I hope this is the right forum to post this but if it's not, please point me in the right direction... I recently purchased a 1st floor condo and and have one person above me so I'm looking for recommendations/ suggestions to "help" keep/ restrict the sound from my theatre system in my unit. I know it's virtually impossible to stop it from being heard upstairs but hopefully "controlling" it enough so she doesn't complain. I was thinking about adding some sound proofing insulation but not sure where to begin. Any help is appreciated! Thanks.

I hope this is the right forum to post this but if it's not, please point me in the right direction... I recently purchased a 1st floor condo and and have one person above me so I'm looking for recommendations/ suggestions to "help" keep/ restrict the sound from my theatre system in my unit. I know it's virtually impossible to stop it from being heard upstairs but hopefully "controlling" it enough so she doesn't complain. I was thinking about adding some sound proofing insulation but not sure where to begin. Any help is appreciated! Thanks.

I don't have great news for you. While reducing high frequency leakage is relatively easy, that won't be the biggest problem by a very long shot. Unfortunately reducing low end leakage/transmission takes the addition of significant mass, something that's probably not going to work for you. Basically, unless you're willing to get down to the rafters and studs and start over, you're sort of stuck with what you have. Adding acoustic panels or the like isn't going to help.

I think your best bet is going to be working out a schedule with your upstairs neighbor so that you're not blasting your HT audio when she's sleeping or something.

Frank

You are in the right place. Start by reading this:

http://www.soundproofingcompany.com/solutions/soundproofing_ceilings/

Then do some searches on this forum for key words, and read, read, read. I recently started a thread on this topic:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1198332

When you have more specific questions, start a new thread with a specific question in the title, and the awesome folks on this forum will be very glad to help. Good luck!

Thanks.. I haven't read that thread but I did read a simliar one but I got the impression that it wouldn't be worth the work or money for minimal results. Maybe I just need to have a pro come out to see the space in person then decide.

That link earlier will give you the various common options. For casual noise, you can simply add mass (drywall) to the existing ceiling. That link has the pros and cons of each option as well as diagrams for ceiling sound control.