEEN people kicked out of their unit for complaining
about noise from other people.
Even if you could get these peeps to leave(they wont quit partying) you'd just get
another set that might be worse.
always check to see if they are student apartments before you move in, a
housing project is preferrable.
Druggies respect my 10mm, students dont respect anything:1:
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Thanks but I have no intention of moving. I've lived here 5 years, it's a mature residential area and we like the house that we have bought.
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Sigh..
I gave you a step by step method of handling this thing legally and I don't understand why you still seek some exotic noise cancelling solution to your problem. Your problem is NOT noise but the people creating the noise. That's why noize ordinances were invented. Go to your local library, do some research or hire an accoutic engineer to take the measurements for you then do your do dilligence.
Worf
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