I'm thinking of buying an apartment in the next year or two. I love movies and gaming, and a long-time dream of mine has been to build a home theater.

After doing a search here and elsewhere, a basement or a separate garage is most likely not an option as I live in Amsterdam. So I'm stuck with building a home theater in my living room.

How do I ensure I get the best experience? Is there a room shape and/or size I should shoot for?

And what should I look for to ensure my neighbors don't get (too) bothered by the bass. Should I look for ground floor, or top floor apartments? Corner apartments? Anything else?

I think that the building construction will matter the most for your enjoyment, and by that I mean soundproofing. I have a corner apartment where all the walls (external and adjoining to other apartments) are concrete. My neighbors think I'm quiet!