[ThatKidNamedRocky]

I currently have a pair of Audio Engine A5 sitting on top of these foam isolation pads. I've recently had new neighbors who keep complaining about the sound (They live above me). They are complaining that they can hear the bass from my speakers. The thing is Ive turned my speakers down extremely low to try and keep their wishes in mind. Yet this still complain. I brought some sound proofing and tried to put it on the wall behind my desk and speakers to see if that will help. I keep telling them that the apartment celling are really thin. I can hear them walking everyday, closing cabinets. They have basically requested me not to use speakers after 10pm and switch to headphones. I usually stay up till about 1am listening/working on music and wearing headphones for long periods of time become uncomfortable. Are there any other solutions for me to reduce the sound. I really like these speakers and I hate not being able to use them. They complain wether its a movie, game or music. I've turned it down so low that I have to use subtitles when im eating dinner because I cant hear anything over me chewing my food lol.

 

[beers]

Move somewhere else.

You could probably EQ out some of the bass to get more 'usable' volume.

 

[atarione]

if the A5's are enough to tick them off.. the building is probably crap (for noise isolation ...) but don't feel too bad as most apartments are

the moving idea isn't too bad honestly (depending on your circumstances / lease duration ..etc)

we moved to a new area recently and we leased a older condo (single story ..so no neighbors above or below) and condos frequently have better sound proofing... my neighbor had their vacuum cleaner on the other day (they had front door open could hear it outside as walked in the door got inside couldn't hear it at all.

However low frequencies like to go through walls and floors so eq'ing the bass down further might work... some...

if you need / want (imho) comfortable headphones with long sessions

I have the Beyerdyanmic DT770 Pro 80 headphones ... they are very comfortable for me...I can wear them for hours gaming without problems.. and in general i have had problems with headphones after 1/2 hour max.

also got me a pair of Pioneer SE-A1000 headphones on impulse when finding a pair on closeout at BB for $35 great sounding and comfortable for me also.. (bigger head helps with these ones some with smaller heads find them prone to falling off however... luckily (???) my head is rather large.

 

[atarione]

oh one more idea... in my case I have a bunch of gear (really a comically large amount for being in a condo (we had a house before) but in deference to my sleeping wife in my case rather than neighbor issues (she is in bedroom near computer room) at late night i will generally switch over to my NHT SuperZero's (mine I got used $50~ Pair .. in perfect shape older made in America ones also) driving them with a vintage Pioneer SX-3600 receiver (t-amp would be fine also) I have my polk sub hooked up to the b speaker output and just turn it off .... the nht's still sound great near field but since they don't go that low they don't disturb my wife in the bedroom next to my computer area...

To my mind a pair of NHT's might be perfect for you situation as by design they don't try to go low ... (they are designed with the use of a sub assumed) still near field the lack of going low isn't (to me at least) that big of a deal.

 

[Trogdor]

I think if you can hear them walking around, you should be able to enjoy your audio components. That said, I had a neighbor who's son loved his car stereo......drove me nuts.

 

[Xinoxide]

You should inform them that headphones are not good for monitoring purposes. They should understand completely.

If they don't understand completely, request that between the hours of "when you start making music" to when you "finish making music" That they should not move or eat, and can whither away.

I think that sounds mutual and fair?

 

[DuckieHo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThatKidNamedRocky

I currently have a pair of Audio Engine A5 sitting on top of these foam isolation pads. I've recently had new neighbors who keep complaining about the sound (They live above me). They are complaining that they can hear the bass from my speakers. The thing is Ive turned my speakers down extremely low to try and keep their wishes in mind. Yet this still complain. I brought some sound proofing and tried to put it on the wall behind my desk and speakers to see if that will help. I keep telling them that the apartment celling are really thin. I can hear them walking everyday, closing cabinets. They have basically requested me not to use speakers after 10pm and switch to headphones. I usually stay up till about 1am listening/working on music and wearing headphones for long periods of time become uncomfortable. Are there any other solutions for me to reduce the sound. I really like these speakers and I hate not being able to use them. They complain wether its a movie, game or music. I've turned it down so low that I have to use subtitles when im eating dinner because I cant hear anything over me chewing my food lol.

Try placing the speakers on foam to reduce the vibrations they may be transmitting through hard surfaces.

 

[Xinoxide]

Oh Duckie.

 

[NFF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckieHo

Try placing the speakers on foam to reduce the vibrations they may be transmitting through hard surfaces.

he's got iso pads already so he's got the speakers on foam
Quote:

I currently have a pair of Audio Engine A5 sitting on top of these foam isolation pads.

anyways. asides from getting a pair of K1K's headphone monitoring just wont work... and if they complain again make a speedporn track for their enjoyment.

 

[Kozanitis96]

I know what exactly you are dealing with.
The floor in my house is so thin that I can hear the people who live beneath me when they talk on the phone.
About Headphones I use the BEYERDYNAMIC DT660
They are very good and I dont disturb too.
Maybe you should try and arrange with them some hours that you can have your speakers on and some others that they want quiet.
try to balance it

 

[DuckieHo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NFF

he's got iso pads already so he's got the speakers on foam

Missed the OP's first sentence....

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

One of the disadvantages of living in a society, especially when jammed in close to each other, is everyone has to realize and respect that one's rights stop when they start to infringe on the rights of others. While it's sad the acoustics of your apartment building are so bad you can hear the neighbors walking around, etc., as long as they aren't stomping around, screaming at each other, slamming doors or drawers, etc., those are activities that can't be avoided. Like it or not, playing music can be avoided. Bass frequencies especially will travel easily through walls and air. Quite frankly, your new neighbors are being nicer about it than I would. After the problems I've had in the past with people who crank up their music too loud and gave me grief when I asked them nicely to just turn it down a bit, I will not tolerate anyone else's music being played loud enough to be heard inside my own home, especially the bass, at any time of day and just let the police deal with it. Like it or not, your only recourse is to either not play your music during the time period your neighbors have requested or move someplace where your activities will not disturb others.

 

[nekkibasara1213]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

One of the disadvantages of living in a society, especially when jammed in close to each other, is everyone has to realize and respect that one's rights stop when they start to infringe on the rights of others. While it's sad the acoustics of your apartment building are so bad you can hear the neighbors walking around, etc., as long as they aren't stomping around, screaming at each other, slamming doors or drawers, etc., those are activities that can't be avoided. Like it or not, playing music can be avoided. Bass frequencies especially will travel easily through walls and air. Quite frankly, your new neighbors are being nicer about it than I would. After the problems I've had in the past with people who crank up their music too loud and gave me grief when I asked them nicely to just turn it down a bit, I will not tolerate anyone else's music being played loud enough to be heard inside my own home, especially the bass, at any time of day and just let the police deal with it. Like it or not, your only recourse is to either not play your music during the time period your neighbors have requested or move someplace where your activities will not disturb others.

I had neighbors who would stay up crazy late playing loud ass music below me. So after they refused to stop making noise late at night, I hooked my SVSpB12 up and listened to some Metallica at 5:00 AM while getting ready for work. We came to an agreement about the noise shortly after that.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekkibasara1213

I had neighbors who would stay up crazy late playing loud ass music below me. So after they refused to stop making noise late at night, I hooked my SVSpB12 up and listened to some Metallica at 5:00 AM while getting ready for work. We came to an agreement about the noise shortly after that.

I'll bet your other neighbors really loved that.

 

[nekkibasara1213]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I'll bet your other neighbors really loved that.

Guy was a jerk. I personally don't care how he felt. All I know is he got the message.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekkibasara1213

Guy was a jerk. I personally don't care how he felt. All I know is he got the message.

I was referring to the neighbors other than the jerk.

 

[nekkibasara1213]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I was referring to the neighbors other than the jerk.

They probably weren't too happy, but I wouldn't be surprised if they though it was him making all the noise that morning.

 

[BonzaiTree]

Well OP, you're probably never going to reduce enough sound to keep them happy if that's the case.

If you reaaaally don't care about the looks and PITA involved with doing a little soundproofing, you could pin egg cartons (or just get egg flats from a Denny's or something) to the roof, and hang blankets 6" or so out from the walls, to create a ghetto room within a room. But probably more trouble than it's worth.

We actually did this to our jam room when I was in a townhouse in University. We made frequent trips to a nearby breakfast place that held their egg flats for us, covered the entire roof with egg flats, and went to value village (thrift store) and bought a bunch of comforters and thick blankets which we hung.

Place was pretty ballin', but you could still easily hear the drums throughout the house when I was on them. Still, I was respectful and only played during reasonable hours, and we talked to our neighbours and they never complained. The basement did have thick concrete walls though.

Horrible potato pics my roommate took:

These are both before we finished the ceiling and did a little tweaking, but you get the gist of it.