Best sound absorbing panels

[brandon2005_2005]

I'm looking for best or good sound absorbing panels at a reasonable price. My new neighbors likes play there music loud.

[Hinjima]

Just now, brandon2005_2005 said:

I'm looking for best or good sound absorbing panels at a reasonable price. My new neighbors likes play there music loud.

I feel your pain.  I actually had to move from my childhood home and a home I lived in for 32 years last year because we got some new neighbours that loved loud heavy bass music and being constantly loud.

I dabbled in the idea of sound absorbing panels but realized it would not be enough and properly made good quality panels would cost thousands of dollars to cover all the walls.

 

I wish you the best of luck.

[cmndr]

This is a rabbit hole... 

https://www.gikacoustics.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopSTJEd3VLtmYNcehwFCiKGXHekBJ3WeN66_b6o-6TsJgCjRioI

That is a starting point. 

 

There's a whole host of things you can do for "sound proofing". And it's not easy. Or cheap. 

If your goal is to absorb your neighbor's bass though.... HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA. No. That won't be happening. For mid and high frequencies, ask your neighbor to aim the speakers more towards the listening position. 

 

The little foam pads that you see in videos from A LONG time ago don't really do much. 

 

----

 

If you care about money... you're basically building your own rockwool covered wall. 

[Needfuldoer]

There's not much you can do to attenuate bass thumps, and higher pitches shouldn't be reaching you in the first place.

 

Foam acoustic panels treat a room by absorbing sound before it echoes everywhere, they don't really do a whole lot to block incoming sound unless you cover an entire wall with them.

 

If you own your place, you can make sure your walls are insulated then cover them with a second layer of "quietrock" sound-absorbing drywall (glued up with rubbery green adhesive, not screwed in).

 

Your best investment will probably be a set of wireless headphones. Give them to your neighbor. 

[porina]

Talk to your neighbour and hope they're reasonable.

[Hinjima]

19 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

There's not much you can do to attenuate bass thumps, and higher pitches shouldn't be reaching you in the first place.

 

Foam acoustic panels treat a room by absorbing sound before it echoes everywhere, they don't really do a whole lot to block incoming sound unless you cover an entire wall with them.

 

If you own your place, you can make sure your walls are insulated then cover them with a second layer of "quietrock" sound-absorbing drywall (glued up with rubbery green adhesive, not screwed in).

 

Your best investment will probably be a set of wireless headphones. Give them to your neighbor. 

I found it easier to move unfortunately.  Bass is incredibly difficult to keep out.

[brandon2005_2005]

Well due medical condition i need to say in my accessible unit. If u wish to know what my limits pm me. But i don't want to get off the wrong foot. So I'm trying to limit the sound to keep the peace.

[Needfuldoer]

8 minutes ago, brandon2005_2005 said:

Well due medical condition i need to say in my accessible unit. If u wish to know what my limits pm me. But i don't want to get off the wrong foot. So I'm trying to limit the sound to keep the peace.

Unfortunately this isn't a problem you can solve by putting up acoustic foam. It's a lot easier to keep sound in than it is to keep sound out.

 

If talking to your neighbor doesn't work, you'll need to escalate to building management or invest in a set of closed-back noise canceling headphones or hearing protectors. 

[cmndr]

If they have a subwoofer, see if you can get them to buy a high pass filter for it and/or to get isolators for the feet. 

 

my upstairs neighbor said that the bass reduced a fair bit after I put my sub on a stand. 

[Blue4130]

1 hour ago, brandon2005_2005 said:

I'm looking for best or good sound absorbing panels at a reasonable price. My new neighbors likes play there music loud.

Sound absorbing panels are about stopping reflections, not sound proofing a space. They will not help you.

[wanderingfool2]

Are you okay with a DIY kind of option?

 

Also in regards to esthetics etc. 

 

You could get something like this

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/sonopan-soundproofing-panels-4-ft-x-8-ft-x-3-4-in/1000441119?eid=PS_GO_140203__ALL_PLA-526641&eid=PS_GOOGLE_D00_Corporate_GGL_Shopping_All-Products_All Products__PRODUCT_GROUP_pla-336655210985&pid=1000441119&store=7043&gad_source=1

 

Is it the best?  No, but it should reduce some noise.  You could also use rockwool and some 2x4's to create your own panels to cut down on the sound (rockwool can be very cheap as well if you are doing a large area)

[brandon2005_2005]

15 minutes ago, wanderingfool2 said:

Are you okay with a DIY kind of option?

 

Also in regards to esthetics etc. 

 

You could get something like this

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/sonopan-soundproofing-panels-4-ft-x-8-ft-x-3-4-in/1000441119?eid=PS_GO_140203__ALL_PLA-526641&eid=PS_GOOGLE_D00_Corporate_GGL_Shopping_All-Products_All Products__PRODUCT_GROUP_pla-336655210985&pid=1000441119&store=7043&gad_source=1

 

Is it the best?  No, but it should reduce some noise.  You could also use rockwool and some 2x4's to create your own panels to cut down on the sound (rockwool can be very cheap as well if you are doing a large area)

Thanks  i would need 9 of them. But might be do able with my body limitions Thanks for all imputs

[Blue4130]

1 hour ago, brandon2005_2005 said:

Thanks  i would need 9 of them. But might be do able with my body limitions Thanks for all imputs

You putting sound panels in your place will do nothing unless they are the full height of the wall and isolated from it. The only thing it will do is make your wallet lighter.

[brandon2005_2005]

8 minutes ago, Blue4130 said:

You putting sound panels in your place will do nothing unless they are the full height of the wall and isolated from it. The only thing it will do is make your wallet lighter.

That why I  need 9 lol

[wanderingfool2]

3 hours ago, Blue4130 said:

You putting sound panels in your place will do nothing unless they are the full height of the wall and isolated from it. The only thing it will do is make your wallet lighter.

It depends, even having a wall can greatly reduce a sound (even if not fully covered)....sure to get the most effectiveness you do need the entire wall...but it's still surprising how much some of the stuff can absorb even if it covers like 90% of the wall.

[Blue4130]

10 minutes ago, wanderingfool2 said:

It depends, even having a wall can greatly reduce a sound (even if not fully covered)....sure to get the most effectiveness you do need the entire wall...but it's still surprising how much some of the stuff can absorb even if it covers like 90% of the wall.

It will reduce the high frequencies, which the wall already does. It will do nothing for the low end.

 

And having panels on HIS side of the wall will not absorb anything except for soundwaves created in his own room. Sound proofing is MUCH different than room treatment. These panels are room treatment meant to reduce echo and deaded reflections. They do not quiet a room down in any meaningful way.

[wanderingfool2]

4 hours ago, Blue4130 said:

It will reduce the high frequencies, which the wall already does. It will do nothing for the low end.

 

And having panels on HIS side of the wall will not absorb anything except for soundwaves created in his own room. Sound proofing is MUCH different than room treatment. These panels are room treatment meant to reduce echo and deaded reflections. They do not quiet a room down in any meaningful way.

It's also false to state it does nothing for low end and that you can't have any impact based on putting it in your room (from exterior noise).

 

Things like rockwool is still better than nothing, and if placed on the wall that is transmitting the sound can still greatly reduce the noise.

 

They do cut down on the noise if installed on a noisy wall.  It's the nature of how sound works.   Yes, it only will reduce the sound that the wall itself is transmitting through, but that again can greatly reduce the amount there is if it's like a neighbour as it's usually just a single shared wall.

[Stahlmann]

The best low-cost solution is to speak with your neighbor.

[Guyver1]

20 hours ago, brandon2005_2005 said:

I'm looking for best or good sound absorbing panels at a reasonable price. My new neighbors likes play there music loud.

Context - I'm a musician (Singer/Songwriter) who self produces and converted my garage into a home studio.

Sound absorbing panels are acoustic 'treatment' not sound proofing. they are also designed to work to treat a specific frequency range mostly in the high to mid range and are designed to reduce echo's and reverb in a space to make it sound 'dead' or less echoey.

 

Bass and sub-bass from a sub-woofer are the most difficult to treat because bass frequencies have the longest wavelength and as such you need at least about 2 feet deep of rockwool as a bass trap to effectively reduce (notice reduce, not completely silence) anything under a 100Hz.

 

You will achieve VERY little by attempting to only treat one surface as well as sound does not just move from your neighbours building directly 'as the crow flies' through your wall, it will also come through every wall, ceiling and possibly the floor as all those surfaces in YOUR build are linked together and sound waves propagate through one surface and into the other connected surfaces.

 

Buy (or borrow) a sound pressure meter (decibel meter) and actually measure the sound level in your room when they're playing music 'loud'. does it actually breach any residential codes with your local authority? 

Go and speak to your neighbours (politely) and explain the situation and provide the decibel meter readings and offer for them to come to your room so they can actually hear how its affecting you and see if there is a common ground time during the day where you dont mind it or whether they (after hearing it in your room) can adjust their volume.

 

To 'block' sound (especially in the bass range) you need a sound 'proofing' system. These are not cheap as they involve a LOT of mass and isolation from your existing wall/ceiling structures.

 

For context, the sound 'proofing' system in my converted garage cost £6500 for a room that's 5.5m x 2.5m x 2.5m

I have a full playlist here - 

 

For additional context that sound 'proofing' system takes 78dB down to just 38dB

 

[LogicalDrm]

Rock wool will be best option. But not cheap, not really accessible and probably not something you can install if you live in rented apartment or rent-controlled unit. Though in two latter ones, you have option to complain to unit supervisor or landlord, and if they aren't being helpful, noise complaint to police. At least here (Finland) the general living legislation states noise levels must be acceptable in living areas. Which is 35db during day time and 30db during night time.

[Kisai]

On 4/15/2025 at 3:13 PM, brandon2005_2005 said:

I'm looking for best or good sound absorbing panels at a reasonable price. My new neighbors likes play there music loud.

Call the cops. No serious. Unless you have the ability to rip the walls up to install thicker/better insulation, you're going to have to resort to "right to peaceful enjoyment of their home" type of laws depending on where you live. Look up your rights.

 

Someone who is using a place they do not own to disrupt the peace or privacy of other people who share the building is on the wrong side of the argument. People playing instruments know that they are not going to get away with playing drums in an apartment, anywhere. But if you own your own home, you can modify the home to attenuate that by having the band space in a concrete box. Other instruments, home entertainment systems, video games, etc don't tend to "boom"  You can attenuate a lot of that by simply having the sound-generating source facing a wall that has curtains, carpet, or some other kind of sound panel on it.

 

When people own their home, that they want music practice space, they tend to convert the garage.