How loud before the neighbours complain?

[palacefan]

The OP, and most contributors to the thread, are clearly taking great care to consider their neighbours. So I’m not sure where your ‘lack of courtesy and manners’ came from?

I do not accept that all contributors are expressing care.

You seem a bit guilty, lack of consideration for others perhaps! Perhaps if you had experienced just a small amount of the distress that iI have been put through causing my wife and self to sell our house and break up our family you would begin to understand what it is like to suffer eight fecking years of people ruining our lives totally without courtesy and consideration for others.

 

[cooky1257]

I do not accept that all contributors are expressing care.

You seem a bit guilty, lack of consideration for others perhaps! Perhaps if you had experienced just a small amount of the distress that iI have been put through causing my wife and self to sell our house and break up our family you would begin to understand what it is like to suffer eight fecking years of people ruining our lives totally without courtesy and consideration for others.

You're not the only one, I had the same for 3 years when my nippers were toddlers, had to move in the end-didnt help married promote bliss either -and sought out an end terrace property with few adjoining walls-that works out best for both parties.

 

[herb]

Neighbour noise is not always music. Trying to empathise with my neighbour I sometimes use headphones. He still shouts at the top of his voice, apparently at random, which I can still hear and is disruptive. The loudspeakers cover the noise more effectively somehow, even at low levels - and show that I am in.

 

[gints]

There is big difference if it is 4-5 songs loud or 2-3 albums. Everybody has at least some patience. Also if it is a music or just bum bum bum noise. You even do not need to be next wall neighbour if you live in flats. Often all you hear is only bass bum bum and that is more annoying than just loud music.

 

[palacefan]

Complaining to the local authority was pretty useless and involved punishment which included large dents via rocks onto our car roof and breaking aerials etc

 

[Tony L]

Never had any complaints here, which actually surprises me a bit as the Tannoys can kick some serious bass out on electronica etc. I get on well with my neighbour and I don’t listen later than ten or so unless I have friends round of a weekend. My average listening level is about 76db median, which on a really good dynamic mastering can put the very loudest transient peaks around the 90db level as far as I can measure, though few records or CDs are that good. I listen at much the same median level upstairs on the JR149 system though measured closer as the speakers are less than a metre from my ears. I have the TV rig very quiet, about 60db average unless something very good is on. I just like the clarity of a good hi-fi there.

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

I do not accept that all contributors are expressing care.

You seem a bit guilty, lack of consideration for others perhaps! Perhaps if you had experienced just a small amount of the distress that iI have...

Nope. Not a bit guilty. And, as I said, I do sympathise and your assumption I’ve not been on the receiving end is mistaken. But let’s not derail a perfectly reasonable thread, eh?

 

[Tony L]

FWIW I have been on the receiving end as I bought a city centre loft apartment above what was initially a quiet upmarket cafe/restaurant that then decided to become a night club. A few of us in the block took them to court and eventually won, but it was a real battle.

 

[Alex S]

I lived above a Deptford pub that acquired a 2:00am license. Mental illness was assuaged by the sight of breaking bones.

The worst was not music but an old girlfriend who lived next to a cycling billboard. That was intolerable.

 

[DirkDiction]

I had years as a dedicated headphone listener due to property/family constraints but now have an extended semi where I converted the previous owners larger office into a music room - SWMBO still calls it the second lounge for some reason......... Anyway, the external wall is double skin thermal block, and I have three brick walls between the room and the neighbours. The other side neighbours are about 30 yards away, and its a single storey extension so no bedrooms above!!! 85-88dB in here and you can barely hear it upstairs or outside, let alone the neighbours!!! Every evening in here I am truly grateful for what I have

 

[Ayya Khema]

32db

 

[Bairnstorm]

70-85db and live in an Edwardian halls adjoining. No problems with my neighbour even when playing guitar through a Blackstar HT.

 

[wylton]

My average listening level is about 76db median...

Is there a way of determining the median level from the iphone app? Al I see is a bunch of numbers jumping up and down with numerical values for maximum and peak. Incidentally, I hadn't tried the faber acoustical app for some time and when i tried to open it tonight, it wouldn't open. I found that it had been superceded by Sound Meter X, which is now a free app, though you do have to subscibe for some of the features.

 

[Monitor Gold 10]

Having moved to a new house I’m not wanting to annoy the new neighbours (just yet) I’ve a simple sound meter on my iPhone that’s registering nothing more than 68 ~ 72 dB. I’m feeling this is acceptable and it also sounds much lower than my old house. Must say the house next to me has a hallway between me and it’s walls. My hifi volume would be around 25% of capacity.

I hold regular Music Evenings. Since getting Audrey, my Audio Innovations Series 500, they're much more keen to have a listen.

And much less keen to leave. These evenings have continued well into the small hours.

I get reasonable wine, cheap pizza, they bring music and the system is theirs for the night. Now there's a separate Whats App Group for these events. And my neighbour is keen to host one as well...

Hearts and minds...

 

[forester]

In 1985 the neighbour below our student flat once complained 'could we turn down our hi fi so that he could hear his'. We were watching the film Southern Comfort on a portable tv plugged into a NAD 3020 driving Heybrook HB1's. The explosion part way into the film pushed him over the edge. It was probably less the amp's power output than the fact that the speaker stands were stood on woodscrews part way into the floor and therefore directly coupled to his ceiling. Mind you he also complained about us returning from parties after a few jars. No appreciation for student culture.

 

[joe9407]

Not sure how accurate these apps are

me neither. i have the "db Meter" app on my iPhone and listening to the Beastie Boys' "Sure Shot" just now on FIP, the average was 58db using the db-A-weighted scale. the reading seems low to me.

 

[linnfomaniac83]

I have been a victim of an inconsiderate arsehole who thought it alright to play his music in every room in my house ,which is absolutely soul and health destroying. Why do you want to play your music loud enough for other people to hear it in their own property? Do not impose your taste in music and lack of courtesy and manners on other people.

I think that’s exactly what the OP is trying to avoid, which is the very reason for this thread’s existence.

As I pointed out in an earlier post, I had an arsehole neighbour too and he didn’t just complain about stuff, he was an evil vindictive old b@stard and tried to make my life a living hell, you couldn’t do anything without a completely ott reaction. I went round and introduced myself when I moved in, explained that I was very into my music and to let me know if h ever heard it... and he didn’t, but he did hear me using a drill (at about 10AM on a Saturday morning), and decided to verbally abuse me and then randomly bang on my front door at all hours (and I mean all hours, 2AM, 4AM, 5AM), for several weeks, he wouldn’t do it every night but if he did, he’d do it several times, retreating to his own home before I could get to the door, this often woke my baby daughter up and had her crying for up to an hour. He keyed a visitor’s car for parking on the road outside my house, poured creosote over my wall and driveway because he objected to me working on my own car on my own driveway, smashed holes in new fence panels that I’d bought to replace completely knackered ones because I hadn’t asked his permission to change them... so yes, I know what it’s like to have a nightmare neighbour. He was over years 50 my senior so it’s not like I could even give him a slap (although he’d have deserved it if I did)... he kept on doing stuff like this until started to get dementia, I ended up helping him out on several occasions, because I’m a good neighbour and at that point, he had no recollection of being a prick.

 

[linnfomaniac83]

....and the neighbours who don’t complain? Just endure the noise. Who’s the good neighbours then, you or them?

Which is why it’s a good idea to talk to them, tell them to let you know if your music encroaches on them, remove the awkwardness. And then if it does bother them, you can do something about it, turn your music down, move the speakers, buy some good headphones, move house etc...

 

[TheManWhoBuiltTheMoon]

Some interesting replies to this. I am indeed only trying to be thoughtful of the neighbours as I wouldn’t want the same thing to happen to me as every other week I have to get up at 4am for work. I think the level I’m listening at is acceptable and I don’t push it any further. The neighbours in question would always speak to me as normal if we bump into each other. So hopefully it’s not bothering them. I’m sure it won’t hurt to ask them if it’s any bother. Irony of it is I actually moved here for peace and quiet as I lived in a terrible part of town! Considering a toilet flushing is around 70db I think my listening levels are ok.

 

[Colin L]

Or more pertinently, how loud before your room complains....

I like it loud. My system will happily play VERY LOUD. At a certain level the room can’t support it and it’s not fun anymore.