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Neighbors and loud music

Chris Brown

Chris Brown

Super Member
I really enjoy playing my music loud but I am also very cognizant of the potential annoyance it might cause to others. As silly as it might sound, sometimes I don't feel like I can truly enjoy my music if I know that it is bothering someone else. I have a few questions which I find myself constantly curious about.

1. Windows. I assume that having my windows closed while I play my music loud would help prevent sound from making it's way to my neighbors houses. How much of an effect does this really have one way or another?

2. Frequency. Most of the music I listen to is Rock/Metal/Alternative or some hybrid of those. I also listen to a fair amount of electronic music. One thing is, the electronic music has a LOT more low-frequency content. Whereas I'm usually using about ~100wpc per amp when listening to Rock/Metal/Alternative it's not uncommon to be pushing my amps and my speakers to their limits when listening to electronic music simply due to the abundance of low-frequency content. I am curious to what extent this low-frequency sound travels, penetrates walls, and might cause annoyance to others compared to typical content (rock, etc).

3. Line of sight. To what extent does line of sight between houses affect the degree to which the sound might annoy them, as opposed to only taking into account distance.

4. Day of the week. Around here, it seems like a lot of people party hard on Friday nights. This is when I usually play my music loudest and worry-free, as it seems to be as close to a commonly accepted practice as it gets, were it would almost seem silly for someone to file a noise complaint. Is it like this in most other areas also?

I appreciate any thoughts and and anecdotal experiences anyone might be willing to share in regards to this :)
 
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Have you thought about walking around outside while your music is playing to see how loud it is near your property line? How about asking your neighbors if it bothers them?

Just my 2 cents.
Tom
 
Also might be a good idea to wander around your neighbors yards late night ... maybe peek in the windows and see if they look bothered ...

... or maybe not ... <G>
 
catrafter said:
Have you thought about walking around outside while your music is playing to see how loud it is near your property line? How about asking your neighbors if it bothers them?

Just my 2 cents.
Tom
Click to expand...

I've thought about this, but at those volume levels I really don't really want to be more than a dozen feet from the equipment so I can constantly keep an eye on things, especially with electronic music where I'm also often pushing my woofers to their limits. This is what it might ultimately come down to though.
 
I'm lucky enough to work from home so I will play music pretty loud during the day sometimes when nobody in my house is home, and most neighbors are also gone. On hot days when all the windows and doors are open I still try to not go to far on the volume but given that there are others in the neighborhood that like to have their music on in the garage when they're working around out doors I feel that it's ok to have it going. But all that changes in the evening when wife/daughter at home, and certainly even if they're not and it gets up around 9 or so, I bring the volume way down. I've been living in this neighborhood for 18 years and would prefer to keep relationships with neighbors positive. It really just boils down to common courtesy.
 
Wait, if you can't even walk away for 5 minutes for fear its going to blow its a pretty safe bet you are doing something wrong.....either to your neighbors or yourself.
 
Chris Brown said:
3. Line of sight. To what extent does line of sight between houses affect the degree to which the sound might annoy them, as opposed to only taking into account distance.
Click to expand...

Not really a factor, especially when it comes to low frequency. I live in a condo development, and I face a park, not the parking lot. Regardless, when some kid comes into the parking lot with his car stereo blasting, I feel that low frequency pulse as if I was standing next to it.

Bass is essentially omni-directional. You'd be surprised how far it can travel.

FWIW, I like my music loud too, but I try to be cognizant of others. I figure up until 9PM or so, I can play it loud though not insanely loud. Never had a complaint.

Happy trails,
Larry B.
 
chadnliz said:
Wait, if you can't even walk away for 5 minutes for fear its going to blow its a pretty safe bet you are doing something wrong.....either to your neighbors or yourself.
Click to expand...

This is true!

I live in a row house in the inner city. Loud music from just about anyone, most especially "rolling boom boxes" is a given. I play music at what I feel is reasonable and comfortable levels. During warmer months I open the windows. Younger people sit on my steps and jokingly complain when I play something they don't like. I try to be considerate by drastically reducing the volume after 9PM on school nights. 10 PM is my usual time to lower the volume on Friday and Saturday. If I'm entertaining on a weekend night I may go to midnight before cutting back.
 
I would do a walk around the house at cranking volume to make sure I was not causing the neighbors undue stress. We just moved out of our apartment so I have yet to get the new system up and running to test the sound in the new house. I am ready to crank it soon and see what it sounds like there.
 
sKiZo said:
Also might be a good idea to wander around your neighbors yards late night ... maybe peek in the windows and see if they look bothered ...

... or maybe not ... <G>
Click to expand...

latest
 
chadnliz said:
Wait, if you can't even walk away for 5 minutes for fear its going to blow its a pretty safe bet you are doing something wrong.....either to your neighbors or yourself.
Click to expand...

Ya I kinda agree with chadnliz. If you can't leave your system playing for more than a few min. (or a few feet) then something is wrong. I can understand you wanting to play your music loud but if you are afraid your going to hurt your system somehow then maybe you need some new speakers or components. Pushing your speakers/system to the point that your afraid that something will happen to them can't be good.
I agree that playing your music and then walking around the outside of your house would be the best and cheapest way to tell just how loud it is for the neighborhood. (and asking the folks next door would be a kind gesture as well)
And if your playing your music to the point of bottoming out the woofers I am assuming that distortion is entering the pic. as well.
Just my .02.

edit:
Just noticed that you seem to really like JBL speakers. Maybe someone with more knowledge on JBL will chime in on what's going on to your speakers with the music up so loud.
 
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I live in an inner city condo and have the same concerns especially living in a very quiet little complex. Mostly I keep it to reasonable levels with the occasional cutting loose.
I was far more worried about it until I did a walk around while playing at what I thought was loud. Once I closed my front door I could barely hear it. Walking through the patio and to the rear of the place was the same which has me feeling much better.
I'd say unless you do a walk around you are just guessing and worrying about what could be nothing.
 
Talk to your neighbors

I would listen outside the house but DEFINITELY talk to the neighbors and let them know that you don't want to bother them. Give them your phone number (something I would recommend anyway) and ask them to call or stop by if the music bothers them. This could prevent a call to the cops. Not only keeping you from being hassled but also allowing the cops to deal with more pressing issues.

At any rate... you DON'T want to end up being THIS guy!!

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/crime-law/atlanta-cops-seek-suspect-in-killing-over-loud-mus/nnWRK/
 
If loud music is a must and you live close to others, getting a house with a basement would be my suggestion. There is some noise canceling windows and materials for walls that help but are expensive and not as effective as being below ground.
 
The only thing you then have to think about is the possibility of conduction through the fabric of the building. :scratch2:
 
I live in a moderate sized home on a small lot in the middle of a subdivision, and one of the first things I did after purchasing the home was plant some shrubs and trees strategically to buffer the sound from my music listening. It makes a big difference in how the sound carries. I play loud at various times although never late, never had a comment or complaint.
 
Need to do the walkaround to see what's emanating from your house.

This can be done at a loud but not necessarily on the verge of meltdown level. You know that if it's bad at a loud level it's going to be worse at the verge of meltdown volume.

And, yes, open windows make it worse. Moreso with mids and highs, but it does let more of the bass out too.

Far as noise levels, in my small town there is a general quiet hours noise ordinance. Far as I know there is no Friday night/weekend exception. This runs from like 10PM to 6 or 7AM.

That said, it's not an implication you can run amok with WFO volume in the non-quiet hours. If it's middle of the day and your tunes are disturbing the peace, you can still be ordered to turn it down.
 
OP:

A lot depends on your living situation. Are you in an apartment, or a Condo or a Home? What construction is your home? Any insulation in the walls and ceilings? Do you know your neighbors or not? What kind of music do you play at how "prominent" is the bass?

In Hawaii, I live in a Condo. Fortunately, it's solid poured concrete walls, floors, and ceiling. I also live on the top floor so no one is above me. The poured concrete does not resonate well, even at bass frequencies. I have really thumped some ZZ Top and no complaints. I NEVER hear a peep from any other condo through the walls or floors. My neighbors sometimes party or crank some music and I never hear them. But when you walk outside, you hear everything. It's Hawaii, so the windows are always open. Sound carries up, down and forward projecting out from the open windows and sliding glass doors I sometimes go out for an early evening walk or run and you can hear a mash of sound flooding the parking lot from any condo that has TV or stereo on.

Just to pick on a surround sound AV Receiver, if you have a typical 100 watt 5.1 surround system with powered sub, and you listen at theater levels, chances are your walls, floors and ceilings are going to resonate with the bass frequencies. If you are in an apartment, chances are the walls are going to transfer the resonating frequencies to the adjacent apartments, or above and below if you are on top of or under another apartment or condo.

In my mainland home, it's a home, with 50 feet at least between houses. If the home is closed up and I want to crank up the tunes, no problem. If I lived in a home with 10 feet between houses and windows always open, then I'd have to change my listening profile a bit.
 
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