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Noob: Does a new 2.0 instead of 2.1 significantly reduce bass-noise for my neighbours?

caught gesture

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Thanks for your input, I appreciate it. Having respect for each others boundaries makes the world a better place :)
It is not that I am super short on money, I just thought that spending lots while throttling the woofer does not make that much sense. Back then, 12 years ago, I hated wearing my trashy gaming headset - but probably because it was just bad and felt awful on my head. Also don't laugh at me but I have no idea what DACs do or how they are used...
Edit: going to order those TRUTHEAR x Crinacle IEM. I am intrigued.


I see. and that certain point is trial and error? Sorry I am completely unknowledgeable in that area.

Have a nice evening.
Most two-way speakers will start to roll off at around 80Hz. Start there.
 

whazzup

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Hi audio friends, professionals and enthusiasts,

I landed on this forum some days ago and since then spent hours reading and skimming through speaker reviews and comments. I want to start with that I am a completely beginner in the whole audio field but was captured by the enthusiasm here.

I moved into a new appartment and found out that the house is poorly soundproofed as my neighbours living under my flat hear my floor-placed subwoofer of my computer room even at lower/mid-level volume. "Music" seems fine, they just get to freely experience the boom boom boom. Because I don't even like how the 2.1 sounds (was a cheap computer 2.1 logitec set 15 years ago) and the subwoofer always booms in the same boom, I am going to get rid of them and was thinking on getting some 2.0 speakers which hopefully do not annoy my neighbours as much. That's how I came across ASR, hi again.

Ok so since you spent already hours on this board, you already know to get some Genelecs or Neumans and live happily thereafter.
I know, I would love to. Unfortunately, my current budget is around 160€ (including table stands). So according to my research here, I have not many options - mostly Edifier MR4, Edifier R1280something (or R1380) and because I am from europe, Neumi is not a possibility.

Ok, can you talk a bit about your Environment?
Most of the time I would be 80-100 cm away from the speakers. Behind the speakers would be a wall, I could leave some little space however. Space between speaker direction and wall would be around 3m - 3.20m. I am a bit sensitive to sound, so I mostly listen at a little lowered room volume. If possible, the speakers shouldn't be too noisy when nothing is playing since I also plan to use them for video calls.

Equalizer, Equalizer Babyy!!
Yes, I would be happy to use software on my computer to get a better listening experience.

I have some questions about these:
1. Will removing the sub and getting one of these 2.0 pairs even resolve my issue of my neighboors listening to the current boom boom? (at similar volume)
2. My ear position is around 45cm above table height, am I right in getting some table stands (also to reduce table reflections)? In case of the R1280 or R1380 who are front ended (sorry, I don't know what the correct term is), is a wallmount also fine? but damn those cables.
3. Dumb question: those files by Amir or Maiky76 work with APO, is there a similar thing with mac? Right know I am still having a windows desktop, but might "upgrade" to a macbook soon.
4. When using the bluetooth connectivity of the R1280DB or R1380DB with eg. a phone, the equalizer will be bypassed. Is this even enjoyable and worth getting the convenience over the cable-only versions (-T)?
5. R1380 seem to be the "newer" version of the speaker at the same price, however wasn't measured here yet. Since there are no measurements and no "EQ-hack" by amir or Maiky, is this a no no then?
6 - final: what should I get?? ;)

Thanks to all of you reaching the end of this long post and taking the time to write an answer. You are awesome.

Let us know the brand and model of the speakers you currently have, and/or photos of the speakers and sub location. Should help narrow down the discussion and recommendations.
 

Aerith Gainsborough

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Computer speaker mini 2.1 isn't really reproducing bass anyway, e.g. logitech Z313 only goes to 60hz or so before steep roll off if I am correct, where a normal pair of 5" woofer monitor goes lower.
Boomy 40-60Hz bass of a flabby Logitech sub is more than enough to drive any neighbor crazy, especially when it excites a room mode.

What the OP needs is a subwoofer with DSP to control the room modes and decouple it from the floor. Even then it still depends on the construction whether it will work with the neighbors.

For testing purposes, I would place the subwoofer on the desk where the new speakers are supposed to go, link a smartphone to foobar (get remote control capabilities of the music playback). Then I would visit the neighbor for a sound check and assess at which volume of e.g. a bass heavy techno track (to make it easy to hear the regular bass thumps), the sound becomes audible / annoying.

Only then can his question, whether a 2.0 system would solve his problem, be answered.
 

ZolaIII

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I suppose its a small room with boost somewhere between 47 to 70 Hz from refractions. Try putting a thick rug on the floor if you have one, it will help a bit, putting cork in the speakers/sub port also. Can't really think of anything else right now but mentioned will only help a bit and eventually on humble and moderate listening level's for party one's I am afraid you will have to stick to hedaphones (even in a flat with good isolation). There are more plesent hedaphones for longer listening periods mostly open back over ear and earbuds so that they can breathe so that your ears don't sweat.
 

YSC

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Boomy 40-60Hz bass of a flabby Logitech sub is more than enough to drive any neighbor crazy, especially when it excites a room mode.

What the OP needs is a subwoofer with DSP to control the room modes and decouple it from the floor. Even then it still depends on the construction whether it will work with the neighbors.

For testing purposes, I would place the subwoofer on the desk where the new speakers are supposed to go, link a smartphone to foobar (get remote control capabilities of the music playback). Then I would visit the neighbor for a sound check and assess at which volume of e.g. a bass heavy techno track (to make it easy to hear the regular bass thumps), the sound becomes audible / annoying.

Only then can his question, whether a 2.0 system would solve his problem, be answered.
that's my guess, that's why I suggest to decouple it from the floor and see if it's the floor vibration transfer the sound as annoying to the neighbours, if it solved the problem, can get into some simple measurement and EQ to tame the room mode, with the sub isolated, or get a pair of desktop speaker with ok bass extension to 50-60hz on desk with EQ to tame room modes.

If isolating the sub don't help, it's the poor sound isolation in the building, in that way I would say save the money and go headphone
 

posvibes

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You could forget the sub, get a pair of speakers like the small Harbeths that go to 70Hz or good imitation of the LS3/5a speaker and adjust your hearing and approach to the way you listen to music, fidelity is a wide ranging field of endeavors and solutions. At one time the Victrola with Horn playing 78rpm shellac discs was considered the height of Hi-Fidelity.

I once lived in a flat that might have been built from carboard walls for the noise insulaton it gave with a large pair of Magnepan SMG's that put a long hiatus to my playing music but I learned to take great joy from cassettes and a Walkman and ridiculously under performing pair of on ear headphones.
 
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