2. misc-audio
  3. 1140229518

condo owners, how do you appease the neighbors?

Hi everyone,
I just moved into a condo and the neighbor downstairs won't leave me alone. He keeps knocking on my door and asking me to turn down the music. I checked the volume level with my Radio Shack SPL meter, and found the average to be about 72db. Peaks at about 76db. Measured with pop music. For reference, my HVAC runs loud at about 65db. If I turn the music down a little, I can't hear it when the heat turns on. This is not as loud as I'm accustomed to listening, but it is far too loud for my neighbor, apparently. What have you other condo/apartment owners done?
Thanks.

Tom
tfkaudio

Showing 2 responses by tfkaudio

tfkaudio OP
591 posts
 
Thanks, guys. I really got spoiled in my former apartment. Everybody played the music loud, whenever we wanted. There was an understanding, of sorts. You don't complain and I won't complain. I think renters are far less uptight. (They tend to be younger, too, which also helps).
I'm hoping that some room treatments will help both of us. Better sound for me, less vibration carrying down to him.
tfkaudio OP
591 posts
 
Thanks again, everybody. I've read the responses and I have some questions to put out there:

1) Do speakers on spikes really help?
2) What db level would most of you honestly consider to be the threshold of nuisance behavior in a multi-dwelling? I figured 90db measured in-room at 10 feet would be a good guess, but 75db seems to be the limit for me.
3) Will room treatments help? I know they'll make the sound better for me, but will they keep the sound in my living space a bit more?

I don't use a subwoofer.

I like the idea of wwwrecords, but I honestly don't think I could sh*t my pants on queue. Taking a magazine with, and waiting for it, would ruin the whole effect, I think.

Cheers.
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