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Regarding the subwoofer
I have this set of speakers: Dell A425 Speakers w/Subwoofer
If any of you are familiar with this, the sub is the size of a shoebox (barely). Compared to my last sub, it's miniscule. I have the knob turned down to like 2/10. It's on a carpet. Why does my neighbor complain the bass is too loud? If i put my foot on it, I can feel it a little but nothing like VIBRATING.
If I go into my kitchen (wall attached), I don't feel anything.
Is this woman nuts or can I muffle it somehow? She's complained about me a gazillion times to my super, I'm afraid I'm going to get kicked out of my apartment because of this nutjob. I've never had issues like this with a sub before.
Thanks.
zool
78 Posts
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September 27th, 2004 16:00
I am not completely sure that I understand the exact location of your subwoofer, nor its relationship to your kitchen wall, or to your neighbor.
However, try a little experiment: Read through this article i.e. Acoustics 101 and then fashion an acoustic shield from styrofoam egg cartons and 1/4" styrofoam board (or whatever you can find handy that is free).
You might be pleasantly surprised. You can achieve all sorts of things once you understand reverberation, noise, and absorptive surface treatments. Egg cartons are very affective.
zool
SI8300
55 Posts
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September 27th, 2004 16:00
Goonboy
2.4K Posts
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September 27th, 2004 20:00
However, try a little experiment: Read through this article i.e. Acoustics 101 and then fashion an acoustic shield from styrofoam egg cartons and 1/4" styrofoam board (or whatever you can find handy that is free).
You might be pleasantly surprised. You can achieve all sorts of things once you understand reverberation, noise, and absorptive surface treatments. Egg cartons are very affective.
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That's all very well and good, except for the fact that your article addresses frequency ranges well above what the average subwoofer is responsible for producing. Egg crates and styrofoam will occasionally suffice to reduce echo and reflection between parallel surfaces, but they're certainly not up to the task of damping low frequency vibration and sound transmission. As an example, an acoustic bass (one of the subwoofer's favorite instruments, along with the much-maligned tuba) produces frequencies down in the 30 Hz range, most of which will be unaffected by the relatively lightweight damping effect of an egg crate or low density styrofoam.
Many apartment buildings have been constructed with a material similar to lightweight concrete for floor-to-floor noise reduction. It does a pretty good job minimizing mid to high frequencies (televisions, average conversation), but in the case of low and extremely low frequencies, both audio and radio frequencies (such as is the case with the Navy's ELF project) travel much farther and much better, and are less inclined toward being stopped by anything other than the most stalwart of noise reduction tools.
If your sub is that effective at nominal settings, you might find that merely placing it on a shelf or cabinet off of (but near) the floor will go a long way toward reducing the floor-to-floor problems caused by direct contact between the sub and floor, without adversely affecting the audio quality. (Most commercial apartment-grade carpeting is less than effective as noise reduction material, so it usually can't be considered adequate insulation). Another possible solution would be 2 or more layers of drywall cut to the footprint of the sub, with dense sound absorbing/damping material such as rubber or good construction insulation securely glued between between the drywall layers, and elevated with oversized rubber feet. A coat of paint, some edge moulding and a little elbow grease, and you have a relatively low cost "bass blocker." Any pro audio supply business can offer you other suggestions, and provide you with most of the required materials for building something yourself.