I totally agree. I think these videos help with validation ("I'm not just overly sensitive, this is a common problem"), problem-solving with neighbors who are actually reasonable, but unware... and finally, I've seen that some people share these videos when they seek help in dealing with a stubborn or hostile neighbor.

This was a simple example of how everyday activities or appliances can vibrate and create low-frequency noise that can travel into the building frame and become a nuisance to other people in the building. Obviously, you only operate a coffee grinder for a few seconds, so this particular appliance is not a huge concern. But when it's something like a fan, air conditioner, or washing machine, those appliances can run for hours -- thus tormenting adjacent neighbors. I get emails from people who are afflicted by continuous vibration noise. These kinds of pads help to reduce the vibration that can travel from one hard surface to another and go into the building frame, picking up energy along the way and creating a bass-like drone. Everything seems pretty "normal" if you're at the source of the noise, and you might not even realize that it can be heard outside your home. But no one is demanding that you ruin the aesthetics of your coffee grinder.

Most locales have a noise ordinance, so if the noise was loud beyond a certain hour (usually 11 p.m. or os), you can call the local police. Here's some more information about noise issues in the UK: www.gov.uk/guidance/noise-nuisances-how-councils-deal-with-complaints . And I agree that accuracy is important in terms of using a noise meter. Even though I think that this Android app registers decibels a bit lower than the iPhone app that I use more regularly, the good news is that it doesn't OVER-estimate the noise level, and it can also make a recording of the noise itself while recording the decibel level.

I think they're less effective against bass. They do reduce some of it, but they don't eradicate it. A lot of that effectiveness is also contingent on your walls and the structure of your building, as well as the distance and angle from the noise source. I think many of us need more mass on (or inside) our walls. An older wood-framed building with thin walls might still transmit some bass, even if the windows have extra plexiglass. I don't know if you saw the video "Can a plexiglass window block enough noise?" but I put a decibel meter between the original window and the plexiglass, and a second meter outside the plexiglass (inside the apartment) while a very loud truck with heavy equipment was running outside. It showed significant noise reduction, even though you could still hear the racket, due to the close proximity. Very sorry to hear about the loud radios blasting while people charge their Teslas. Sounds very inconsiderate of them, and somehow I'm not surprised.

Thanks! I'm not sure why the Soundproofist channel has fewer subscribers either, though maybe it's too "niche," or not enough entertainment value. Also we don't constantly publish new videos every few days, and I think the YT algorithm increases if you constant publish a new video at a frequent cadence. Glad it's helpful -- I think some of the research that's freely available on this channel and on the Soundproofist website probably helps these other channels come up with ideas.

Is it an open truck bed? I'd put a thick rubber pad on it. If it's enclosed, I'd consider the same type of padded flooring that they use on gym floors, which are usually sold as interlocking tiles.

@soundproofist open truck bed 😊

I hope the issue was something simple (and no cost)!

No wires stuck in there but cleaned the spray bars and seems much quieter now. Thanks 😊

So I think what you're suggesting is that (in this example) the anti-vibration pads weren't a good match when paired with a small and lightweight mobile phone (or the vibration emitting from it). Do you have a suggestion for a more effective test?

I'm really sorry that you have to deal with this. And it's so frustrating, because despite the efforts of local groups, the problem didn't go away and it's getting worse. I hope you've been in contact with the Stop the Chop group.

Your window is pretty big. I agree that the fewer moving parts, the better -- but in my case, having a 96-inch wide single piece would have made it very difficult to install it or remove it (to slide open one of the windows behind it on a hot day). It's easy to remove a plexiglass panel (and I do, sometimes) but it's a bit of a pain to secure it back in place. In terms of 2 years later: I've added a few bits of extra info to the Soundproofist blog, and I've made some modifications along the way, and maybe I should make a follow-up video about that. For example, I added a piece of wood to the interior gap inside the window frame to keep the three panels from angling in towards the original window (to keep the space consistent in the air gap). I recently made a video where I did a decibel-level test when there was some loud equipment running outside. I put a cellphone with the decibel app between the window and the panel, and a second cellphone with the same decibel app inside my apartment, near the plexiglass. The difference in the decibel level (in the gap between the two windows) was substantial. So as annoying as the noise was inside my apartment, it showed me that it would have been much worse without the extra plexiglass: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3qUqqijZ5udoMU

Same as it would be if there was no extra panel. If that particular window was my only escape option and if there was a firefighter outside with a ladder, I'd remove a side panel, slide the window open, and go.

Yes, deeper window openings (which often come with thicker walls) are super helpful, and I agree that the bigger the air gap, the better the results. My 1950s apartment building is a perfect example of how builders cut corners for several decades, resulting in an acoustical (and indoor heating) nightmare. The gap between the double-paned vinyl windows and the interior wall is only 2 inches. That's the amount of space I have to create an air gap for the plexiglass insert.These windows were retrofitted in -- the original windows were single-paned aluminum. So maybe the original air gap was slightly deeper, but the single-paned windows themselves were about as effective as a T-shirt. There's already a very small gap between the two panes of glass in the vinyl windows, but it's fairly insignificant. I envy you for that 15-inch gap in your basement windows!

Totally agree. Even if a subwoofer isn't sitting directly on a floor or shelf, the deep, long bass sound waves coming from it will travel through the air and then become low-frequency noise inside the building structure. This is why you can hear a car with a loud subwoofer in it from several blocks away, or fireworks, or a Harley Davidson motorcycle, for example. These noise sources don't need to touch your building for you to hear them. The sound waves can travel a long distance and penetrate all but the thickest building structures.

@@soundproofist They never should have been invented

I haven't noticed any moisture problems in the air space, and I think I've had this plexiglass installed for about 2 years. The exterior windows are double-paned vinyl windows, retrofitted into what was originally a single-pane aluminum window frame from the 1950s. These vinyl windows are probably 20 years old and they still seem pretty airtight. The space between the two panes in the vinyl windows don't fog up, so neither does the air gap between those windows and the plexiglass sheet. As for the clips: when I first did this project, I used stationary clips on all sides. Then I realized this just made it harder to remove the plexiglass if I needed to. I don't need to remove the plexi from the smaller window. But on the larger window, it's a total hassle to remove a panel to open the window with stationary clips on the side of the plexiglass. So I replaced the side clips with two inexpensive metal latch/handles. If I can find a link for the parts I used, I'll add it later. I probably bought them at a local hardware store called "Cliff's." Basically, these are latches with a raised handle and they're meant to keep a door or gate shut. But I installed them backwards, so that the handle is positioned over the plexiglass, not the latch itself (which is too low to fit over the plexiglass), and then I use small foam shims under the handle to push against the plexiglass. You can see the latch in the video at 4:55. I still have the clips at the top (I recommend 2), and then on the left side, I have a connector to the center piece of plexiglass. And of course, on the bottom, the plexi is just sitting on the windowsill. One thing about these plexiglass window inserts: they are very weathertight. There are a few days per year that get obnoxiously hot, so you might want to remove the plexi and open the window. But in the winter, they keep cold air from leaking in and warm air from leaking out, and it will probably help you save a lot on heating bills.

@@soundproofist Thank You for your detailed reply, I'm still wondering what you think of the sofa pillow idea in the airspace to add mass?

@@nomadyesmad4875 Wouldn't you be blocking all the light out if you did that? How much of the space would be filled by the pillow? Is the idea to absorb some of the noise that passes from outside into the airspace? The success of a window insert is from the gap in the airspace itself, which helps to reduce the noise. Why not add the plexiglass first and see how effective it is, then see if it gets better or worse with a pillow stuff inside?

@@soundproofist Proofist, I am having another horrible experience with customer service, As we know there isn't any nowadays. No matter how nice I am, C-S people are so rude and downright vengeful. It must be the State I live in. I was put through major stress with Macy's for 8 months just to buy a sofa that was crafted to a decent expected condition. Just unreal. The Tap Plastic older guy was horrible as well confirmed by people I talk to about it. Was quite mum about if it would fit in my car and didn't want to say anything it seemed to lose a purchase. I gave him the rough opening measurements and said " I need extra space on the sides " to install it. He said he would give an extra 1/2 inch. I trusted his experience with others who have done this, but am now disappointed he didn't ask how much I wanted. I have had pain issues for years and went along with it to discover when I sat it on the window ledge. The window is out of square so I'm getting a small gap of 4 inches at the top left-side and bottom right-side. I bought vinyl foam tape 1 1/4" wide and 3/16" thick and screen clips, but I'm not sure how I should seal it not having the foam tape width on the sides of the plexi like how Mike's video showed. The window is basically 3ft. wide and 5ft. tall. Sorry for the long details. I'm just having a time with it and nobody to help me, especially the lifting. I have to just do it and then deal with the pain it gives me. I really appreciate your opinion about it. Thanks

@@nomadyesmad4875 I'm sorry you had a bad experience with TAP. If I understand correctly, you wanted to install the plexiglass on the outside of the window frame (not inside the frame). Is that correct? And the person at TAP Plastic cut the plexiglass so that it was only 1/2-inch wider than the window opening (in each direction, or total)? On the large window in my apartment, I had the plexiglass cut to be 1.5 inches taller than the window opening. The plexiglass sits on the windowsill, so the entire extra 1.5 inches in height extends above the window opening at the top. On the sides, the panel on the far left and the far right also extend 1.5 to 2 inches beyond the window opening. If you have a gap of 4 inches (on the sides or the height?) the first thing that comes to mind, which is a bit of a funky work-around, might be to buy an additional piece of plexiglass that's at least six inches wide (I'm guessing on these dimensions, please check) and place it next to the one you bought already, connected with an H-shaped joiner, which is also sold by TAP Plastics. The additional piece of plexiglass should be same thickness as the piece you have already. Make sure it is also tall enough to clear the top of the window opening with additional space to secure it against the wall. Make sure the width of the new piece is enough so that when you place it next to the piece you bought already, the entire plexiglass (both pieces) extends at least 1.5 inches on either side of the window opening to completely cover the opening and extends far enough to install clips to hold it in place. And if your window is 5 feet tall, the piece should be at least 61.5 inches tall (5 feet plus at least 1.5 inches of clearance). Yes, you will have a seam on one side of your window (where the two pieces connect, vertically) but this is probably better than having a 4-inch gap or wasting the large piece of plexiglass that you bought already. Someone else reading these comments might also have another work-around idea -- many of the people who post here are smart and helpful and have really good suggestions.

Many people don't understand that noise travels in more than one direction and that impact noise can come from downstairs to upstairs. Are you saying that the party hall is directly beneath your bedroom? If so, that's terrible, and your building association needs to fix the problem. Because if it's not a single apartment owner downstairs, but the whole building association, you might have more leverage. Can you tell me more about your building, and the flooring? For example, is it a wood frame with wooden floors? What year was it built? What efforts have been done so far mitigate the impact noise? Would the vinyl sheets be installed on top of the existing floor, or beneath it (against the floor joists)? Are you renting the apartment, or do you own it? Of course I always say that the best way to fix the problem is at its source. The building needs to modify the flooring so that impact doesn't transfer from the floor into the building frame. This could be decoupling the floor from the joists, or installing flooring like what they use in a fitness center, where people exercise or drop weights onto the floor. Try this first, because trying to decouple your flooring and the walls in your apartment would be very expensive for you and possibly less effective.

@@soundproofist The building is about 5 years old, concrete one 14 floors. Ground floor is party floor about 18 feet high.above that is my apartment. I am the owner. The floors are vitrified tiled floors. The party hall is part of gym ,dance/yoga room and TT game room.But other parts have 2mm vinyl sheeting. Party hall which is directly beneath me has only vitified tile floor. So all impact noises can be heard like dragging of metallic tables, items falling on ground when decorators arrange for parties and high vibrations from music. They use a 100W speaker. To mitigate I have asked association to put vinyl flooring and to use a 40W one as only Birthday partys happen. I am planning to get one of my bedrooms noise proofed.The expert said he will work on the whole room including decouple the bedroom ceiling , thats for the top floor noises. What best can be done to my bedroom floor? And what best can be done for the party hall? Rite now I can think of only vinyl flooring sheets or tiles.

@@TauroChuck Those tiles on the party hall floor are definitely a problem. Tiles amplify noise and they don't dampen impact noise at all. Do you know what's underneath the tile? Concrete, I assume? When you say that you want to put a sheet of vinyl on the floor, what kind of vinyl? I assume that you would remove the tiles first. They're like microphones. Any hard surface can transfer impact noise, but tile is worse than wood. I assume the parties have a lot of dancing. I've seen examples of high-impact areas that install a "sprung" subfloor for situations like a fitness center. It's supposed to increase acoustic isolation. Notice the underside of these modular pieces of wood in this short "Freedom Step" video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pajSZoKvm96Viqs The modular pieces have spring-like foam in parts of the underside. However, this video is short and lacks details. And it made me nervous when I saw them add some extra layers of wood on top of the modular pieces without using acoustic underlayments (such as rubber or closed-cell foam) between the layers of wood. And I also saw a section of the top layer of wood touch the wall instead of leaving a small gap. This would transfer noise to the wall. I can look for other examples. As for your bedroom, IF you have a wood floor and wood joists, I would recommend removing the existing wood subfloor, adding some acoustical treatments between the joists, then use something like "joist isolation clips" before you put the subfloor back in place (www.buyinsulationproductstore.com/floating-floor-rubber-joist-isolation-clip/) because you're trying to prevent the transfer of vibration and low frequencies, so you want to reduce the contact between your subfloor and the joists. However, your building materials might be different. If you have a contractor, I would ask for suggestions of how to isolate your floor if the dance hall does not get soundproofed in a satisfactory way by your HOA.

Thank you for your inputs. My floor is vitrified tile floor.

@@TauroChuck My experience with floor-impact noise coming from downstairs is based on a wood-framed building that's made with wood joists and floors. I can say from experience that all the upstairs neighbors in my building continue to hear impact noise from the floors in the downstairs apartments even after the downstairs ceilings got soundproofed, and with some insulation or soundproofing on the walls. And these apartments were modified or soundproofed at different times by different people, in slightly different ways. But in all cases, the upstairs and downstairs floors are not decoupled from the framing. The downstairs apartments updated the flooring, either by adding another layer of hardwood on top of the existing floor (with cork in-between), or by removing the original hardwood planks completely and then adding new flooring with a layer of what appeared to be tar paper, the kind that's used in roofing materials (not recommended, it's not sound absorbent). The subfloors in the downstairs units are directly nailed to the wooden floor joists. The new flooring, with or without padding or proper dampening, was added on top of the subfloor. My observation is that even with the decoupled ceilings in the downstairs units, the impact noise on the floor goes through the building frame, not floating up through the ceiling. It travels upwards from the floor joists to the inside of the walls and then into the floor joists in the upstairs units. Therefore, the impact noise is isolated (you don't hear airborne noise) and the impact noise sounds like it's closer than it really is, almost as if the impact was happening against the underside of the upstairs floor. To remedy this, the upstairs units would have to remove the flooring and decouple their subfloors from the floor joists, an expensive undertaking. In the case of a concrete floor, I think further research is needed because the solution will be different than it is with wood. First I would try to fix the impact noise downstairs and see what you still hear upstairs.

Nice. The larger the air gap between the window and the plexiglass the more sound it will deaden. Did you install it yet? If so, what was the result?

Open-cell foam isn't going to block external noise -- it's too porous and light. Closed-cell foam would be a better choice. It's not completely waterproof, but it's "water-resistant". I'm not sure what other chemicals might be in different closed-cell foam products. Maybe the product's website might answer that?

@@soundproofist thank you for your response. I am digging the internet for information, but there is too much confusion, misinformation and contradicting opinions. By other chemicals, i mean polypropylene, isoprene, all these types of synthetic rubber, polyester fibers , felt, synthetic wool. It is a mess of information about sound dampening

@@billonious Yes, there's a lot of confusing information out there. I know there are some companies that make adhesive-backed sound-deadening panels for the inside of car doors, etc... they're very heavy and probably similar to what you used. But I don't know what chemicals are in them. And there are more healthful insulation materials like recycled denim batts and cellulose, but those are not appropriate for the interior of a car, which might get damp. Seems like natural rubber might also be helpful and more healthy. Just a random search pulled this up on a Home Depot site, but I'm not sure what your needs and specs are, exactly: www.homedepot.com/p/Rubber-Cal-Recycled-Rubber-60A-Sheets-and-Rolls-3-8-in-T-x-4-in-W-x-4-in-L-Black-Rubber-Garage-Flooring-5-Pack-21-102-AB-04-004-5pk/314439977

It was pretty loud. I never heard what it sounded like outside (too busy trying to capture this video inside). Thanks for the tip about OITC. Do you have any suggestions on how to calculate that from the data I collected already? Or is there an app that does it?

I haven't tried rain gutter covers, but that's a great idea! It's the right concept (perforated exterior with a space inside to capture and diffuse noise). And to your second question....yes, I've had people say this to me before!

Correct. A lot of the nuisance is from low-frequency noise. 50-60dBA could be normal conversation in a room (airborne noise), but 50-60 dBA of road noise from a revving car engine becomes structure-borne, not airborne, and therefore more annoying and intrusive. There's a reading for "frequency" just above the dB number in this app. The funny thing about the timing when I made this video: I finished this project during the week between Christmas and New Year's day. So traffic was really light -- a lot of people were probably out of town. And the delivery trucks had already delivered their packages. Also, construction crews in the area had taken a break. So I had a hard time collecting examples of the more annoying noise issues that you can hear through the window. More recently, I was able to capture the sound of a drain-cleaning truck that was outside the window for ~ 30 minutes, and that gives you a better idea of the kind of noise that often comes through the walls and closed windows.

@@soundproofist Ironically, installing a noise barrier along a highway can potentially create greater annoyance if not properly done. The wall has to be high enough to significantly block heavy truck exhaust noise. If teh wall is a bit too short, the wall will block car noise, but teh exhaust of semis is about 10'-11' feet above the road. Ratehr than a drone of traffic noise, you now have the intermittent noise of a semi passby. Even though teh measured Leq is lower, the intermittent characteristic of the noise is more annoying.

The effectiveness depends also on your wall construction. If you have thin walls and the drywall is just nailed onto it, you'll get low-frequency noise, even if you fix the window. If/when I get the $$$, I'd like to tear out the existing low-end drywall around my front windows, fill the cavity with a half-inch of mass between each wall stud, right against the wall that faces the street. Then add rockwool insulation, then mass-loaded vinyl, and then decoupled drywall, preferably soundproof drywall (QuietRock). This seems pretty straightforward, but the reason I haven't done it yet is because of the floor! Someone who lived in this apartment 30+ years ago did a DIY project and laid down a thick layer of tile and thinset on top of the original hardwood floor, and not only does the tiled floor touch the drywall, it actually rises above the bottom of the drywall...the drywall is buried under the tile... so it's creating a pathway for structure-borne noise. If I finally fix it, I think it will make some interesting videos.

I can see why it's confusing. I recorded everything I did along the way, including how I learned from my mistakes. So a couple of years ago, I did some noise testing for a company that makes storm-window (energy-saver) inserts. I gave them measurements before and after. The energy savers are actually pretty effective against cold, but as you can imagine, not so effective against noise. They're made with aluminum frames, thick clear vinyl, and open-cell foam around the edges to make them fit snugly inside a window frame. One thing the company told me was that some of their customers used their energy-saver inserts later as a way to hold a piece of plexiglass inside a window (for noise). So when I started this exploration, I thought I'd try that. I began with the smallest window first. I figured I'd use the energy-saver insert to hold a piece of plexiglass in place inside the window frame. It reduced some of the noise (but not low-frequency engine noise), and then I decided to go ahead and do the large window adjacent to the small window. I already knew that I didn't want to try to fit three big pieces of plexiglass inside the window frame, even though I had energy-saver inserts for that window, too. The energy-saver inserts, which were also divided into three sections, already didn't fit perfectly inside the big window and they were unstable at that size. That's when I found the video on KZbin about using oversized plexiglass so that it sat on the wall outside the window frame. This actually makes a perfect air gap between the original window and the plexiglass. I intend to redo the small window with a new piece of plexiglass (oversized) that sits on the window sill (like I did with the big window) and then I'll eliminate the energy-saver insert. Sorry for the confusion.

@@soundproofist Interesting. I thought air gap is what matters to reduce the noise but you were not successful with energy-saver inserts even though they created a air gap. So you used plexi glass to actually create one more air gap and the plexi glass material itself blocked sound for you?

@@pinakmiku4999 Actually, my original intent was to create a small air gap, then add the plexiglass (cut to fit inside the window frame), then hold it in place with the energy-saver insert. I thought I was cutting the plexiglass a little bit shorter than the window frame dimensions on all sides. But my measurements were a bit off. One corner of the plexiglass was slightly too big, so I couldn't slide it in perfectly aligned. It's a bit angled, not totally parallel to the original window glass. I thought the energy-saver insert would help me mitigate any errors, but in this case, it didn't. I have a much better gap with the large window, and in fact I later added a small piece of wood along the windowsill to keep the air gap consistent between the original window and the plexiglass. I did this after I made the video.

@@soundproofist Thank you very much! This helps. I am gonna buy an acrylic sheet from homedepot and they can cut it I think. I am wondering what type of edge seal should I use to fit it snug? Or I would like it to be removable so I need to have a handle or something?

@@pinakmiku4999 If you're handy with building things, a wood frame would be ideal, because you could put a small handle on each side. But it takes some effort, and the right tools. I found a video where a woman builds a storm window (with plexiglass and wood), but she also has a lot of space to operate in, and the right tools, and a neighbor with a router. But maybe this will give you some ideas: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4HWeIeGjZh_ias Another option might be a kit with an aluminum frame for making a DIY screen window, but I've never done that myself. You could just try putting adhesive-backed foam weatherstripping around the edges of the plexiglass, but I found that this can tear away over time, or if you get direct sun, the adhesive will melt a little and the foam could become detached (which happened with the large strip of foam that I put along the bottom of my big window). Also, it doesn't solve the problem of putting a handle on the plexiglass so you can take it out. I'm able to remove a plexiglass panel from my big window because it's on the outside of the window (not inserted inside) and I use a gate handle on the wall (with a thick foam shim) to hold the plexi firmly in place. So if I want to remove the plexiglass, I turn the handle and slide it out. But in my case, the handle is not attached to the plexiglass.

You're welcome!

By the way -- for handles, I bought a pair of cheap glass-lifting suction cup ones and they worked a treat to help move the sheet around and manuever it into the cutout! Hopefully they'll also help when it's time to get it back out.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I totally agree about the inside mount needing more space around the edges but also that the larger windows (or maybe all the windows) benefit from the outside mount (windowsill & wall), plus transporting the plexiglass, unless you have a large truck. And yes, the window inserts are most effective against higher frequencies and not cars with loud mufflers or trucks. But I'm happy to say that I no longer hear the details of peoples' cell phone conversations outside my window now.

True. I did this years ago as a lower-budget way to reduce noise. This included street noise from the front, neighbor noise in the buildings behind me, and also noise from the downstairs neighbors. For people who can afford the time and the money to remove walls, ceilings, or floors and decouple them, the results will be much better.

Thanks. I also wondered if there was any effect from the first iPhone (inside the gap) leaning against part of the window, whereas the iPhone outside the plexiglass was in my hand. That was actually out of necessity because the 2nd iPhone's battery was completely run down and I had to plug it in to use it. But you might be right: there's a possibility that some of the louder noise in the gap could have come from the plexiglass reflecting it back towards the original window. In another video, I built a noise-absorbing insert to put on each side of the window in the gap. Those noise absorbers were not used in this test. So the next time I get the opportunity, I should test the decibels with and without the noise-absorption placed inside that gap (about a 2-inch wide space).

Totally agree. I captured some video recently where a carpet cleaning service in a van was making a racket that you could hear for 1/4 mile. The van was parked one block away...I didn't know what it was nor where it was coming from, so I started walking around the neighborhood to find it. When I finally found the source, it measured at 103 decibels. Seems like residents should be given advance notice to prepare for ear-splitting blasts like that.

I mean, what else are they going to do? Let the next downpour result in flooding? In these circumstances, they should just put out warning pamphlets with earplugs, they're dirt cheap, but it has to get done.

@@user-fy7ri8gu8l This was not a "ban the drain cleaners" video. Of course this maintenance needs to get done, just like we need street cleaners, garbage collection, etc. It was a good opportunity to make a noise test, though, since so many of these machines make dangerously excessive noise.

Thanks for that clarification. I do talk in some videos about source--path-receiver, and they usually require different solutions. Foam products are going to be more helpful at the source (acoustic treatment of a room that you're in or dampening noise from equipment that you use) or maybe on the path (the path that the noise travels on before it gets to you), but it is unlikely to be effective for most "receiver" situations (when you're the recipient of external noise coming in).

I agree about the plexiglass. It helps to block or reduce mid-frequency noise, like people talking on their cell phones outside, or a car engine idling (but not revving). The low vibrational noise affects the whole structure, not just the window. And as you saw in the video, the plexiglass could reduce decibels, but not the vibration and low frequency. If you look closely above the decibel readings on these smartphones, you'll see a frequency meter, which averages about 200Hz. That's pretty low frequency (though not the very lowest), and I use that as a gauge to see how much vibration is still passing through (vibration=low frequency). If the app displayed something like 800Hz, I'd assume that higher frequencies were passing through. In another video, I tested a vibration app (not just a decibel app) agaist a coffee grinder, but many of those vibration apps are geared towards the Richter scale, and the streetcar vibration isn't going to show up in a significant way. Offhand, I don't know of an inexpensive hand-held vibration meter. There are some high-end ones like Brüel & Kjær, but those are definitely not within budget. I'll keep looking.

1/8" plexiglass will attenuate low frequency noise, but you have to have a very large air gap in between the outer window and the plexiglass, and of course everything has to be sealed air tight. I did an experiment with my basement window (24"x48"). The window sill is 15" deep. I made a plug with 1/8" Lexan and framed it with 3/4" plywood and 1/2" cork sheeting (used as a gasket around the inside part of the frame). There is also 1/2" cork sheeting covering inside the entire window sill; top, sides and bottom. In the summer I have a few cars coming down my street playing LOUD bass music, which I find annoying as hell. Sometimes the music is so loud that if you were outside you would have to yell to communicate with someone. I tested the plug at different distances from the outer window; 5", 10" and the full 15". The 5" distance worked okay, the 10" distance was better, but the 15" distance attenuated the loud bass by about 95%. I know many ppl do not have the luxury of a 15" deep window sill, but I just wanted to post this info here as an FYI.

True! I need to work on my spectrogram skills first.

To help me visualize the issue, can you send me a photo? First, contact me through this form on the Soundproofist website. It will send an email to me. When I respond to it, you can attach a photo. soundproofist.com/contact-us/

That's a perfectly reasonable request. But I'd have to time travel back to about 2007 with a smartphone and apps that didn't exist yet (maybe a physical decibel meter) and wait for some jack hammering to get those "before" measurements. I did capture a "knocking" test in a low-res video I made a very long time ago (see: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYnHq6t9j7iHh80), captured with a Sony Cybershot or something like that. The video isn't very effective --it just shows knocking on the original wall when it was hollow, and again after adding insulation and QuietRock drywall over it, which sounds more deadened.

Thanks! I think the plexiglass is pretty heavy. It's 1/4-inch thick. I've removed one of the side panels so I can open the side window during the summer, and I weighed it so I could give you accurate info. The panel is approximately 33 inches wide x 48 inches high - or 83.82cm wide by 121.92cm and it weighs 16.5 pounds, or almost 7.5kg

@@soundproofist Thanks for the reply. Btw, how do you attach the plexiglass to the window? No nails or anything? Thank u!

@@suwandicahyadi9213 The bottom of the plexiglass sits on the window sill for support. The two sides that extend over the drywall around the window opening are held in place by brackets that are screwed into the drywall. I slide the plexi into the brackets and then use small bits of EVA as "shims" to press the plexiglass firmly against the drywall (no gaps). On the side of one of the removable panels, I have a small gate latch that rotates up and dow, so I can turn that to release the plexiglass on that side to easily slide the piece out and open the sliding window behind it. Otherwise, it would be too hard to remove just one piece with all the brackets (too snug).

The open-cell foam panels aren't going to stop your sound waves from going into the wall and into your neighbor's apartment. They're meant for softening the acoustics for audio recording (to reduce echo and bounce). Typically, you need more mass (something more solid) combined with absorption (closed-cell foam or insulation) and some resiliency (decoupling with resilient channel, or a cheap workaround like adding a second layer of drywall over the existing drywall, with a layer of Green Glue inbetween). Some soundproofing experts disagree with me about the Green Glue/double drywall, but if it's just conversation noise and not deep bass or impact noise --- and if you own the condo, and you're not a renter -- this is something you can consider.

@@soundproofist Thank you so much for getting back to me. I have been doing a lot of research and there are so many products that advertise as "soundproofing" but the more I look into it only very few materials actually are, for what I can do in my condo. I am the owner, so I will look into doing what you suggested.

That's a great idea. I have no experience with seating, but it seems like a truck driver's seat could be mounted on the floor with anti-vibration springs to isolate it from the vibration coming through the floor from the engine and the road. What type of spring design? Good question. I would start by looking at sites like antivibration-systems.com/products/spring-mounts/ or kineticsnoise.com/spring-vibration-isolators. For the interior of the seat itself, the top portion of it needs to be ergonomically designed for comfort and support, yielding to human body shapes. EVA foam (which has good anti-vibration qualities) could factor in, but probably not in the very top-most part of the seat, which I assume needs to be more pliant. I'm sure you've been researching this already with articles like this one: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5799102/ ("Ergonomic considerations for designing truck drivers' seats: The case of Bangladesh").

@@soundproofist THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS INFO!!!!!!

Thank you! And doors are a good topic. You're right that noise can come in through gaps around the door frame or under the door, so putting a thin strip of closed-cell foam around the frame and adding a door sweep will probably help. I think solid-core doors are required by building code in most places, and a lot of apartments in New York have metal doors. Heavy and solid is good for fire safety, noise, and general security. I should do a video about this topic, because I collect snippets of video in different places, including in my own building. My building has a winding corridor and multiple flights of brick steps. The bricks were highly noise-reflective and they created a lot of echo. I finally convinced my neighbors to let me put down some carpet runners on the landings. It was a struggle because I have one difficult neighbor who claims to smell everything intensely and that there would be off-gassing from the materials. Even though there's open windows and stairwells and plenty of opportunity to air out... plus we get car exhaust from the street and fumes from neighbors' leaf blowers, which is way more harmful than a faint, temporary smell from a carpet. Anyway, I'm pretty sure I have some before-after video captures to show how a few dollars worth of industrial carpet (with rubber backing) can minimize echo in building corridors,. Plus there are other wall and ceiling treatments that could also help. Thanks for the prompt!

Wow. I think this comment might be "Exhibit A." Some of us have adjacent neighbors who might be unaware of how their everyday activities can get transformed into a deep bass noise that bothers other people. And some people, when they become aware, are willing to make small changes in consideration of others. That's a lot cheaper than tearing parts of the building apart and trying to decouple it from the building frame. But then there's a smaller group that feels entitled, and they become hostile or unwilling to compromise for the greater good. If you've watched other videos on this channel, we get into all of these issues -- how noise travels, how building structures contribute to noise issues, flanking noise, different types of materials and what frequencies they mitigate, vibration noise versus airborne noise, and much more.

Lady, go scratch.

Hey lady if you walk like a god damn hippo.. it kinda becomes a everybodys problem.. we dont care if you own the apartment... respect others you crazy lil...

Unfortunately, yes, these days we pay premium prices for thin-walled housing. And we live in a era of "entitlement", so approaching someone with a reasonable concern (the impact of door slamming on adjacent neighbors) somehow escalates, when simply being considerate of others is free and easy to do.

For internal doors and for windows, I've removed the molding and sills from the original wall, and then added them back again after attaching another layer of drywall. This did seem to mute some of the noise that comes through the building frame from my downstairs neighbors because the top layer of drywall was made from sound-dampening materials. For security reasons, I think you would need to ensure that you have sufficiently strong framing to keep your entry secure (metal, etc.). I know there are "soundproof" doors made from fiberglass, but I'm not sure how strong they are compared to wood or metal. Apply silicone window seals, door sweeps, etc. to seal any air gaps around the entry door. Unfortunately, I don't have experience with brick walls. And as for chimneys -- this is a source of outside noise that's difficult to address because the air passage needs to be kept clear. I have this issue where I live. We can hear the faint sound of a neighbor's dog barking. It doesn't come through the walls, but it sneaks down the chimneys.

@@soundproofist Excellent response!

It doesn't measure vibration. It measures frequency (in Hertz) which sometimes corresponds to vibration, especially a low frequency under about 150 Hz. And it measures decibels, which of course don't tell the whole story. I've tried apps for vibration on my smartphone, and I didn't think they were effective for situations like this. The apps I've tried measured in Richter, and comparing floor and wall vibration to an actual earthquake makes the vibration nuisance seem insignificant when you measure an appliance like an air conditioner. However, I hope you saw the newest Soundproofist video, where I tested an external microphone plugged into a smartphone while running a decibel app. You can tape the microphone to a wall or floor and it should pick up more of that low-frequency noise in the building frame. Those noises are more structure-borne and not airborne. If you use SmarterNoise Pro, you should be able to turn on the video while you're measuring the noise, so you'll get a record of the decibel measurements, the frequency measurements, and an audio & video recording of the noise, all in one. However, it was only towards the end of the video that I did it correctly. And you'll see that compared to the iPhone app, SmarterNoise Pro registered lower decibels sometimes than the iPhone app (but I think the iPhone app might have been a little too high).

I looked on Amazon, and they do sell vibration meters. I can't attest for which one is the best option and I've never used one. Most of these meters seem to cost over $100, and go upwards from there. For example, this model shows at $179. Is it better than others? That depends on your criteria. It does claim to store records on the device, which I think is important. There might be others that meet your needs for a lower price. www.amazon.com/AMTAST-Vibrometer-Acceleration-Displacement-Measurement/dp/B0863PHL8K/

​@@soundproofistwhat was the mobile app you used for vibrations?