Hi all,

Sort of an odd request here.... let me know if this is on the wrong forum.

I live in a townhouse and have set up my HT on the 3rd floor (sort of like a loft/bonus room). The problem is that the wall where my TV and speakers are is also the shared wall with my neighbor's 2 upstairs bedrooms where his 2 kids sleep (maybe like 6 and 4 years old). I've endured a few nights here and there of wall pounding when my TV gets a little too loud which I can deal with because it's just here and there.

But I just bought surround sound 5.1 system (DefTec ProCinema 600). I was setting it up around 9:30 PM on Sat night and when it got to the test tones on the auto speaker setup, I guess it was a little loud and my neighbor banged on the wall again. This was just the test tones! I can already tell this is going to be a huge problem once I start watching movies because sometimes my wife and I don't even start movies until after 10 or 11PM.

Short of telling my neighbor to deal with it (which I am very close to doing because 9:30 on a Sat night is NOT late - a weeknight I can understand), is there a way to cost effectively soundproof a shared wall?

Any ideas would help!! I don't want to be constantly be checking the volume on my receiver every time I watch TV/movie or play a game.

HELP!!!

Short of telling my neighbor to deal with it (which I am very close to doing because 9:30 on a Sat night is NOT late - a weeknight I can understand), is there a way to cost effectively soundproof a shared wall?


Man, if he has a 6- and a 4-year old 9:30 on a Saturday night IS late. I'd be pissed off too if I was your neighbor with two little kids and you started banging the bass at that time of night next to their bedroom.

There really isn't much you can do - you can TRY and soundproof but soundproofing a single wall isn't going to be particularly effective. The sound will flank anything you do to a single wall and still get into his room.

With that in mind, I think you have a number of possbilities:

1. Tell him to get lost, which will (deservedly in my opinion) bring the police to your door.
2. Keep the volume MUCH lower.
3. Move your theater to a different room with no shared wall.
4. Watch movies earlier in the evening.

There is such a thing as being a considerate neighbor. I'd suggest you talk to him, find out what time is the latest he'd be okay with movies and watch until that time. If that doesn't work, move the theater somewhere else. If you can't do that, you're screwed. I'd opine that his children's sleep come before your need to watch movies at 11pm when you have a shared wall to their room.

-drin

Man, if he has a 6- and a 4-year old 9:30 on a Saturday night IS late. I'd be pissed off too if I was your neighbor with two little kids and you started banging the bass at that time of night next to their bedroom.

There really isn't much you can do - you can TRY and soundproof but soundproofing a single wall isn't going to be particularly effective. The sound will flank anything you do to a single wall and still get into his room.

With that in mind, I think you have a number of possbilities:

1. Tell him to get lost, which will (deservedly in my opinion) bring the police to your door.
2. Keep the volume MUCH lower.
3. Move your theater to a different room with no shared wall.
4. Watch movies earlier in the evening.

There is such a thing as being a considerate neighbor. I'd suggest you talk to him, find out what time is the latest he'd be okay with movies and watch until that time. If that doesn't work, move the theater somewhere else. If you can't do that, you're screwed. I'd opine that his children's sleep come before your need to watch movies at 11pm when you have a shared wall to their room.

-drin

Ok fair enough... but I do think I'm a considerate neighbor. I already watch the volume on my receiver and we only watch movies maybe once/week - I definitely don't "bang the bass" - my sub is turned way down. I really can't move the HT because of all the pre-wiring done. I suppose I could start watching earlier in the evening... but IF I were to try soundproofing the wall, what would some cheap options be?

but IF I were to try soundproofing the wall, what would some cheap options be?

There really aren't any. Soundproofing usually involves adding mass to the walls, which a lot of people do with a second layer of drywall on every wall and ceiling. That also requires a viscosity damping layer between the drywall layers, which means using a substance like Green Glue on the second layer of drywall. If the place is a rental you (of course) can't do anything like that.

There are really no other options that I know of that could help with soundproofing. There are sound gurus on here whose opinions may differ, so you may want to wait for them to check in with their suggestions.

The bottom line is I think you've had it. Sorry.

-drin

move...

The best idea I've had is building a new wall on your side, and even then the sound would just flank it. It would help, though.

Or you could just add another layer of drywall & GG. Might help a little, but realistically only a few dB.

1) basically you are screwed in using that room as a HT.
2) Next time consider the design of shared wall construction in multi-unit housing if you want to enjoy surround sound at reference levels.
3) Got basement? build a room within a room. But do your research to get it right. Chances are there are concrete walls between units and if you do the DIY construction right you won't be able to hear it at all in their unit (or yours).

Ok guess I'm screwed. I own the place - ironically neighbors are renters... so there's more of a chance of them moving than me. I don't have a basement either - just a "1st floor". I'll look into another dry wall later and GC, but like you all mentioned, the sound will just flank it.

I was kinda new to the HT thing, so I didn't consider the shared walls when I prewired upstairs. I just wasn't sure if there was some kind of magic bullet super cheap option to trap the sound inside a room.

I can still listen to surround sound, just at much lower levels.

move...

Yup, renting truly sucks and the only thing worse is owning HALF a house.

In my case, the nearest neighbor is about 1000 feet away and my theater has solid concrete walls. Anything they could hear would render me permanently deaf.

The old saying that "good fences make good neighbors" could be paraphrased as "distant neighbors make good neighbors". I cannot imagine living close to a neighbor. Oh.....wait, I used to and it sucked!

Galaxy Theater (http://nightskypictures.com/theater/theater.htm)

Yea - I figured all your replies might be the answer I got but it was worth a shot. I'll deal with it.

well 11pm isnt late my kid doesnt sleep till 2 am grr his 3 but most every other kid that age sleeps at around 8pm. but they are also being rude by banging the walls they can just come and ask you to turn it down and try to work out something with you.

Me and a freind had an spl crx we worked on outside 156 dbs on each "burp" and a neighbor came once an older guy and asked what i was doing. I explained to him that we where preparing for finals and said he didnt care that he doesnt want to hear it. I asked if we can work out a time he walked away.

Guess what when he was walking away i played it and have played loud music ever since. He stiffed himself I tried to be nice, he ignored me so ill ignore his request. The other neighbors are way cool with it as long as its not after 6pm. I live in a house just that 156 db pretty much the whole block can hear it :)

headphones

Guess what when he was walking away i played it and have played loud music ever since. He stiffed himself I tried to be nice, he ignored me so ill ignore his request. The other neighbors are way cool with it as long as its not after 6pm.

To put what I'm about to say in some context, I'm a former IT guy (20+ years of it) who has spent the last 6 years working as a club DJ and electronic music producer. I've played in some huge clubs including the 30,000 watt EAW system in the main room at Spundae in Los Angeles and the 50,000 watt Phazon at Ageha in Tokyo. With that being said:


Have you asked *every* neighbor? If you lived here the community would have your ass in jail for 156dB, regardless of WHAT time it is. That's inconsiderate, dangerous and illegal, no matter what rationale you use.

From http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/hearingloss.cfm:

"A clap of thunder from a nearby storm (120 dB) or a gunshot (140-190 dB, depending on weapon), can both cause immediate [hearing] damage."

At 115 dB the permissible exposure time before hearing loss begins is .46875 min, which works out to 28.125 seconds. According to NIOSH and the CDC for every 3 dB above 85 dB the safe exposure is cut in half. That puts your 156 dB safe exposure time at 0.0034 seconds. Not only are you endangering your hearing, but also the hearing of those around you. You said you had children, right? Their safe exposure time is even SHORTER than yours.

If you're seriously putting out 156 dB into your neighborhood, you're a jackass.

-drin

Just out of curiosity - what's the decibel level when a HT theater is playing at an average level?

Yup, renting truly sucks and the only thing worse is owning HALF a house.

In my case, the nearest neighbor is about 1000 feet away and my theater has solid concrete walls. Anything they could hear would render me permanently deaf.

The old saying that "good fences make good neighbors" could be paraphrased as "distant neighbors make good neighbors". I cannot imagine living close to a neighbor. Oh.....wait, I used to and it sucked!

We sound alot alike. If i can throw a rock in any direction and hit my neighbor.. then they live too close. lol.

Do some research on sound deadening and sound proofing here on the board. It sounds like you may just have to listen at much lower volumes or earlier in the day. My Mother in Law is in a town house... i hate those things.

Just out of curiosity - what's the decibel level when a HT theater is playing at an average level?

I suspect there's no easy way to answer that, since every theater, every stereo system and every sound isolation system are all unique.

Our theater can't be heard from outside, but with the volume at 65% the second storey office floor shakes very mildly when the sub kicks in. The theater's in the basement so that office is two stories above that. There's no sound, just a shaking feeling in the floor.

-drin

Ask your neighbors if there is a good time on the weekend that you can listen at a reasonable level. Turn it up and let your neighbor judge what's too loud, and what he can deal with. If the only rooms that they can hear your sound is from the kid's room, they may be willing to let you listen at louder volumes given you do it between 6PM and 8PM or something. Or, deal with the lower volumes for now (or get surround headphones) and ask them to alert you when they go on Vacation. During those weeks, go crazy watching movies every night of the week

Might want to also find out if the the higher or lower frequencies that are biggest issue. Maybe turn off the Sub for late viewings and use seat shakers.

Ask your neighbors if there is a good time on the weekend that you can listen at a reasonable level. Turn it up and let your neighbor judge what's too loud, and what he can deal with. If the only rooms that they can hear your sound is from the kid's room, they may be willing to let you listen at louder volumes given you do it between 6PM and 8PM or something. Or, deal with the lower volumes for now (or get surround headphones) and ask them to alert you when they go on Vacation. During those weeks, go crazy watching movies every night of the week

Yea - I suppose I'll have to go talk to him. We only watch movies on weekends anyway - sometimes Xbox on weeknights.

Definitely talk to your neighbor. See if he'll let you listen in those kids rooms to figure out a reasonable sound level for later evenings vs early nights.

Also, offer to let his family over from time to time to watch movies in your theater. If his family is over there, then no one will be in those rooms to complain about the noise.... :D

Maybe reduce the level on the sub more in the evenings and add in some butt shakers so you and your S.O. "feel" the bass rather than hear it.

Definitely talk to your neighbor. See if he'll let you listen in those kids rooms to figure out a reasonable sound level for later evenings vs early nights.

Also, offer to let his family over from time to time to watch movies in your theater. If his family is over there, then no one will be in those rooms to complain about the noise.... :D

Maybe reduce the level on the sub more in the evenings and add in some butt shakers so you and your S.O. "feel" the bass rather than hear it.


Probably a newbie question- but what are these butt and seat shakers you all are referring to?

Take a look at

http://www.aurasound.com/
http://www.thebuttkicker.com/

It may be possible to soundproof your room using traditional techniques. My upstairs neighbors share a wall with a neighbor who has four very loud barking dogs. They did a renovation and used MLV and drywall on that wall only for soundproofing. It doesn't silence the dogs, but it easily knocked the noise level down by 70%.

They did a renovation and used MLV and drywall on that wall only for soundproofing.

If I'm remembering correctly, I think MLV (Mass Loaded Vinyl) has been pretty much disproven as being useful in soundproofing when compared to drywall + GG, rockwool and a number of other (read: much less expensive) alternatives.


-drin

Many great suggestions so far. Try buttkickers or the like to minimize or eliminate the subwoofer. Try using night mode on your receiver when it gets late, this compresses the dynamic range so when you have dialogue at a reasonable volume the explosions and the peaks and the like will not be so loud.

Also, see if your neighbor will let you in to listen, you may be able to work with things like subwoofer placement, you might be surprised how much it may impact things. You could try those pad things to put under your sub for instance, etc.

If you're seriously putting out 156 dB into your neighborhood, you're a jackass.

-drin
I have asked *every neighbor*.....
Since i used to do it often, I went around the block with a card with my cell phone number to call me if the noise disturbed them. After doing it for the first time i went around the neighbor hood again and asked if it bothered them. Most asked When i tested cause they didn't hear anything. The others said they weren't home cause they where working. and the remaining said they could hear it but it wasnt bother some since it was 2 second burp every 5-10 minutes.

156 dbs inside the car sealed up.

lucky to get 110 dbs outside the car within 2 feet.

I have had the cops called on me when I would Test at a friends house long time ago. The cops didnt say nothing other then to turn it down even without an attitude and asked to see the system :D

But now I test at a friends shop nearby. Their is 180 db cars out their but are lucky to do 110 dbs also outside the car.

Cops got better things to do then mess without someone playing a stereo. You can cry and moan all you want but i have yet to hear anyone even get a ticket for testing at their house. Now playing music while driving people get tickets all the time for that and not just cause the noise bothers people but because you cannot hear the police or ambulance coming.

Cops got better things to do then mess without someone playing a stereo. You can cry and moan all you want but i have yet to hear anyone even get a ticket for testing at their house.

Try driving your ear-killing machine near a military base. They'll stop you, ticket you and tow your car away, just for being a moron.

150dB is dangerous and illegal. If you're that much of an idiot you deserve to be deaf. End of discussion.

-drin

Cops got better things to do then mess without someone playing a stereo. You can cry and moan all you want but i have yet to hear anyone even get a ticket for testing at their house.

You wouldn't be very happy in my county. It's quiet and I like it. Quote:

Fairfax county residents and businesses are reminded that they must comply with the County's Noise Ordinance and are encouraged to report any violations that directly affect them. The ordinance promotes an environment for county citizens that is free from noise that jeopardizes their health or welfare or degrades the quality of life.

Section 108-4-1. Specific prohibitions.

The following acts are violations of this Chapter:

(a) Using or operating a loudspeaker or other sound amplification device in a fixed or movable position exterior to any building, or mounted upon any motor vehicle for the purpose of commercial advertising, giving instructions, information, directions, talks, addresses, lectures, or providing entertainment to any persons or assemblage of persons on any private or public property, between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. the following day.
(b) Operating or causing to be operated any equipment used in construction, repair, alteration, or demolition work on buildings, structures, streets, alleys, or appurtenances thereto in the outdoors between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. the following day, except that no such activity shall commence prior to 9 a.m. on Sundays and Federal holidays.
(c) Repairing, rebuilding, or modifying, any motor vehicle or other mechanical device in the outdoors between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. the following day.
(d) Operating or permitting the operation of powered model vehicles in the outdoors between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. the following day.
(e) The collection of trash or refuse in residential use districts between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. the following day.
(f) Loading or unloading trucks in the outdoors within one hundred (100) yards of a residence between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. the following day. (7-17-68, § 17.9; 24-75-16A; 1961 Code, § 16A.4.1; 34-76-108; 24-98-108.)

Fairfax County Government has a Zoning/Noise Ordinance Complaint Reporting Form available to residents on county's web site.

TV, radio, musical instruments, and animals that howl, bark, meow, or squawk frequently and habitually are declared a noise disturbance any time when plainly audible across property lines or through partitions. To register a complaint, contact the county's Zoning Enforcement Branch during normal business hours, weekdays from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., at 703-324-1300. During non-business hours, call the Public Safety non-emergency line at 703-691-2131.

Baltimore has similar rules that I'm investigating since I just moved to a neighborhood with these kinds of disturbances. They specify an allowable dB level at the property line of something like 50 dB during the day and 40dB at night. I imagine most jurisdictions have similar rules in place, though as you observe, enforcement is a seperate question.

move...
Thats what I was thinking too until I saw he lives in N. Va

Baltimore has similar rules that I'm investigating since I just moved to a neighborhood with these kinds of disturbances. They specify an allowable dB level at the property line of something like 50 dB during the day and 40dB at night. I imagine most jurisdictions have similar rules in place, though as you observe, enforcement is a seperate question.
Where at in Bmore? I have a few friends that live there.

Try driving your ear-killing machine near a military base. They'll stop you, ticket you and tow your car away, just for being a moron.

150dB is dangerous and illegal. If you're that much of an idiot you deserve to be deaf. End of discussion.

-drin
You are a jerk. He never said he goes around blasting his music. and why even bring up the military base? he didn't bring it up? seems like someone didn't get some last night :p:

You are a jerk. He never said he goes around blasting his music. and why even bring up the military base? he didn't bring it up? seems like someone didn't get some last night :p:

Tsk tsk. He said cops are too busy to ticket him. Not near military bases they aren't. And he did say he blasts his music:

Guess what when he was walking away i played it and have played loud music ever since

He also indicated that the volume level outside his car can get to 110 dB:

lucky to get 110 dbs outside the car within 2 feet

THAT is the mark of a true jerk. People on this forum go to extreme lengths to isolate the sound of their home theaters (in part) so as to not annoy the people around them, and this jackass feels it's appropriate to drive around blasting 110dB into the air around him?

Godsmack, perhaps you should take the time to actually read threads before posting blindly.

By the way, the "I'm a silly little boy who can't make anything but crude immature references to sex" is somewhere around here (http://www.aol.com). Knock yourself out, and when you grow up a little come on back and talk about home theater.

-drin

Tsk tsk. He said cops are too busy to ticket him. Not near military bases they aren't. And he did say he blasts his music:



He also indicated that the volume level outside his car can get to 110 dB:



THAT is the mark of a true jerk. People on this forum go to extreme lengths to isolate the sound of their home theaters (in part) so as to not annoy the people around them, and this jackass feels it's appropriate to drive around blasting 110dB into the air around him?

Godsmack, perhaps you should take the time to actually read threads before posting blindly.

By the way, the "I'm a silly little boy who can't make anything but crude immature references to sex" is somewhere around here (http://www.aol.com). Knock yourself out, and when you grow up a little come on back and talk about home theater.

-drin


tsk tsk nice way to try and flip things I said i play music loud at home but not with the car. the car wouldnt last more then 10 seconds playing music. all the equipment would destroy itself. Why do you talk about things you dont even know? Have you ever been to a car audio competition? I don't go around driving blasting my music. Cause even if I wanted to the equipment wouldnt last. even with 2 second burps the speakers/amps blow up.

He also indicated that the volume level outside his car can get to 110 dB:



THAT is the mark of a true jerk. People on this forum go to extreme lengths to isolate the sound of their home theaters (in part) so as to not annoy the people around them, and this jackass feels it's appropriate to drive around blasting 110dB into the air around him?



-drin

Did you go around and ask your neighbors before you used your power tools to build your home theater? I read that he did and even gave them his number. He got one complain and the guy didnt even want to corporate.


What is just as loud as 110 dbs?
power tools
harleys

should those be illegal to?

even though he said he only plays it for 2 seconds at a time every 5-10 minutes while jerks go revving their harleys all over the street and using power tools early in the morning.

110 dbs isnt to loud especially for the short period he is using it for. Now for the people who go drving around blasting their music thats a different story.

wait let me retrat my last statement.

110 dbs is loud but he said that was 2 feet away I bet his neighbors probably hear maybe 60 dbs at their house and he even said most didnt hear it at all.

wait let me retrat my last statement.

110 dbs is loud but he said that was 2 feet away I bet his neighbors probably hear maybe 60 dbs at their house and he even said most didnt hear it at all.

OK, here's the bottom line.

Most of the states in the U.S. make it illegal to play music as loud as he plays it, whether it's in his house or in his car. He made it plain he plays it that loudly in his car. He's breaking the law and he is no doubt pissing off people around him.

Yes, a power saw can be as loud as 110 dB. A building permit allows me to use those tools to construct my theater, and I did go to each of my neighbors and show them my plans. Oddly enough two of them were also doing home renovations as well, and they too were using power tools! Who would have guessed?

Godsmack (I think it should be gobsmacked, myself), this is NOT a forum for idiots who break laws with their cars. This is for home theater builders. If you want to argue about cars, go somewhere else. He's breaking the law, and around here he'd find himself in jail or with baseball bat-sized dents in his car when the neighborhood caught him.

Due to your innate idiocy and your inability to understand the illegal nature of overly loud stereos, not to mention the medical damage they cause, I will henceforth spare the good law-abiding forum users the trouble of having to read more of a rant from me. I'm done answering your inane ramblings. Argue all you want - You're not worth my time and I'm finished with you.

To everyone else, I apologize for the threadjack.

-drin

He's breaking the law, and around here he'd find himself in jail or with baseball bat-sized dents in his car when the neighborhood caught him.


Oh wow now threatening to vandalize someones car is legal?

Heh I have video cameras recording everything and no deductible comprehensive insurance so I wouldn't care. Plus the car needs a paint job at least I wouldn't have to pay for it then :D

Permits or not it is still annoying. Is their a permit for those who ride around with their motorcycles with no mufflers?

Their some things in life we cant do anything about and noise is one of them. I play my music loud sometimes so do other neighbors. I have to stand the noise of a certain guy who drives around with his motorcycle that makes a ton of noise and he also blasts his music on his bike. who actually is the son of the guy who complained about my noise. He was around before I even had a stereo.

Though it is okay for everyone else to make noise but not me? sure...

You also didnt read the last sentence on my first reply of me not doing it anymore at home and now at a friends stereo shop. Not really cause of the neighbor but cause I can do it till 2 am at night and not disturb anyone.

But that neighbor does have his son come over at 3 am with his music blasting still and with his loud motorcycle.

I would build a few bass traps for the corners adjoining them, you can build a second wall up and use heavier fill and insullation. To deaden the room accoustic panels can be made and look really nice for cheap.

Use a piece of 1/4in plywood and glue eggcrate faom to both sides and wraping with GOM and make a nice bevels frame out of trim and and place these on the wall right behind the front L/R and Center speakers.

~Bobby

yawn


OK, here's the bottom line.

Most of the states in the U.S. make it illegal to play music as loud as he plays it, whether it's in his house or in his car. He made it plain he plays it that loudly in his car. He's breaking the law and he is no doubt pissing off people around him.

Yes, a power saw can be as loud as 110 dB. A building permit allows me to use those tools to construct my theater, and I did go to each of my neighbors and show them my plans. Oddly enough two of them were also doing home renovations as well, and they too were using power tools! Who would have guessed?

Godsmack (I think it should be gobsmacked, myself), this is NOT a forum for idiots who break laws with their cars. This is for home theater builders. If you want to argue about cars, go somewhere else. He's breaking the law, and around here he'd find himself in jail or with baseball bat-sized dents in his car when the neighborhood caught him.

Due to your innate idiocy and your inability to understand the illegal nature of overly loud stereos, not to mention the medical damage they cause, I will henceforth spare the good law-abiding forum users the trouble of having to read more of a rant from me. I'm done answering your inane ramblings. Argue all you want - You're not worth my time and I'm finished with you.

To everyone else, I apologize for the threadjack.

-drin

As long as it's power burps and not constant bass like my neighbors like doing, it's OK by me.

I know in Miami, the noise ordinance is that 100ft away, if you can hear the noise (a dog barking, loud music, talking, whatever) you can call the cops. And if they are called more than once to a place playing ridiculously loud music they confiscate the equipment or someone has to go to jail (usually people listen the first time cops show up).

Again, if you want to blast your music, do it while driving around or in your house. ;)





To the OP: The only thing I can think of is hanging fiberglass batts from roof to ceiling and basically making a fiberglass room within a room. Of course the practicality of that is pretty horrible.


Damn Drin, you get angry too much. The internet is not effective enough to argue on. :p

To the OP: The only thing I can think of is hanging fiberglass batts from roof to ceiling and basically making a fiberglass room within a room. Of course the practicality of that is pretty horrible.



That will not at all be effective for sound isolation. It will have essentially no effect whatsoever on bass unless you are talking fiberglass feet thick covering the entire wall that borders the neighbors. Bass will go right through small amounts of fiberglass unimpeded and unabsorbed. Although it may be a great way to improve in-room acoustics if reverberation in the playback environment is a problem (which if the room is not treated it likely is).

Actually - I was just looking for a cheap easy way to soundproof but it looks like there is none. I may move my surround sound speakers to the family room downstairs which is not near anyone's bedrooms but my big TV and receiver is upstairs.

Someone mentioned acoustic panels... would that help at all?

And I do agree with other posters here - drin is one angry opinionated guy but entitled to that opinion nonetheless.

Actually - I was just looking for a cheap easy way to soundproof but it looks like there is none. I may move my surround sound speakers to the family room downstairs which is not near anyone's bedrooms but my big TV and receiver is upstairs.

Someone mentioned acoustic panels... would that help at all?

And I do agree with other posters here - drin is one angry opinionated guy but entitled to that opinion nonetheless.

acoustic panels will not "contain" the sound within the room. Acoustic panels help to "tune" the room for better acoutical "performance" for example control echos

What is just as loud as 110 dbs?
power tools
harleys

should those be illegal to?
I wish we didn't have to make laws and make thing illegal just in order for people to show common sense and courtesy. That's why we have such big government. If people weren't so inconsiderate we wouldn't have so many rules and regulations.

By the way I think the motorcycle noise limit is something like 85 db at 20" from the pipe.

Back to the original thread... I have found that cheaper equipment needs to be played a higher volumes to appreciate the sounds contained within the soundtrack, when I got my Audiolab amplifier I was amazed at how much more of a track I could hear at MUCH less volume. I cannot remember if you said what you have, but sometimes just an opinion. I think people often rely on too much bass to try and make things "exciting" - do you have an even mix? Or is it bass heavy?

I wish we didn't have to make laws and make thing illegal just in order for people to show common sense and courtesy.

Exactly!

I wish we didn't have to make laws and make thing illegal just in order for people to show common sense and courtesy. That's why we have such big government. If people weren't so inconsiderate we wouldn't have so many rules and regulations.

By the way I think the motorcycle noise limit is something like 85 db at 20" from the pipe.

Back to the original thread... I have found that cheaper equipment needs to be played a higher volumes to appreciate the sounds contained within the soundtrack, when I got my Audiolab amplifier I was amazed at how much more of a track I could hear at MUCH less volume. I cannot remember if you said what you have, but sometimes just an opinion. I think people often rely on too much bass to try and make things "exciting" - do you have an even mix? Or is it bass heavy?

I have an onkyo 604 receiver. It's not high end but I think its a decent receiver which should do the job. My bass level is actually turned way down.

I live in an area called Charles Village. Hopkins is right in the neighborhood but I'm not living near the students, more in a transitional neighborhood.

I guess, or hope, that it's transitioning from a neighborhood where people play loud music at night on their porch, scream across the street at each other and generally carouse at all hours into a neighborhood where they...well...don't.

The relevant sections of the code are in the Health Code, which only makes noise violations civil actions, but there are laws being considered now to make noise violations part of the criminal nuisance violations similar to drug sales, prostitution and other fun stuff. That would give the police more power to enforce the rules and more penalties, up to and including taking the offending properties in the event of more than three convictions in 24 months under the new ordinances.

Hopefully these new rules will have a chilling effect on ambient noise, but the population of Baltimore hasn't always been known for their diligent law abiding character.

If I'm remembering correctly, I think MLV (Mass Loaded Vinyl) has been pretty much disproven as being useful in soundproofing when compared to drywall + GG, rockwool and a number of other (read: much less expensive) alternatives.


-drin

Oh, no doubt. But if they got that much of an improvement using MLV then I think it would be possible to do even better with drywall and GG. What was key in this scenario is that they only treated the shared wall. So it is possible to get a significant improvement without treating an entire room. You won't get the level of isolation that is possible with true room-within-a-room type construction, but you can really help things.

I only wish they had asked me about soundproofing before their construction, I would have steered them to the GG and saved them some cash.

Another silly and maybe a far fetched idea is to set your speakers on pillows. I assuming the sounds that are annoying your neighbor are the explosions and rumbles, even though the bass is low that frequency will travel through almost anything. So maybe setting them on a pillow to reduce travel would help. Just an idea so don't hang me for suggesting it.

Another silly and maybe a far fetched idea is to set your speakers on pillows. I assuming the sounds that are annoying your neighbor are the explosions and rumbles, even though the bass is low that frequency will travel through almost anything. So maybe setting them on a pillow to reduce travel would help. Just an idea so don't hang me for suggesting it.


It's called the Auralex Subdude... please; no ghetto pillow mounts :p

It's called the Auralex Subdude... please; no ghetto pillow mounts :p


Only suggesting as a quick inexpensive fix for late nights, nothing permanent.