Subs in a semi

[Stephen Lovell]

I desperately want to add a sub woofer to my HC set up but am worried that the low level sound will cause too much disturbance for my neighbour since we live in a semi detached house.

Am I correct in this or is it safe to indulge?

[RMCF]

Stephen

I can understand your concern, and it is very neighbourly of you to even think of them. From your post you seem to understand just how bass sound travels. If you are ever in the room underneath a bedroom that has a hi-fi playing dance music at even low volumes, you will be amazed at how much you can hear the bass (nothing else - just the bass). I too live in a semi, but the HC room is on the end of the house that is not connected to next door, so we crank the volume as loud as we want. As for your situation, I assume that you ask because you play your films in a room connected to your neighbours. Have you spoke to your neighbours about the current setup? Can they not hear it as present? Is there a hi-fi in the same room? Can they hear that? Anyway, thats enough questions. You may have to decide yourself.

[Mad Max]

Yeah, the first thing you should do is talk to them... Figure out how much they can hear now, and how much of a disturbance is it...

Me for instance am not at all anoyed when e neighbour cranks up the volume... I figure people have to have some sort of life, and it's not bacause they have neighbours that they should be quiet as mice... Of course, I talk to them end expect the same understanding. Keeping in touch and on good term with your neighbour raises the tolerance level to unimaginable hights http://www.wvip.co.uk/ubb/smile.gif

Rui

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An adult is just a kid with expensive toys.

Rui

[HT Dude]

Good advice given so far. I live in a mid-terraced house and I have the biggest mutha of a sub ever. It's not a problem because I keep it to a reasonable level, switch off at 9pm and talk to the neighbours.
I got a big sub because I know it will last me the rest of my life - including when I movie to a big detached house in a few years time and crank the thing above '1' on the gain control. Something I have not yet done.
The unit sound great at low volumes as well as high, so it's quality all the way.
My advice is to, if you can, invest in the future and get a good sub to last you a few years.

[Mad Max]

Yeah, I'd forgoten to mention this: A Sub will defenatly make your setup sound A LOT BETTER, even at extremely low volume levels. The entire atmosphere of a movie is unbelievable, even at midnight, with the sound knob very close to zero....

GET ONE !!!!!!!

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An adult is just a kid with expensive toys.

Rui

[This message has been edited by Mad Max (edited 30-12-2000).]

[General Skanky]

Other things to try -

I put my sub along a side wall firing across the room. It still adds all the things a sub does but without the Earthquake effect. But admittedly not the best position to be in, but a fair compromise.

If your floor is wooden, and the sub isn't downward firing, 'aim' it across the boards rather than along, ie in sympathy. May help reduce low resonance.

Finally, and just made this one up, try de-coupling it from the floor. Put 4 cross head screws into (or a slab or something as a base) the floor, and seat your sub spikes into them.

Whatever, a sub is crucial to the sound quality if you ask me. Do not go without.

Oh and finally, you can always say to hell with the neighbours and really let rip..... http://www.wvip.co.uk/ubb/biggrin.gif

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Douch!!......Wot's da madder, da CIA got you pushing too many penzils?

Work: www.hughes-tv.co.uk (http://www.hughes-tv.co.uk)

General.

Would you then go for, say, a REL Q200 over a REL Strata III if you had a wooden floor in a semi?

Do you know if the Strata is more refined for music? Nobody seems to know, and I've only heard a badly set-up Q200.

Joel

[Jeff]

Try and get a home trial, I took the Rel Q200 home for a day. It was a lot of fun, but like myself you may find that it is way too powerful for your needs. A Paradigm PDR-10 or a small Yami might be more appropriate.

[Mad Max]

Hey, a Sub might be powerfull, but how much is too much ? You can always attenuate the sub's power. Rel have a power knob on the sub... And when you move to a bigger house, you don't need to buy a new sub... It's like cars... A big engine can go slow, but a small can't go fast http://www.wvip.co.uk/ubb/smile.gif Think about the future, and anyway, as I'm sure you know, bass clarity is much better on a better bass http://www.wvip.co.uk/ubb/smile.gif

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An adult is just a kid with expensive toys.

Rui

[Jeff]

I think that you can have too much power, if you operate between 20-30% of the systems power potential then it definitely isn't under spec. I was only running the Rel Q200 at about 5%, so I considered it too powerful for my needs. My room is only 7x14ft though. Subs may be different but most speakers don't sound that good if they aren't made to work a little.

[General Skanky]

The beauty about any sub with controls is that you can easily configure them to sound how 'you' like.
A demo if poss or home trial is the best way to decide how well you can live with any given sub.
I do believe you can overdo it. I've got an original Q Bass which is more than good enough. I don't need to wake the dead.
Get the one that suits best.
In the future if you move or change things around etc, a better sub will have plenty of reserves should you then need them.
They are well built so should be with you a loooooooooong time!
My preference from the Q200 and Strata III is the Strata, just.
that's based on sound quality for me alone.
But the Q200 is prob. better suited to what you want.
It's just hell deciding, isn't it? http://www.wvip.co.uk/ubb/biggrin.gif


P.S.
The alternative is to do DIY.
Check out past posts by Ramius on the topic.
If you can drill and glue etc, it's a very good option.

P.S.S.
For Stephen.
Look at the post below from StephenR. There is a link in one reply about sub positioning etc.

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Douch!!......Wot's da madder, da CIA got you pushing too many penzils?

Work: www.hughes-tv.co.uk (http://www.hughes-tv.co.uk)

[This message has been edited by General Skanky (edited 05-01-2001).]

[This message has been edited by General Skanky (edited 05-01-2001).]

[General Skanky]

To hell with it.
I live in a mid terrace too, but tonight I'll be turning the sub to face the wall, crank a bit of volume and destroy any harmony I had with the neighbours.
I feel like some Arnie blowing the s**t out of people for no reason.
And yes, I am of stable body and mind, I think...................

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Douch!!......Wot's da madder, da CIA got you pushing too many penzils?

Work: www.hughes-tv.co.uk (http://www.hughes-tv.co.uk)

[Dave H]

I live in a semi and the Rel 100 e is always on max I just turn it down a bit for DTS films!
cheers

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And the monkey flips the switch.

[adz]

sod yer neighbours, crank the volume up to 11