Soundproofing Hi-Rise Apt?

Hi Montalk,

If you find that physical vibration from your speakers and/or subwoofer is being transmitted through the floor, you will probably find that an anti-vibration platform that decouples would go a long way toward taking care of the problem.

Best,

Barry

Disclaimer: I am a manufacturer of vibration control products.

Hi,
I can relate to your problem as I also live in a highrise. I would go with Kr4's suggestion, find out who's really complaining. In my case it was my upstairs neighbor. I sort of luck out (I have a corner unit also), the gentleman downstairs has hearing problems, my next door neighbor is always away on vacation, so that left only my upstairs neighbor. I actually went up and talked to him (after mgt. complained), and apologized. We worked out a schedule; I found out he and his wife always go to their home in NH. for the week-end, so that leaves me three days out of a week to blast my system all I want.
Find out who's really complaining, in a corner unit that only leaves three. If you have only one complainant, you might be able to work out something. My neighbor also told me his assigned parking spot, so whenever I want to play loud, I just peep out the window to see if he's home. I would've never known this unless I talked to him, and almost kissed this hobby good-bye. Good-luck and hope you can work out something with your neighbors.

I thank everyone for all their suggestions but there needs to be a little clarification on all this. I don't have a subwoofer and really don't beleive it's the low frequencies that are radiating from my apartment that are the problem. The fact that this is a corner apartment means that it does not border on any other apartment. The only place it does have a common wall with a neighbor is in the bedroon; far away from where the audio system is. I do have sheetrock walls but also have concrete floors and ceilings and various concrete internal support posts. My audio system in my living room near the front door is the only place it can be and is therefore permanent. I use speakers exclusively and do not like headphones. What I'm just trying to do, is suppress the intensity of the sound leaving the front door by either sealing the sides,top and bottom space around it with some kind of seal or by placing something on a temporary basis inside the apartment next or over the front door whenever I have an extended listening session. Again, thanks for all your kind assistance and thoughtfull suggestions
Barry M.

You can use a thin layer of self-adhesive foam insulation, normally used for window weather stripping. It is very effective. The one downside is that if your unit was designed for forced air circulation i.e. the fresh air is forced from corridor vents into the unit; you may be cutting of that circulation. You may be able to alleviate some of this by leaving some spaces in the foam seal around the top of the door. Good luck.

the posts suggesting you step outside and listen to the impact of your music should be followed as a first step. the problem is not so much a matter of what you are doing as it is a matter of how it affects the building.

Okay, that you live in a corner unit is good. Still, your apartment is attached to the building and noise will transmit. this is especially true if the ambient noise level withing the building is already low. [People living in buildings near freeways don't complain about neighbor's noise as the building is already 'loud'---as opposed to buildings that just don't have that much background noise]

Do you know for an absolute fact that the complaint is about your front door? Or, is this just the way you perceived problem and , such being the case, the only possibility?

When you are playing your music, invite yourself into (all!) of your neighbor's apartments. If you are an audiophile you have a good ear for listening so you will know what is going on.

Is it only when people walk-by the door of your apartment?

Finally, as a nod to your neighbors, think about all of us fellow audiophiles and the great lenghts we go to for the perfect sound. Now, think of your neighbors and how they feel about their own space.

If for some reason the complaint is not about your front door everyone, including you, are if for lots of frustration. After all, would you just love it if, after re-building your entrance, the problem could have been fixed by moving your speakers another six inches from the wall.