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Original poster

Anyone else affected by base sound from TV's / subwoofers etc?

23 replies

TopazQuartz · 08/07/2023 00:02

Hi everyone

Is anyone else affected by the base sound that comes from subwoofers / surround sound etc?

I'm wondering how big a problem it actually is or am I really sensitive. I can feel the noise more than hear it, and feel it running through my floor.

How many others can feel it and are bothered by it? It's coming from a neighbouring wall. I don't have any mental health problems or tinnitus, I did go and get my ears checked out, all normal. To be honest I do know it's outside of me because sometimes water will ripple in a bottle when it's happening and also others have felt it and agreed with me.

Environmental health don't have equipment to record this type of frequency. I've just contacted some professional audio organisations that specialise in it, so hopefully will hear back soon, but it seems it's not a problem that's talked about much, so I was wondering how much others are affected (or not) by it? Are you aware of it and not affected? Or does it really bother you?

Thanks :-)

OP posts:
MeinKraft · 08/07/2023 00:17

I feel it yes, it makes my chest feel funny. I can feel lorries sitting idling in traffic outside my work too and it really irritates me, makes my ears pound and I feel like my head is vibrating, but my colleagues just think I'm weird. Maybe we are all attuned to different frequencies?

Mortimermay · 08/07/2023 00:19

I am. Luckily it doesn't happen too often where we live but I can actually feel quite nauseous if I'm around sounds like that for too long. There's definitely been times that I'm awake in bed, feeling nauseous and unable to distract myself from the horrible droning sound going on somewhere else yet everyone else in the house is fast asleep and struggles to hear it when I point it out! I don't have any solutions but I'd love to know if there are any, I've always thought it was just me!

clopper · 08/07/2023 00:30

I once lived next to a family that played music with a deep bass all day and every evening. It made me feel physically and mentally unwell.

Wiccan · 08/07/2023 00:35

I've had this for years . I find it quite painful . Idyling cars drive me insane . I can also hear the environmental humm that many have reported in various places around the UK . I agree it's seems to be felt more than heard . Hearing specialist told me I have extremely small ear canals so sounds could have a greater effect . I try to live with it but it's always there in the back of my mind.

Original poster
TopazQuartz · 08/07/2023 00:41

Thanks Meinkraft

I will have to get some friends over to stay soon and see how they respond. To me this would annoy anyone. My son is 5, he sometimes complains of headache when I'm getting it, but other times doesn't seem to notice. That's a blessing at least.

I'm very old fashioned when it comes to tech, so I don't have a modern tv with surround sound, etc, and I'm wondering if this is just the norm now and if lots of people are suffering in their own homes or just accept it, as maybe I've got to learn to get used to it, but anything that gives you a headache can't be healthy..

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Original poster
TopazQuartz · 08/07/2023 00:49

Thanks Mortimermay

Have you ever thought it was coming from neighbouring devices such as tv / surround sound / subwoofers, etc?

I don't use these things, we have a little tv and quite dated.

I know once it was a neighbour's subwoofer. A nice neighbour but the vibrations started while I had my window open and could hear his music. And actually the vibrations made the music so much better and it wasn't disorientating to me because I could hear how it all fit with the music. But if the window were closed I'd have just felt the vibrations, which feel chaotic on their own.

In some ways it's helpful that you say others in your family are not affected. I wonder if our hormones make us more sensitive. But maybe I can get used to it if other's are not affected..

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Original poster
TopazQuartz · 08/07/2023 01:05

Clopper, that sounds awful. I've had that. Atm it's mainly evening, it's annoying as I do some home working in the evening and struggling to concentrate. I've always associated the evening with peace so I don't like it.

The other time I hate it is really early in the morning because when I'm laying down in bed it comes up through my stomach and there's no way I can stay asleep. So it kind of dictates the time I have to wake and the time I can go to bed at night (when it stops)

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Original poster
TopazQuartz · 08/07/2023 01:08

Wiccan

thanks, I don't know if I've noticed the hum in the places where it's been reported, I think because if I'm out of my own house I may feel it, but it doesn't bother me because it's not 'my' space. I don't think I'm being territorial with my space though, lol, I just think I'm more scared if it's intruding into the only place where I sleep.

I try to live with it, but hate it when it happens at 4am or something as it goes right through me when laying down and no idea when it will stop and then unable to go back to sleep.

OP posts:
user40643 · 08/07/2023 10:34

Still could be tinnitus? Do you hear any other noises?

Mortimermay · 08/07/2023 10:54

Yes, exactly as you describe! If I can only hear/feel the vibrations of a bass then it makes me feel ill but if I can hear all of the music/TV programme then it doesn't bother me as much.

EsmaCannonball · 08/07/2023 11:02

I can hear the environmental hum, too. I was just thinking the other day that if people in the neighbourhood are playing music I can fully hear then it's annoying but liveable, but if I can feel the thrum of the bass or the beat then it leaves me agitated and incapable of concentrating on anything else.

OldBeller · 08/07/2023 11:10

Yes, unwanted sounds, especially bass sounds makes me very tense and nervous.

Playing ambient rain and thunderstorm noise on a USB speaker helps. Loop earplugs are good too.

Original poster
TopazQuartz · 08/07/2023 11:13

Hi user

No, this is felt more than heard. I don't mind sounds I can hear, I get used to them. I don't have tinnitus, I was checked for all that.

This is specific to place, ie it's felt running under my desk where I sit and try to work at home and it's in line with a couple of neighbouring tv's, so might be those, but I'm not sure yet, time will tell. It might be something in my house, but not the usual things, all been checked.

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Original poster
TopazQuartz · 08/07/2023 11:22

thanks Old Bellar, some of it is felt though, like buzzing coming up through the floor

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Original poster
TopazQuartz · 08/07/2023 11:28

Esma Cannonball

that's true for me. At the moment there's 'running' under my desk thats the only way I can describe it, it's like the part of my property that's the part you sit in and relax is the part that is in the firing line for other devices. At the moment blue tooth shows a toshiba tv, an oppo reno8 lite 5g and an FT907HR-5771.

I don't yet know what the oppo thing is (so untechy lol) so I'm imagining it's the toshiba tv. Other times it's a samsung tv and that's more disturbing, but both are (if it's them).

I remember a world where you didn't have all this. Maybe I've got to get used to it, I can't move all the time. don't know how you can get used to something buzzing through your floor all evening :-(

OP posts:
OldBeller · 08/07/2023 11:28

TopazQuartz · 08/07/2023 11:22

thanks Old Bellar, some of it is felt though, like buzzing coming up through the floor

Yeah I know what you're referring to (and I agree it's deeply annoying) but something about a thunderstorm noise with it relaxes me. I think because you expect a bass sound with thunder so it's less unsettling.

user40643 · 09/07/2023 04:25

TopazQuartz · 08/07/2023 11:13

Hi user

No, this is felt more than heard. I don't mind sounds I can hear, I get used to them. I don't have tinnitus, I was checked for all that.

This is specific to place, ie it's felt running under my desk where I sit and try to work at home and it's in line with a couple of neighbouring tv's, so might be those, but I'm not sure yet, time will tell. It might be something in my house, but not the usual things, all been checked.

How did they check you for tinnitus just out of interest? I thought it was more symptom based.

Original poster
TopazQuartz · 10/07/2023 01:43

User, yes, when I described the situation the doctor (who's known me for years) believed what I was saying. It was a clinical assessment, it doesn't fit the picture of tinnitus. The vibrations occur in one place currently, only in that place, witnessed by others and shown on water rippling in a bottle.

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Original poster
TopazQuartz · 10/07/2023 01:47

Old Beller

it's happening now, at 1.41am, I can't sleep until it stops. One tv is showing up on bluetooth. I've put a thunderstorm on, it does help a bit, but I think this is too much to have to live with tbh, so going to have to try and find out what is the source. It seems to be linked to a neighbour's tv, based on where it's originating (party wall) and from bluetooth. All my appliances are off.

Just need to understand what is happening and if there's a solution that doesn't inconvenience them but stops it for me.

OP posts:
Irunoncoffeemascaraandhighheels · 10/07/2023 02:00

You can change your furniture round so it's not over the problem area. If you're not going to have a go at them the neighbors might let you in to see where their tech is to help with that. It's also a friendly way to let them know it's a problem for you without actually saying that. You might be lucky and someone caring, but previously oblivious to your plight, turns theirs down a bit. It can't be good for the fabric of the building.

pineapple7peach · 10/07/2023 02:03

Have you heard of misophonia? Just wondering if that’s what you might be dealing with

Original poster
TopazQuartz · 10/07/2023 02:20

Irunoncoffeemascaraandhighheels · 10/07/2023 02:00

You can change your furniture round so it's not over the problem area. If you're not going to have a go at them the neighbors might let you in to see where their tech is to help with that. It's also a friendly way to let them know it's a problem for you without actually saying that. You might be lucky and someone caring, but previously oblivious to your plight, turns theirs down a bit. It can't be good for the fabric of the building.

Irunoncoffeemascaraandhighheels

I agree it can't be good for the fabric of the building, after tonight, it's 2.14am now and it's still going and it's the whole building affected, though bedroom worst. I could move my desk to the living room, but I wouldn't move the bed to there as a lot of noise and anyway, you can still feel the vibrations it's just that they are more attenuated in the living room and kitchen.

I won't have a go at anyone as I don't think they realise. Also my bedroom is furthest away so you just wouldn't expect it to be the worst room, but I think it's the weaker structure, when I first moved in the bedroom was the most echoey.

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Original poster
TopazQuartz · 10/07/2023 02:22

pineapple7peach · 10/07/2023 02:03

Have you heard of misophonia? Just wondering if that’s what you might be dealing with

pineapple7peach

I have wondered if I'm just more sensitive to these modern devices, but after tonight, water rippling in a bottle, all over the house, I think this is a general problem. That said I may still be more sensitive than others I don't know. But it's worse in one room, so that doesn't go with it being a condition. I'll just have to see what the coming weeks bring.

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