# What SPL are you able to run your HT in a Condo?



## Chucka (Feb 17, 2014)

What SPL are you able to run you Home Theater System in a Condo WITHOUT COMPLAINTS? With this number, I would also be curious of they type of building construction used in your condo. Did you take any precautions to prevent neighbor complaints?


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Generally its the low frequencies that cause the issues. So keeping the sub level lower than normal really helps. But as you say it really depends on the construction of the condo/apartment


----------



## rawsawhd (Apr 10, 2014)

Simply buddy up with your neighbors and invite them over for movie night. ;-)


----------



## Chucka (Feb 17, 2014)

Chucka said:


> What SPL are you able to run you Home Theater System in a Condo WITHOUT COMPLAINTS? With this number, I would also be curious of they type of building construction used in your condo. Did you take any precautions to prevent neighbor complaints?


Also, if you do provide us with this information, it would be interesting to see what speakers and electronics you are using in your Condo/Appartment installation :T


----------



## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

What I've always done is go into the hall close the door and turn up pink noise till I can hear it. That's a quick way to tell how loud you can get.

Martin Logan 5.1 setup 
Motion 30/15 center surrounds with Vantage/Depth-i towers/sub

Pushing on sc-05 and emo upa-2 

AVR/Amp getting replaced after I move with av7701 and a 5ch amp (thanks HTS!)

Unless I'm watching a movie mid day I usually don't push past 45-55dB. I've got 0-set to 80db so usually sit around -30

I couldn't hear pink noise till about -5


----------



## redsandvb (Dec 2, 2009)

When I was in a condo (a studio with some walls concrete, some not, poorly insulated door to hallway, etc) I would not go much above -28dB or so from Reference, but I did not have a sub that went down deep in/below the 20Hz area. I had an Adire Rava that was spec'd to about 25Hz, I think it was. It got loud, but didn't shake the whole place. I also tried to start the movies so that they would end by about 8:00pm, 8:30 at the latest. I got 1 or 2 complaints, but that was when I played movies up until 9:00pm.


----------



## TheHills44060 (May 15, 2014)

I live in a 4 unit condo, 2 on top/2 on bottom. I've never measured the SPL's before but I know it's not that high. I do not a subwoofer because that results in an instant complaint. Even without a subwoofer I've averaged about 2 visits per year from the police and I've been in the same condo for 15 years. It's unbelievable no matter how quiet i try to be it doesn't seem to matter. Different neighbors come and go but the complaints remain. 

The thing is paid off so not having a mortgage is fantastic but i haven't fully been able to enjoy my system for a long long time. Totally ready to move out but not sure where and if I want to stay at the job i currently have.


----------



## Chucka (Feb 17, 2014)

I am hoping that using tower speakers that have a -3db rated response down to 45Hz (-6db @37Hz) may give me a little better isolation. I am also considering a Receiver that has Audyssey LFC. Does anyone here have and Condo/Appartment experience using LFC and Towers with no Sub in such a situation?


----------



## eyecatcher127 (May 9, 2006)

Kind of depends how well the construction is I suppose. I live in a condo 4 units wide. I have 2 floors 2br unit all to my own like a townhouse almost with a basement and garage attached about 1200sq ft total. I must have great neighbors, because I have measured mine up to 105db at the listening position and listen to reference level so I know peaks have been higher, i have my sub and speakers firing toward the back of my end unit so they are not firing at my neighbors inside walls. I use a auralex great gramma and other speaker isolation. I have a svs pb13 ultra for sub which has measured over 100db down to about 15 hz and extends down to about 8-10hz. Good luck.


----------



## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

Whatever you hear outside the closed front door will be doubled to the unit below.
A subwoofer's low frequency energy is transferred directly to the floor/wall and travels very well through the structure.
All you can do is try to be respectful, and if someone complains, take it seriously and lower the volume.
It is very possible complaints may come from the second unit over quicker than the first if the subwoofer is the cause of the complaint.


----------



## Chucka (Feb 17, 2014)

eyecatcher127 said:


> Kind of depends how well the construction is I suppose. I live in a condo 4 units wide. I have 2 floors 2br unit all to my own like a townhouse almost with a basement and garage attached about 1200sq ft total. I must have great neighbors, because I have measured mine up to 105db at the listening position and listen to reference level so I know peaks have been higher, i have my sub and speakers firing toward the back of my end unit so they are not firing at my neighbors inside walls. I use a auralex great gramma and other speaker isolation. I have a svs pb13 ultra for sub which has measured over 100db down to about 15 hz and extends down to about 8-10hz. Good luck.


I think that decoupling all speakers from the floor may be important in an appartment/conso installation. I am glad you mentiond it here. Does anyone here decouple their tower speakers for the purpose of reducing interference between condo units?


----------

