Moving into an apartment with wood joist floors - worried about neighbors hearing


Hey all,

So during the pandemic I bought a pair of very Manhattan-unfriendly Egglestonworks Kivas. They sound amazing! 

However I recently decided to move and found an amazing old loft. While signing the lease I saw a bunch of language about noise and playing music loud - and now I’m starting to wonder if I’ve made a huge mistake.

I’ve lived in places with concrete floors the last 15 years, so i didn’t even think about it when taking the place, but this old building has wood joist floors. 

While I don’t listen loud - I’ve always been a low- to medium-volume listener - I’m worried that even then the Kiva’s will have too much bass energy.

The opposite pressure is that the room is huge with high ceilings. So in a vacuum, the Kiva’s would be the perfect speaker for the space.

The way I see it I have two options:

1) Try to move in with the Kiva’s and do everything I can to contain their energy (bass traps / panels / thick rugs / Isoacoustics Gaia pucks - some of which I already have). If there are complaints, then get different speakers or use equalization to lower the bass on my digital sources (not an option for vinyl though)

Or:

2) Get different speakers proactively. If I do this, I could consider a pair of bookshelf speakers with limited LF (SF Amati’s or those WIlson bookshelves?)

Anyone have any experience with this? If I go route #2, what about planar ribbon speakers like Maggie 3.7? Seems like the dispersion on them might solve a lot of the problem here, but not sure if they’ll still resonate the floor.

hudsonhawk

@leemaze 

 

+1 

What volume do you listen at? The answer in db will help us assess what volumes you are talking about.

 

No way I would sell a great set of speakers I like because of a move. Set up first, then see if there is a problem. Then you will know what kind of problem you have. 
 

 

I’m using pieces of granite on the carpeted floor under the speakers and I’m using Isoacoustics Gaia one isolation feet on my speakers. The change in the sound is amazing and unless I really crank it up, you can’t hear anything downstairs. Look at my system pictures.

All the best.

@ghdprentice I’d say I usually listen around 60dB or less (if measured at the listening position anyway - it’s 70dB if I put the SPL right next to the speaker).

New apartment is on a busy street so I assume there’s going to be a relatively high noise floor for the neighbors.

@curiousjim That’s a great idea. I could get a thick rug big enough that both the speakers and couch are on it, and then put granite under the Gaia’s, on top of the carpet. 

Great, even the high 60’s is not loud. Perhaps only putting some absorbent pads under the feet may do it. Maybe listen in the 70” only when newborns gone. 
 

I am listening now and have it “turned up” in my mind and it is low 70’s.