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  1. #1
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    Subwoofer VS Neighbors???

    Hello to all knowledgable audio freaks! I have a question in regards to purchasing a new sub. I live in a house and I rent the upstairs. I have two (very nice) neighbors who I am afraid would hear the subwoofer pounding on their ceiling or walls. I have never owned a sub before and am wondering if there is a way to dampen or at least minimize the amount of bass for them yet maintain enough for me to enjoy??? Is that a stupid question? Perhaps, but I will still post it! Any suggestions would be welcome.

  2. #2
    My custom user title This Guy's Avatar
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    Sorry dude there's not much you can do. Try to play it loud whenever they're not home, or ask them if you can have some time everyday where you can play the music loud. However if you want to watch a movie late and still want that rumble in your seat you can buy a pair of these.
    http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...ID=15383&DID=7

    they don't make any sound themselves as long as you secure them pretty tightly and they just rumble your seat. Just connect it to your subwoofer output and get a cheap 20 watt a channel amp and you're ready.

    -Joey

  3. #3
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    There are a few tricks here. First, do not get a boomy sub (one that emphasizes 35Hz - 63Hz). Second, be considerate. Playing any movie at reference levels at 2 am isn't a good idea. Unless the neighbors are all there with you. This also means be prepared to lower the sub output on your receiver several dbs late at night. Thirdly, know your apartment complexes rules for noise. Fourth of all, calibrate the sub using Video Essentials or something similar and a Radio Shack analog sound meter. Do not trust your ears about how loud something may be. This way when the police show up at your doorstep you are prepared to defend yourself. Ultimately, if you want to feel the bass but don't want to tick everyone else off the aforementioned bass shakers are a wonderful idea and well suited to for you.

  4. #4
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    Talk with your neighbors, telling them you just got a new HT and you want to find out how loud you can play it without disturbing them. Then play a movie or music with a good amount of bass, and go down to their apt. and check out how loud it is. You can then calibrate your volume to what they can tolerate when they are home. Be sure to invite them over for pizza, beer and a movie. They will appreciate how considerate you are. My brother did this with his neighbors, and it worked out great for him. His neighbors wanted to do the same with him for their system!

  5. #5
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    I appreciate the good advice. I actually do not usually play anything too loud (music or movies) however, I am wondering if played at a normal level if they could still hear it seeing that it is still in a "house". An apartment usually compensates for alittle noise by using space in the walls and such. It would be wise though to ask them if it is too loud. But, do you think I could still enjoy it at a normal volume level? By the way, the sub is a Paradigm, probably an 8" is all. Thanks for all the input! I love this site.

  6. #6
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    You certainly won't get the full effect of the sub without annoying them, but if setup correctly (takes time) you will still be able to enjoy it at lower levels.

  7. #7
    Forum Regular filecat13's Avatar
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    Untraditional Advice

    Maintaining good relations with your neighbors/being considerate is the #1 thing to do, as others have indicated. Here are two additional insights from a former house occupant in a similar position.

    1. Do not purchase a downward firing sub. You don't want to put too much energy into the floor, thus turning it into a huge vibrating diaphragm. An apartment floor will (should) be insulated, but it's very unlikely that a house will have this.

    2. Try to "detach" your subwoofer from the floor as much as possible. Some people even put Dynamat-type material between the sub or the sub enclosure's feet and the floor. Definitely don't put the sub directly on a wooden floor, or you might get "vibration city" downstairs.

    Since low bass output is supposed to be nondirectional, I've witnessed one installation where the guy suspended the sub so the driver fired toward the ceiling. I guess an analogy woud be to take a ball and bounce it on the floor, or take the same ball and bounce it off the ceiling; which will bother the downstairs neighbor more? Unfortunately, it tended to create hot spots of bass sound in the apartment. One advantage was that you couldn't hear it at all downstairs unless really loud; in fact, the midrange sound intruded before the bass did.

  8. #8
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    Thanks man, that's a good idea, except what or how rather do you know what a downward sub is? Is the paradigm alright to buy? That is what all my other speakers are and would like to keep them all the same. thanks again!

  9. #9
    Forum Regular filecat13's Avatar
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    All Paradigm subs (PDR, PS, PW) are front firing, rear ported designs, so you're on the right track with them. The most expensive ones (PW) produce the most bass with the least distortion, and they're ultra smooth. The bottom of the line PDR series is good, but it's kind of boomy, and I think it'd annoy your neighbrs the most when it's turned up.

  10. #10
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    Your neighbor's right to enjoy the peace and quiet of their home supercedes your right to play your music. That's not my opinion, that's the law. Unfortunately, in a world of apartment complexes, houses right on top of each other, and loud stereo systems, there is an inevitable conflict. Believe me, if you engage in what will ultimately be a war between your self indulgence and your neighbors nerves and forbearance, you will lose. I once had an upstairs neighbor evicted from their home. When there are enough complaints, the landlord has no choice. And even if you live in a private home, if enough neighbors complain often enough, the police won't either.

    Concert halls, sports arenas, and theaters are isolated and specially built to contain the sound of music being played in them. Your home is not. You cannot help but annoy your neighbors. What do I do? I live in a rural area and my house is far away form my nearest neighbor. Even so, I have to keep the windows closed and be considerate of other people in my house. That's how civilized people manage to get along with each other.

  11. #11
    Sgt. At Arms Worf101's Avatar
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    Red face Sound's simple doesn't it?

    Quote Originally Posted by skeptic
    Your neighbor's right to enjoy the peace and quiet of their home supercedes your right to play your music. That's not my opinion, that's the law. Unfortunately, in a world of apartment complexes, houses right on top of each other, and loud stereo systems, there is an inevitable conflict. Believe me, if you engage in what will ultimately be a war between your self indulgence and your neighbors nerves and forbearance, you will lose. I once had an upstairs neighbor evicted from their home. When there are enough complaints, the landlord has no choice. And even if you live in a private home, if enough neighbors complain often enough, the police won't either.

    Concert halls, sports arenas, and theaters are isolated and specially built to contain the sound of music being played in them. Your home is not. You cannot help but annoy your neighbors. What do I do? I live in a rural area and my house is far away form my nearest neighbor. Even so, I have to keep the windows closed and be considerate of other people in my house. That's how civilized people manage to get along with each other.
    It's a simple premise. Be respectful of your neighbors wishes and hopefully they'll reciprocate in kind. Sigh, I wish it were that simple. Unless I'm forced to at gunpoint I'll never, ever go back to a situation where I have to share walls or ceilings with others. There's no way to totally expunge the friction that such close living will eventually bring up. An occasional party is one thing.. but sooner or later you'll get on one another's nerves and then "thar she blows". Finding and keeping that level headed balance is hard... so hard.

    Da Sadder but Wiser Worfster

  12. #12
    Loving This kexodusc's Avatar
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    The best advice I can give you is to do what I didn't.

    When I got my first job after my MBA a few years back, I blew 4,000 on a TV and stereo components....big-ass NAD amplifier, Technics turntable, some Energy main speakers etc...and a crapload of CD's and vinyl.

    What I should have done was kept my PSB Alpha's, ugraded my receiver, and put the rest towards a downpayment on a home, I would have been in one about 2 years sooner, and better off for it.
    I never got to appreciate the Energy's in my apartment setup the way I should have and never drove them hard enough to justify the cost.

    Oh well, I'm sure many here have been suckered into spending more than they should on audio equipment at least once in their lives.

  13. #13
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    First off, I appreciate the input. I do understand the laws quite well, but that is not my concern. My original question was "is there a way to use the sub at a normal level without it thumping on the floor or walls? I think a very helpful suggestion was to buy a front firing sub or putting something underneath of it. It will be on carpet also. Anyhow, I am going to be buying a house in the next year and so worst case, I guess I will buy the sub and just not use it if it cannot be heard at a respectable level. Thanks to you all!

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by snodog
    My original question was "is there a way to use the sub at a normal level without it thumping on the floor or walls? I think a very helpful suggestion was to buy a front firing sub or putting something underneath of it. It will be on carpet also.
    It won't help much. Bass goes through walls and ceilings quite easily. Carpets are only intended to soften the sound of footfalls. Woofers are omnidirectional so a front firing model will at best help marginally. Real soundproofing is very expensive and not within the realm of normal home construction. But if you think a house is the ultimate answer, you may be wrong. Even in my rural community with the nearest country road a hundred feet or more away, late at night I sometimes hear a thump thump thump and it isn't my heart. It's some SOB riding down the road with his car stereo booming away. Fortunately, it is gone in a few seconds and it only happens once in a while. Noise is part of the stress in the highly stressful world of modern life and it is unacceptable for anyone to deliberately make it any worse than it has to be.

  15. #15
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    Mainly, as long as you are considerate of your neighbors there shouldn't be a problem. Let them know they have the freedom to knock on your door or call you if there is a problem and you will do your best to bring the volume down. 99 times out of 100 that will solve all the problems.

    If you will be moving in a year, plan on getting the sub that will go into that house. No need to waste $200 or more on on that is temporary and spend more money on another one.

  16. #16
    Forum Regular jeskibuff's Avatar
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    While shopping for something else, I came across a special deal that PartsExpress currently has for Aura Bass Shakers. They bought a huge lot of them and are selling them at $29.80/pair. For those (like me) who are curious, that seems just too cheap a price to resist.
    Click here to see my system.

  17. #17
    Sgt. At Arms Worf101's Avatar
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    Question Okay, I'll bite.

    Quote Originally Posted by jeskibuff
    While shopping for something else, I came across a special deal that PartsExpress currently has for Aura Bass Shakers. They bought a huge lot of them and are selling them at $29.80/pair. For those (like me) who are curious, that seems just too cheap a price to resist.
    Just WTF do those things do anywho?

    Da Worfster

  18. #18
    Suspended markw's Avatar
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    Shake shake shake. Shake yer booty.

    Quote Originally Posted by Worf101
    Just WTF do those things do anywho?

    Da Worfster
    They mount on the structure of a chair, sofa or something similar and physicaly vibrate that piece of furniiture so bass can be conveyed through, well, other sensory organs besides your ears.

  19. #19
    M.P.S.E /AES/SMPTE member Sir Terrence the Terrible's Avatar
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    Unfortunately bass shakers provide no tonality, they just shake the couch. You might want to try this

    http://www.auralex.com/sound_isolati...ion_gramma.asp

    At normal volumes they may provide enough isolation to keep your neighbors from killing you.

    Stacking two will most certainly give you double the isolation that one gives.
    Sir Terrence

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  20. #20
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    basically what i do with my sub is turn the volume way down with movies to where it's almost not doing anything at all. with music it doesn't do as much and i have marked where i can turn it up to but i also listen at very low volumes. i'm still i college so the apt is my best bet right now (looked at renting houses) can't wait untill i get a home.

    main reason i got the sub was it was what i wanted and was about 40% off i couldn't pass it up even if i can't use it tons.

  21. #21
    RGA
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    What are we dredging up threads started in Feb 2004?

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by RGA
    What are we dredging up threads started in Feb 2004?
    So you can pad your post count, uh, I guess me to.

  23. #23
    Forum Regular paul_pci's Avatar
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    Try an isolater

    Perhaps this guy has already been evicted, but maybe you can try an isolater to reduce the shaking, especially of the floor if not the walls. Check out Auralex's products and try to go from there.

    http://www.auralex.com/c_sound_isola..._isolation.asp

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    Didn't you hear?

    Quote Originally Posted by RGA
    What are we dredging up threads started in Feb 2004?
    Eric promised a free ice cream cone (your choice of flavor no less!) to every member that surpasses 2,200 posts. You'd best start decide'n!

  25. #25
    cam
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    I'm surprised that rga didn't say, "why are we dredging up old threads, but since we are, have you guys heard the best speakers in the world, they're called AN's".

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