Sound Isolation Question help needed ?

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I may have the opportunity to purchase a small Condo. Is there a way to add sound proofing that will considerably cut down the loud sounds, so I could play loud monitors, a small tube amp, loud acoustic guitars, loud singing etc. without disturbing neighbors. What is the most practical way to do it ? ? What kind of budget would I need ?
 
A lot of that is going to depend on the construction of the condo, where your unit is, number of floors, your neighbors.

Sound isolation requires mass and that adds up to a lot of weight which the building was not designed to carry. Will there be another unit underneath you? It will be difficult to stop sound from going through the floor. You wouldn't be able to add sound isolation in the traditional way. You would probably violate the condo agreement.

I have a condo for my son while he is in college. The other day, I was fixing a leaky faucet and in doing so, found the space between his floor and the unit below to be about 12 inches. More than I expected, but it was a void, so no real isolation. Our condo has hardwood floors and no carpeting and I'm sure it makes noise, however, the people below never complained. And we never hear the people next to us. So, who knows.

There might be some things you can do without adding more weight, but I'm guessing it would be expensive. You can remove all the drywall and reinstall with clips to make a floating wall. You can do the same with the ceiling. You can add a sound block vinyl (what's that stuff called again?) behind the drywall. You can add an acoustic mat under your flooring. Pull up the floor, install the mat, reinstall the floor.

Any of those things would require approval from the condo management/association.

There might be other ways to accomplish your goals without sound isolation:
Headphones.
Guitar amp sims in a pedal or as a plug.
Don't sing so loud.
Virtual drums.
 
There might be other ways to accomplish your goals without sound isolation:
Headphones.
Guitar amp sims in a pedal or as a plug.
Don't sing so loud.
Virtual drums.

Thanks, That's how I record now. My apartment is actually pretty good. The building is old and for some reason we don't hear each other all that much. So yeah, I'm thinking a cottage or small house may be a better choice than a Condo or Co-op. I know depending on where you go, some of them can have really strict rules about what you can do. Which could be a real problem and I'd be better off staying where I am. A small house would be the best choice really, but I don't want the upkeep, but you can't have everything right ? Thanks for the reply :)
 
People spend fortunes trying to stop sound going in and out of shared spaces. My video studio has really good transmission performance from the two adjoining buildings, but I have an office above and when they use their shredder everything rumbles. Timber floor upstairs, and my ceiling - with the sound absorption, hangs from the same joists which is bad news. I cannot do much about it as the building owner doesn't want, or understand my idea for curing it. In a condo - the sort of noise they design for is talking and ordinary music in the apartments - so bass at the bottom is often a problem. The weight and unpredictability of expensive sound treatment makes it a gamble.
 
People spend fortunes trying to stop sound going in and out of shared spaces. My video studio has really good transmission performance from the two adjoining buildings, but I have an office above and when they use their shredder everything rumbles. Timber floor upstairs, and my ceiling - with the sound absorption, hangs from the same joists which is bad news. I cannot do much about it as the building owner doesn't want, or understand my idea for curing it. In a condo - the sort of noise they design for is talking and ordinary music in the apartments - so bass at the bottom is often a problem. The weight and unpredictability of expensive sound treatment makes it a gamble.

Good to know, Thanks
 
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