So we are moving...

Drenis

In a couple weeks, we will be saying good-bye to the house we call home and off to a apartment. It saddens me because I really grew to love 2-channel in this house since we first rented 2 years ago. The apartment will be torture to me. More so, because I won't complete my crossover mods in time to hear them properly broken in at a "nice" level. I've had even a couple arguments with my other half saying we should just put them into storage until such time we buy our first home and then we can enjoy them fully. I even tried arguing to put the stereo in a bedroom to help eliminate some of the sound from traveling. It will certainly be a low for me. But all wont be bad. The sacrifices we have to make in order to save and start life in ones own paid possessions.

The only nice things about this place is the following:

- Concrete construction between floors and suites
- Acceptable sized room**

**Yes it's finally going to happen. I will finally have a room large enough to PROPERLY set up these speakers. The new living room they will be in is 15x13. The speakers will be on the long wall and the living room is sealed with the exception of a 5' opening into the room. I'm optimistic it will sound great with some tweaking!

This has been stressful as it took two months of searching to find a place but we had to act fast as time was getting near the end of our lease and vacancy around here is around 1% or less. The plan is prep for a house and in 2-4 years... hopefully make it a reality.

The other nice thing about a apartment that I'm actually excited about, is I can get my ears on TUBES! I cant crank music so what better opportunity than to get into Tubes. Be a great time to get my ears on some low wattage class A gear like a Pass Aleph 30!

On to new adventures with this hobby!

Systems

That sux, but for the better.

You might consider some smaller speakers.
Even though I do not have to down size for any reason, I have grown pretty fond of my smaller speakers over the last year or so.
I don't listen to loud levels anyway, so they fill the bill just fine, and the ones I own will rock out if need be.:cheesygrin:

No WAF problems here (or neighbors) other than I just do not like big floor standers taking up so much room, just a personal preference.

So there are a couple of sets of large floor standers just sitting rotting in a second betroom, which is a shame, both sets are pretty good!.:redface:

Something to think about.
A good computer system that will rock out if needed may be another good idea for an apartment.

Tornado Red

Never noticed before that you're in the 'Peg as well D. Enjoy that big room in your new apartment!

Systems

Tornado Red wrote: »

Never noticed before that you're in the 'Peg as well D. Enjoy that big room in your new apartment!

He's stuck up Red!

Andre, if you ever find a pair of Klipsch KG1.5 or 2.5's and can put some half way decent caps in them, I think you would be looking at the perfect apartment speakers, especially with tubes.

They are pretty nice stock, but with a recap and damping behind the front baffle, they get really good.
That is what I used when I lived in an apartment and never felt I was missing anything, and the police only showed up once.
I still use a pair in my shop (internal 1/4"-20 anchors stock) hanging from the ceiling.
I've had mine for 15 years and still going strong.

Drenis

Haha... well before any tubes enter the home, I want to have all my mods done first and my solid state setup up to par first. Then we'll talk tubes.

After speaker mods will see a DAC come next. Oh how I miss that component in the chain...

Tornado: There are 3 members from Winnipeg on CP that I know of including you and I.

Systems

I want to have all my mods done first and my solid state setup up to par first. Then we'll talk tubes.
After speaker mods will see a DAC come next. Oh how I miss that component in the chain...

You'll be kicked out within a month.:cheesygrin:

Drenis

pepster wrote: »

You'll be kicked out within a month.:cheesygrin:

That's my fear!! I'm more worried about her turning it up past a comfortable listening level in a apartment.

Drenis

DSkip wrote: »

Can they kick you out if you never hear them knocking?

LOL I had a vision once of me sitting in the second bedroom with the rig setup there, playing tunes while the caretaker bursts in saying, "I WAS KNOCKING FOREVER. WHY DIDN'T YOU ANSWER!?!? TOO LOUD!!!!" :razz:

codyc1ark

Dang, I really thought when I saw this thread that you were finally moving in with Pepster! Good luck with the apt, hopefully you'll have cool neighbors.

tonyb

Congrats man on the new digs. Save that coin for your own joint and nobody will be able to kick you out.

Except maybe your other half. :cheesygrin:

eclypse

Stressed out looking for a new place for a 2 months?

Try finding a house going on 3 years now where your wife is overly picky and her sister is our realitor that's not helping much with finding a house either! I'm stuck in a condo with people below and would kill to be able to really crank the speakers and I'm gona have a new set of LSIMs coming shortly.

Drenis

eclypse wrote: »

Stressed out looking for a new place for a 2 months?

Try finding a house going on 3 years now...

I would love to be in that scenario. However, since I can't even get a mortgage, that's stressful enough when I have to be throwing money away renting.

smglbrth

Well, almost three years ago we had to move for "new" employment. 4 hours from a house we couldn't sell, not to mention a place we'd lived for 20+ years. We did end up renting the house rather than take a huge loss on it (we still would have broke even but the Scottish in me still wants to fight the system and keep "some" equity). With the size of our family an apartment was out of the question, period. Back then we were 6, now we're 5 1/2 (oldest at college). However, we did end up finding a house to rent where we are now.

Uncle Sam thinks we're rich since we now have a so-called investment property. Funny, if I could have sold it the day I listed it I would have. Heck, we don't make any money on it, as a matter of fact, we lost last year because of a few repairs. Most people in Washington have no clue.

I am thankful though, steady employment and a roof over our head. Like my dad used to say, "no matter how bad you think you have it, somebody's got it worse than you".

Have fun with that big room and good luck getting used to apartment renting again...

Willow

Time will fly by so fast you'll be packing up again and moving into your own house (that you own...one day). Make the best of what you have don't worry about the rest.

jbooker82

I haven't ever herd the neighbors pound on the wall when I was jamming out at or near reference level with my RTi's.

treitz3

Hello, Drenis.

I think you are forgetting one thing. With a crossover upgrade, you won't have to crank it to hear it or feel it. The sound will be there for you. That's one of the added benefits of a crossover upgrade. Low level listening. Now, with that said....Get to know your new neighbors. Befriend them, invite them over to your pad and let them listen to your system. Even if you hate this next idea, let them play their own music on your rig. If all of the surrounding neighbors know you, like you, respect your hobby and may [on occasion] want to come listen to something, they will be 10X more likely not to complain about any occasional noise emanating from your apartment. Let them know in advance that occasionally, you would like to demo a song at louder than normal sound levels just to get your fix or test out a new component within the rig but that it won't last longer than the length of a song or two.

Get all of your neighbor's phone numbers. Let them know that you will be watching over their place when they are gone and that you would like them to watch over yours [or at least keep an eye out] when you are gone. This accomplishes two things. One, you will know when they are gone and when you can crank it up a tad bit more. Two, if you show interest in helping to protect their apartment [again] they will be less likely to call in and complain.

I have two neighbors that live 6" beside me on each side and we have lived in this townhouse community for 8 years. Not one complaint. Not one and the rig is currently located 1 wall [6"] from that neighbor's bed. We all look out for each other and when I feel like I want to crank it up beyond "reasonable" levels, I give them a call to let them know my intentions and that if they ever have any issue with my music, to give me a call and I would shut the system down [or lower the volume] in a heartbeat.....that I appreciate them letting me go to town on some albums/songs/testing. Every time, regardless of whether they "say" it's OK or not. They need to be reminded that you respect them allowing you to play well above reasonable listening levels. Never forget that. Now, if I know they are gone, I don't bother calling and I let them know this in advance as well. In doing this in every situation I have ever lived in that wasn't a standalone house, never a complaint.

The best thing that you can do is isolate all of the speakers [especially the sub or mains] on spikes. Isolate the system as much as you can from the floor joists and eliminate as much as you can any vibrations that can transmit through the walls. Not only will your system sound better in your listening room, it will be less noticed around your system in other apartments as well.

My current system is far from a sloucher and in the years I have lived here, I have had systems that ranged from 4800 watts down to 8 watts. Subs, no subs, dual subs...basically a plethora of gear in and out. I have lived my audio journey with no reservations. I just had to respect the neighbors. Now, when I get a new piece of gear in? they want to come over and get their ear on. My current crossover upgrade they are really anticipating listening too. So, my point is, don't look down on the situation. Think positive. Be positive. Get to know your neighbors and embrace them to look out for one another and respect your hobby, just as you respect them.

One other thing. Ask them if you could set your volume at what you would consider reasonable and then come over to their place to see how loud it sounds. You might just be amazed [after isolation/spiking] at what sounds loud in your apartment is rather muted in theirs. Of course, this could work both ways but it will allow to to have a general idea of what would bug you if you were living in their shoes.

Tom