How to choose speakers for neighbor friendly listening and good cinematic experience?

[greenhorn]

I would say don't buy a sub at all. Get a 5.0 system. You will miss the rumble slightly, but your neighbors will thank you for it

 

[Ashenden]

No, you aren't. When you calibrate your speakers for reference, you are (for e.g.) sending a -30 dbFS signal to your mains (say) and checking your SPL meter to see if it reads 75 dB. What I'm saying is the same calibration can produce perceptibly different levels of loudness (for the same volume levels) in 2 different rooms, especially if the response is close to flat in one and a fair bit up and down in the other.

Hope that made sense.

Thanks for explaining. This is a new info!

 

[liverpool_for_life]

I would say don't buy a sub at all.

The OP wanted a cinematic experience. While some of it is down to the immersiveness that surround sound provides, a large part of it comes from the subwoofer's dynamic capability. Lose the sub and you lose the "cinematic" effect. IMO, of course.

 

[liverpool_for_life]

I mean which speakers perform best in low to medium volume too?

This speaker requirement is at odds with your cinematic experience requirement. Cinematic, IMO, requires a large dynamic range. You can go a long way by soundproofing the room, but that won't do much for the bass which is likely to be your biggest problem.

 

[prateekatasniya]

This speaker requirement is at odds with your cinematic experience requirement. Cinematic, IMO, requires a large dynamic range. You can go a long way by soundproofing the room, but that won't do much for the bass which is likely to be your biggest problem.

Floating floor for vibration isolation can be done. Will not cost a bomb.

 

[liverpool_for_life]

Floating floor for vibration isolation can be done. Will not cost a bomb.

Fair enough. Will help with the tactile feel too, especially if it's now on concrete. I'd forgotten OP had the option of a dedicated room. How high does the floating floor need to be from the room's original flooring for complete vibration isolation?

 

[prateekatasniya]

Fair enough. Will help with the tactile feel too, especially if it's now on concrete. I'd forgotten OP had the option of a dedicated room. How high does the floating floor need to be from the room's original flooring for complete vibration isolation?

4-5 inches would be sufficient.
One has to make sure that there is some Gap left between the floor and the walls.

 

[ONEMANARMY]

This speaker requirement is at odds with your cinematic experience requirement. Cinematic, IMO, requires a large dynamic range. You can go a long way by soundproofing the room, but that won't do much for the bass which is likely to be your biggest problem.

Soundproofing material, which is mainly rockwool, should help in the dissipation of bass so I think you can kill two birds...

 

[prateekatasniya]

Most economical way to stop the low frequencies is floating floor.
I'm talking about bass above 100db, below 40hz.

 

[greenhorn]

we are going into really expensive solutions now
If low bass is a must, why not use a tactile transducer hooked to your sofa/chair?

 

[swamytk]

I incline towards not having Sub (I don't think I am that Bass savvy) and go for some floor standing speakers in a couple of months. Let me experience them first and then decide about Sub later. If I go for Sub I can try above suggestions. Thanks to everyone.

 

[raghupb]

Planning for a neighbor friendly setup will incur expenses and take time.
Instead, make friends with your neighbors and invite them once in a while for a movie or two.
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[gurujee]

If your budget permits, vibration from sub can be isolated using isoacoustic stands for sub. This’ll improve your low end punch at the same time won’t rattle the room. If you’re playing at around 75-80dB average volume at listening position, it should be ok and won’t make the neighbors call the cops

ISO-200SUB | IsoAcoustics

The IsoAcoustics ISO-200SUB Acoustic Isolation Stands are available for front and side firing subwoofers used in professional studios, project studios, HiFi

www.isoacoustics.com

Vibration is not a very big issue for me but I want to know if this iso200 stand can make significant improvement in sound. can dear FMs advise

 

[DB1989]

Desired SPL for a cinematic experience and low volume details are two different things.
While the likes of Klipsch gives you detail low volume or low power, it is more of easing the load on the amps.

Say you need to have 85dB average at MLP and 105dB (THX reference) for peaks to define cinematic experience.
Then any speaker (and background electronics) is gonna sound that loud.
Details, yes I concede can be a very subjective thing.

Subs in an apartment are annoying for the neighbors, period.
Music and film sound (background tracks and effects that are a bulk of movies) may be not.

Cheers,
Raghu

Interesting observation. Even with a dual sub setup and late night soirees (would qualify as early morning for some) which easily exceed 90db, i've never had the neighbours, whether downstairs or the ones who live on the same floor, ever complain in 3 years.