Well, I'm about to get started on building my HT system, and I will probably wind up with a Hsu STF-1 Sub. Unfortunately, I live in an apartment building and my downstairs neighbors are VERY unpleasant and sensitive to noise. Is there any material I can put unter the sub to help lessen what they hear downstairs? I don't want to have any trouble with them, but I also don't want to compromise the sound of my HT system because of them either.

use SUBDUDE...and make your sub front firing or side firing.

All you can really do is

A) Try to isolate the sub from the floor. (The subdude, I suppose)

B) Make sure your sub (when you get it) is set up properly (not run hot) with your system.

use SUBDUDE...and make your sub front firing or side firing.

it makes no difference in which direction the sub is pointing.

... but I also don't want to compromise the sound of my HT system because of them either.
You don't want to compromise the sound of your HT? Buy a house. There, you have the right to listen as loud as you like. In an apt, you don't.

Or, expect to have really pissed off neighbors who complain about you, call the cops, etc.

Mount the sub high up near the ceiling.

Well, I'm about to get started on building my HT system, and I will probably wind up with a Hsu STF-1 Sub. Unfortunately, I live in an apartment building and my downstairs neighbors are VERY unpleasant and sensitive to noise. Is there any material I can put unter the sub to help lessen what they hear downstairs? I don't want to have any trouble with them, but I also don't want to compromise the sound of my HT system because of them either.

I have an HT in my apartment, but I am on the ground floor. I only watch movies in the afternoons and early evenings at higher volumes. If I watch movies after 9pm, I turn OFF the subwoofer and keep the volume at lower than normal levels. I've never had any issues with the neighbors.

I don't like doing it this way, but I have to if I want to avoid a noise ordinance fine from the Police AND avoid annoying the neighbors. It's really too bad that many apartments are poorly built with minimal noise barriers. The only solution in the end is to either rent or buy a single-family house.

It is very frustrating for me though when I want to listen to some music really loud. With movies at least, depending on the movie of course, the bass is less constant. If the subwoofer is loud and deep enough, you can get your neighbors to think it's a thunderstorm moving through! :D

I live in a townhome and only have people to one side of me but I will be moving back into an apartment/condo next year and I'm about to buy the BIC Acoustech H-100 sub. Its probably a little much for a small apartment but I'm don't plan on replacing it for quite a while.

Isolate the sub from the floor ... SubDude or equivilent. Place the sub as close to your seating position as possible. EQ it so that you don't excite any room modes and for a flat frequency response. If you're not on the first floor ... don't ever use it after 10:00 pm.

Well, I'm about to get started on building my HT system, and I will probably wind up with a Hsu STF-1 Sub. Unfortunately, I live in an apartment building and my downstairs neighbors are VERY unpleasant and sensitive to noise. Is there any material I can put unter the sub to help lessen what they hear downstairs? I don't want to have any trouble with them, but I also don't want to compromise the sound of my HT system because of them either.

Bottom line other than running it so low in volume that you might as well not run a sub there is very little your going to do to stop Low Frequency effects from penetrating the floor into your neighbors apt.

Is your being able to play your sub worth more to you than pissed off neighbors.

That's the question you need to be thinking about, because they will hear it. It's just a matter of how much of it they will tolerate.

Been using my STF-1 placed on a Subdude for almost a year now. Haven't had any complaints from my downstairs neighbors (or any other neighbors) yet.

Hmm..well based on that, I suppose I shouldn't really spend too much on a sub? Maybe an Athena AS-P4000 or Dayton 10"? The room is about 15' x 17' and is fairly open. Will these subs be enough?

Hmm..well based on that, I suppose I shouldn't really spend too much on a sub? Maybe an Athena AS-P4000 or Dayton 10"? The room is about 15' x 17' and is fairly open. Will these subs be enough?

You bet....They will get into that downstairs apt just as well as the more expensive subs.

even bass from bookshelf speakers reach downstairs unfortunately. My bookshelf speakers drop off below 38hz. All of the 40hz-80hz bass output from them is easily heard downstairs. The subwoofer outputs below 35hz, and is actually less audible downstairs unless there is a sustained pipe organ low frequency note where it just sounds like a car w/ a v8 or better engine is passing by.

Good luck...

I have a 5" 35W, and a 4" 10W subwoofer here. IF I run the 4" driver the point where its ready to bust apart, I can hear it outside of my house on a quiet day. I can definatley hear the 5" thumping outside when playing the jah shaka at a normal listening volume. Im also moving to an apartment, and thinking about getting a 15" dayton subwoofer.

Recently I bought an 8" JBL tear-drop shaped car subwoofer, It does not do much below 60hz without becoming unloaded or making excessive port noise. But being driven by my 35WRMS 1970s kenwood amplifier... well lets just say this. In the workshop area about 100 feet away from the house, you can hear it in the house all the way from the workshop. Of course its not loud by any means, but enough that someone would complain.

Low frequency sound waves travel far and penetrate nearly everything like it was nothing. Id just say to leave it off, or invest in a smaller cheapo maiden of china subwoofer.

I recommended these in a similar thread:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=299-028

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-784

This will let you feel the LFE, while keeping the sub at a reasonable setting.

I have a 5" 35W, and a 4" 10W subwoofer here.
A 4-inch sub? Ah come on, even Subway gives bigger ones!

Seriously though, what main speakers do you use these subs with?

I'm in an apartment and I just watched The Day After Tommorrow and From Hell at pretty spirited levels with my beast last night - today is The Forgotten and Donnie Darco. Point is, talk to your neighbors and see if they are cool with you letting loose on the weekends during daytime hours. Otherwise, you're other choices are:

1) No sub
2) Live in fear
3) Get the cops called on you
4) "Eliminate" your neighbors.......ermm, or maybe nevermind #4

Make sure sub has volume control and the neighbors will not hear the rumble as much as you think they will maybe a soft hum! and you should Annoy the neighbors they deserve to be annoyed by the noise !

I recommended these in a similar thread:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=299-028

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-784

This will let you feel the LFE, while keeping the sub at a reasonable setting.

I agree, transducers along with a small sub will give you the lfe effects while filling out the full range of the system.

Victor

Isn't the beauty of subwoofer LFE that its non-directional? I mean, would a neighbor actually be able to tell whose apartment the sub is playing in?

I'm in an apartment and I just watched The Day After Tommorrow and From Hell at pretty spirited levels with my beast last night - today is The Forgotten and Donnie Darco. Point is, talk to your neighbors and see if they are cool with you letting loose on the weekends during daytime hours. Otherwise, you're other choices are:

1) No sub
2) Live in fear
3) Get the cops called on you
4) "Eliminate" your neighbors.......ermm, or maybe nevermind #4
5) save up for a house and don't look back


fixed

A 4-inch sub? Ah come on, even Subway gives bigger ones!

Seriously though, what main speakers do you use these subs with?

Im actually using them for my computer, though of course being computer-speakers, some awfully small 2.5" drivers for the 4", and 3" drivers for the 5" sub. Though, they are so weak and quiet that they might as well be for a clock radio, and its why I mentioned them here... If I can here them outside a house

Dont worry, Im trying to figure out a pair of 15" subs in another thread.

lol... yeah. I'm in the middle of putting together some speakers for my PC as well. I was using the Insignias from BB for a while, but they were too bright, although the bass was pretty good. So now PSB Alpha Bs are on their way to me, and I haven't decided on the sub yet. In the <$100 category, I'll probably end up getting a Yamaha SW215 (8").

lol... yeah. I'm in the middle of putting together some speakers for my PC as well. I was using the Insignias from BB for a while, but they were too bright, although the bass was pretty good. So now PSB Alpha Bs are on their way to me, and I haven't decided on the sub yet. In the <$100 category, I'll probably end up getting a Yamaha SW215 (8").

I was using an 8" JBL car-subwoofer till I tried to modify a sony amplifier and broke it (wouldnt come out of protection mode, it knew It had been raped).

Though, im also moving to an apartment... Might have to use headphones.

Isn't the beauty of subwoofer LFE that its non-directional? I mean, would a neighbor actually be able to tell whose apartment the sub is playing in?


All they have to do is follow the sound coming from the other speakers in that HT setup. ;)

before i got my house i was living in an apt. I kinda waited till the neighbors were not home. but in 3 years that i lived there i went through 4 neighbors. The first neighbor came over one afternoon about the third day i was there and asked to turn it down. I did because it was really loud. ,and told him he better get use to it in a ghetto type of way But im sure he still heard the twin def tech pf 15's. He never said anything ever again. I guess the moral of the story is that if a neighbor ever says anything about the sub in your apartment, you tell him to get the f__k out your face and if you call the cops ,I'll flatten your tires!

I guess the moral of the story is that if a neighbor ever says anything about the sub in your apartment, you tell him to get the f__k out your face and if you call the cops ,I'll flatten your tires!

Umm...yeah...

before i got my house i was living in an apt. I kinda waited till the neighbors were not home. but in 3 years that i lived there i went through 4 neighbors. The first neighbor came over one afternoon about the third day i was there and asked to turn it down. I did because it was really loud. ,and told him he better get use to it in a ghetto type of way But im sure he still heard the twin def tech pf 15's. He never said anything ever again. I guess the moral of the story is that if a neighbor ever says anything about the sub in your apartment, you tell him to get the f__k out your face and if you call the cops ,I'll flatten your tires!
riiiiigggghhhhttttt.................there seriously should be an age limit on who is allowed to register.

before i got my house i was living in an apt. I kinda waited till the neighbors were not home. but in 3 years that i lived there i went through 4 neighbors. The first neighbor came over one afternoon about the third day i was there and asked to turn it down. I did because it was really loud. ,and told him he better get use to it in a ghetto type of way But im sure he still heard the twin def tech pf 15's. He never said anything ever again. I guess the moral of the story is that if a neighbor ever says anything about the sub in your apartment, you tell him to get the f__k out your face and if you call the cops ,I'll flatten your tires!

Uh, huh. And then he sticks a gun in your face. Now what? Brute mentality begets brute mentality.

before i got my house i was living in an apt. I kinda waited till the neighbors were not home. but in 3 years that i lived there i went through 4 neighbors. The first neighbor came over one afternoon about the third day i was there and asked to turn it down. I did because it was really loud. ,and told him he better get use to it in a ghetto type of way But im sure he still heard the twin def tech pf 15's. He never said anything ever again. I guess the moral of the story is that if a neighbor ever says anything about the sub in your apartment, you tell him to get the f__k out your face and if you call the cops ,I'll flatten your tires!
I seriously hope you're kidding ... because if not, then you must be a terrible person.

I seriously hope you're kidding ... because if not, then you must be a terrible person.
sounds more like a teenager who thinks he's a hard arse, flexing his e-muscles. :rolleyes:

Get a sub dude to disconnect the sub from the floor. Then move the sub as close to your listening position as you can. That will let you get more from it at lower volumes.

Close proximity can overcome many room problems.

Apartment living is incongruous with good bass.

Brute mentality begets brute mentality
After watching several hours of Cesar Millan this week, the correct method would be calm assertiveness. When a neighbor comes to complain, a few quick "Shhhtt's" will dissolve their anger and put them in a calm submissive state - problem resolved. Be the pack leader in your apartment :)

I didnt use the f-bomb! But i would have funny to see his face if i did. All of us have that primordial animal instinct in which we wish we could say something like that. Thats just how i felt when he asked me to turn it down. I was just being funny. sorry if i offended any of you girlie men

So let me get this straight - in an apt, front firing has no benefits (in NOT disturbing the neighbors) compared to down-firing? Got a 13'x17' room and was choosing between the P-4000 and VX-10. Any recommendations?

Subwoofer frequencies aren't going to be directional, so no.

Got a 13'x17' room and was choosing between the P-4000 and VX-10. Any recommendations?

My recommendation is the Acoustech H-100. Better performer and much prettier for around the same price.

that's awesome. i haven't laughed that hard in awhile. maybe that will work on GFs too. jk.

After watching several hours of Cesar Millan this week, the correct method would be calm assertiveness. When a neighbor comes to complain, a few quick "Shhhtt's" will dissolve their anger and put them in a calm submissive state - problem resolved. Be the pack leader in your apartment :)

i live in a second story apt. and just got a velodyne dls-5000r. i'm trying to decide if i should be proactive and go down there and let them know i have this sub and want to be respectful and will only play it during the day and on weekend, and that if they ever have problems just give me a call. that or i might just wait till i get a complaint and when that happens just apologize, give them my number in case they have any problems and try to reach a compromise. i wish i just knew when they weren't home. :)



I read a great article on the power of compromise. The one I like the best is the "Rejection then Retreat" method. I couldn't copy the url since I don't have enough posts so I've copied the excerpt here.

Rejection-Then-Retreat: Getting Them to Give

Reciprocity also governs another kind of behavior
that lends itself to compliance: concessions. If two
people start out with incompatible positions, and
one person makes a concession, the other feels a need to
reciprocate with a concession in return.
To test this technique, my research assistants and I
conducted an experiment. We stopped people on the
street and said we were from the county juvenile detention
center, and we asked if they would be willing to
chaperon a group of juvenile delinquents on a day trip to
the zoo. Only 17 percent of those we asked complied. For
other randomly selected individuals, we began with a
larger request: We asked them to serve as counselors at
the center, requiring two hours a week for three years.
To that request, 100 percent of the individuals declined.
We responded by saying, “Well, if you can’t do that,
would you be willing to chaperon a group of juvenile
delinquents on a trip to the zoo for just one day?”
The results were dramatic: 50 percent of the individuals
volunteered. We tripled willingness to comply with a
sizable request by adding a few more words. But those
words were crucial because they triggered the obligation
to reciprocate a concession.
Researchers have also used this strategy to increase
people’s willingness to donate blood. They started out
asking people to give a unit of blood every six weeks for
two years. Once that was rejected, they said, “Well,
would you be able to give just one unit of blood?” In
such cases, people were much more likely to donate.
Frequently, nonprofit development directors have
more than one level of request to make of people. Why
start with the smaller one? As long as the larger one is
legitimate, and not intended as a manipulation, fundraisers
should start there. There’s a chance they’ll be successful.
If not, they can retreat to a small request, significantly
increasing the chances of compliance. –RC

to find the article just do a google serach on: Rejection Then Retreat: Getting Them to Give

jacob

Subwoofer frequencies aren't going to be directional, so no.Not quite. Non-directional means your ear and brain can't tell what direction the low bass is coming from, not that the physical waves will travel in all directions with equal intensity, especially with respect to nearby surfaces.

Point a subwoofer's speaker at a wall (less than 1 foot from the wall) and go in the room on the other side of the wall and listen to it. Then keep it the same distance and point it away from the wall and listen again. There will be a difference.

Another test if you have a front-firing subwoofer is to put it in the corner and listen to it a few times after rotating it 90 degrees each time. It won't sound the same with every rotation.

I can see the neighbor going from apartment to apartment to try to find that woofer and then they find out EVERYONE'S Got a Subwoofer! but them and they stat coming out like apocolypse now!!!