Minimizing Risk of Neighbor to Neighbor Noise

My building put noise attenuation material between all the floors. The product name is Soundeater.

I think it took of 6 inches ceiling height, but I live in an old converted office building that had 10 foot ceilings, so my ceilings are still 9.5 feet. Works like magic, I have tons of people over and play loud music with a strong bass, and the neighbor below me says he never hears a thing. And I have hardwoodfloors with no carpet.

Sticky thanks for the info...what about the people who live above you, can they hear your music? I'd like to soundproof my new place too.

I live in a new condo conversion, I think the unit above me has closed but the owner hasn't moved in yet.

Oh and I think the developer put 5 layers of drywall between adjacent units on the same floor.

sticky - Are you talking about this: http://www.soundseal.com/impacta/soundeater.shtml

Did your building just use Soundeater or did they they any additional underlayment, insulation, material?

Is it true that pre-war is better than post-war in this regard? I had thought so but recently saw a pre-war building in which it seemed the walls were paper thin and this was confirmed by talking to a few of the people who live there: they said they could hear their neighbors TV etc. The walls were new from an 80's gut reno.

drywall + "green glue"
I did it in a building with noise problems and it allows me to play music very loud with no problems

if you want to minimize risk, be certain the floors and ceilings are made of concrete and not wood.

"I am looking to buy a 1BR in East Village. What is the best way to maximize the chance I won't hear my neighbors? "

The best way is not to move into the East Village.

lol true nycmatt.

"The walls were new from an 80's gut reno. "

Then it's not a prewar. It's an 80's gut reno. You heard prewars apartments had better sound isolation because of their plaster walls.

Check the building's certificate of occupancy in BIS. If the building is classified as "fireproof", that's a good sign, because it means the floors aren't made of wood. If the building has an external fire escape, it's probably not fireproof. And as you probably know, 95% of the tenement buildings in the east village have external fire escapes. So chances are good that you'll hear your neighbors loud and clear.

Also google around if you haven't already -- I don't think there's any consensus on whether the soundproofing techniques mentioned above are really effective or not. My feeling is that the building's construction is the most important factor. Or I should say the second most important factor, the most important being the attitudes of the tenants. Another typical problem area in the east village.

Good luck.

sticky - "My building put noise attenuation material between all the floors. The product name is Soundeater.

I think it took of(f) 6 inches ceiling height..."

I don't understand how 6 inches were reduced from your ceiling height from just using Soundeater. The product at most is 1.25" high, unless, more layers of materials were laid down under the Soundeater. Is that the case?