Not everyone is like Meghan Trainor; not all of us want to be “all about that bass, no treble.” Sometimes, it’s okay to just play your music at a decent decibel. Especially if you live in an apartment with neighbors in close proximity. You might have experienced someone playing their bass so loud that it rattles your windows, or feels like a little earthquake is about to displace your drinking glasses from the cabinet. It’s not always pleasant.
A woman has shared how her new downstairs neighbor chose to introduce themselves via “bass so powerful it shakes [the] floorboards and walls.” Not one to go running to the cops or landlords, she came up with a clever and rather hilarious solution, leaving the person downstairs frustrated and confused. But above all, quiet. Netizens have lauded her petty revenge as pure genius.
When living in an apartment, one can only pray for neighbors who don’t give you a headache with loud noise or music
Image credits: Prostock-studio (not the actual photo)
One affected woman concocted a noise-cancelling solution that some might argue is worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize
Image credits: ellinnur (not the actual photo)
Image credits: FuchsiaGhostKugiko
How to deal with your subwoofer-obsessed neighbor, according to the sound experts
Not all of us have the option of dampening the downstairs noise with the tap of a big toe. But there are ways to deal with that loud neighbor who seems to be taking Meghan Trainor’s lyrics a little too literally. You might be dealing with someone who loves testing their “normal” speakers and your patience. Or, possibly worse, it could be a case of a dreaded subwoofer at work.
If you aren’t familiar with the word, subwoofers have nothing to do with dogs or barking. Rather, they are loudspeakers known for their deep bass sounds. “Subwoofers are designed to produce low-frequency sounds, which are not only audible but can also be physically felt,” explain the experts over at Sound Speaker Pro.
”The main purpose of a subwoofer is to enhance the reproduction of low frequencies in an audio system, offering a richer, deeper and more immersive sound experience,” adds the team from French audio equipment manufacturer, Focal.
“The subwoofer is specially designed to reproduce low frequencies with precision, adding power and clarity to musical elements such as percussion, the bass of electronic music and sound effects in films. It helps to balance the overall sound spectrum and create a more complete audio experience,” reads the Focal website.
But whether that’s a good or bad thing largely depends on who you ask. And if it’s an irate neighbor, they might be unlikely to be bathing in the bliss of bass. Even the guys at Sound Speaker Pro admit that subwoofers can be “disruptive, especially during quiet hours or when you need peace to work or relax.”
They suggest open and calm communication as the key to restoring silence. “Approach your neighbor politely and explain how the noise from their subwoofer affects you,” advises the site, adding that you should choose a time when both you and your neighbor are calm. Not while the bass is blaring and you’re stressed out.
“Start the conversation on a friendly note,” continues the advice. “Avoid accusations or confrontational language.” Explain exactly how the noise affects you. For example, it may disrupt your sleep or work. They might not be aware how far the sound and vibration is actually traveling.
The experts also suggest seeking a compromise, like allowing loud music only at certain times of the day. Maybe when you’re not home.
A few other suggestions include asking the neighbor to relocate the subwoofer to a section of their home that’s not close to a shared wall. Or in other cases, where it won’t rattle your bedroom floorboards. You could also request that they use soundproofing materials. “Recommend installing soundproofing materials like thick carpets, acoustic panels, or bass traps around the subwoofer,” suggests the Sound Speaker Pro site.
And of course, the other trick is to ask them to simply adjust the bass settings. According to the Sound Speaker Pro team, “They might not be aware that adjusting the bass settings could reduce the disturbance without sacrificing their audio experience.”
For those who do want to be all about that bass, here’s how the folks at Focal say you can get the most out of your subwoofer. Placing it in a corner apparently optimizes its performance. “As the frequency bands concerned are omnidirectional, the bass is in principle unaffected by any object or piece of furniture placed between the subwoofer and the listening point,” they explain.
If the subwoofer is placed against a single wall or far away from partitions, the frequency response will not be linear and the bass quality will be affected, add the experts.
“By placing the subwoofer in a corner, the room’s resonances will be excited in a more linear and predictable way,” reads the Focal site. “Not only will bass perception be optimal, but this arrangement will also allow you to increase the level by up to four times.”
You can thank us later. As for your neighbors, we express our sincere apologies.
Image credits: Curated Lifestyle (not the actual photo)
The upstairs resident provided some more details in the comments
“I love this!” Netizens were impressed with the way the woman handled the situation
People shared their own experiences and some very clever solutions to drowning out the bass
