Walls, ceilings, floors -- neighbors and sound

Headphones.....and if you have a lover over, have DUAL headphones.

My suspicion is that the people below you may be especially annoyed -- THEIR ceiling is shaking with YOUR bass. I also think that the music issue is a BIG reason to get a freestanding house rather than a condo, for a music person; I worked in residential rental properties for years, and noise issues are very difficult to resolve. Many places, everybody is legally entitled to "quiet enjoyment"; in practice, it often seems that one neighbor exercising what might be reasonably thought quiet enjoyment is incompatible with another neighbor doing the same. Of course, you could get lucky; I've had neighbors who were unfazed by silly loud volumes. But you may not; I've had quite the opposite, too.

Might be worth reflecting on your home buying strategy. I moved to St. Louis, where I now live, expecting to go condo, and found houses both a better value and equally approachable in terms of entry price point. If finances dictate condo in your market, I'd try to develop a system that sounds rich played at low volumes.

Good luck,

John

For myself, anything less than a concrete wall or floor between myself and neighbour would be intolerable for both.

I can't imagine how anyone in an apartment or a condo can enjoy anything except a minimal audio system. That would also apply for all the new houses that I have seen in developments, where there is about 20 feet or less between the houses.

I am fortunate to live in a semi-rural area. The nearest neighbor is about 600 feet away, with woods between us. If I feel like cranking up a Sousa march at 2 in the morning...no problem!

I have NEVER heard anything from below my apt. The folks ABOVE can be impossible.
I live on the second floor.
Being above is the worst for noise of any arrangement. Decoupled speakers or not.