Subwoofer in apartment building...

[fotomatt1]

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.

[stevenkapoor]

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

[Willd]

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.

[PLincoln]

Originally Posted by stevenkapoor

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

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

[AcuraCL]

Originally Posted by fotomatt1

... 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.

[Coonstev]

Mount the sub high up near the ceiling.

[JaceTheAce]

Originally Posted by fotomatt1

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!

[mbroadus]

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.

[RayGuy]

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.

[Russdawg]

Originally Posted by fotomatt1

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.

[Pete7874]

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.

[fotomatt1]

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?

[Russdawg]

Originally Posted by fotomatt1

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.

[Jonomega]

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...

[abcdefg1675]

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.

[Jon-C]

I recommended these in a similar thread:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=299-028

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=300-784

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

[Pete7874]

Originally Posted by abcdefg1675

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?

[SteveCallas]

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

[Raymond Leggs]

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 !

[victor-eyd]

Originally Posted by Jon-C

I recommended these in a similar thread:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=299-028

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=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

[Jrain]

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?

[PLincoln]

Originally Posted by SteveCallas

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

[abcdefg1675]

Originally Posted by Pete7874

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.

[Pete7874]

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").

[abcdefg1675]

Originally Posted by Pete7874

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.

[Reginald Trent]

Originally Posted by Jrain

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.

[mmountainbiker]

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!

[Fnord]

Originally Posted by mmountainbiker

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...

[noremacyug]

Originally Posted by mmountainbiker

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.

[JeffD2.]

Originally Posted by mmountainbiker

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.