Why can bass travel through walls so easily?

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In summary, lower frequencies have a higher transmission coefficient for most building materials, which is why bass can travel through walls but treble cannot. This is due to the frequencies being near the vibrational modes of common molecules. Analysis of material properties can be done through vibrational analysis, which is important in various engineering disciplines.
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ShawnD
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If I let a song play on my computer speakers (2 normal + 1 sub) then leave my room and close the door, I can't here the treble at all but the bass is as loud as if the door wasn't even there. If I turn the volume up, I can hear the bass from any part in the house (including the basement), but the treble is inaudible.
Why does bass travel through walls but treble does not?
 
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In short, because lower frequencies have a higher transmission coefficient for most building materials. You could be quite advanced and solve for the transmission coefficients based on the actual molecular physics involved using kinetic theory. Notice that ultrasound also penetrates most materials easily; so it just happens that treble frequencies, like 5k-10k, are near the vibrational modes of many common molecules, while frequencies above and below don't.

- Warren
 
  • #3
Thanks for the answer.

Materials absorb certain frequencies of sound? This might be a little off topic... but if certain materials absorb certain frequencies, could be that used for material analysis?
 
  • #4
It's beyond my knowledge if such analysis is actually done, but it seems like it reasonably could be done.

- Warren
 
  • #5
ShawnD said:
Materials absorb certain frequencies of sound? This might be a little off topic... but if certain materials absorb certain frequencies, could be that used for material analysis?
[OT? Your thread...] Depends on what kind of analysis you mean, but yes - vibrational analysis of materials is pretty important. I did my senior design project on piezoelectric polymers - plastics that generate a voltage when deformed. These devices can be used in static conditions (they make for cool household scales) and in vibration - the company I worked for uses them for sonar transducers. www.msiusa.com

When I was at the Naval Academy, a platoon commander marched (doubletime) his platoon across a wooden footbridge. They were marching at a frequency (180hz or so) which just so happened to be the resonant frequency of the telephone poles that made up the center span. The span bounced at higher and higher deflection until one of the poles broke.

There was a famous case of a balcony in a club a few years back that broke for the same reason, killing a number of people.

In my job HVAC engineering, fans, ductwork, etc all combine to create some strange accoustical effects including certain specific fan rpm's that cause enormous vibration and destroy fans. When using a variable speed fan, you have to lock out certain rpm's to avoid damaging the fan.

Yeah, vibration analysis is pretty important in many engineering disciplines.
 
  • #6
Great info, thanks Russ.
 

1. How is bass able to travel through walls with such ease?

Sound waves, including bass frequencies, are able to travel through solid objects because they are mechanical waves that can vibrate the molecules of the object they encounter. Bass frequencies have longer wavelengths and lower frequencies compared to other sound waves, making them more able to pass through walls.

2. What factors influence the ability of bass to travel through walls?

The ability of bass to travel through walls can be affected by several factors such as the thickness and material of the wall, the frequency and intensity of the bass sound, and the distance between the source of the sound and the wall. These factors can determine how much of the sound wave is absorbed, reflected, or transmitted through the wall.

3. Can bass travel through all types of walls?

No, not all walls are created equal when it comes to sound transmission. Solid and dense materials like concrete, brick, and stone are more effective at blocking bass frequencies compared to lighter materials like drywall or wood. However, no wall is completely soundproof and some bass sound may still pass through even the thickest walls.

4. Is it possible to prevent bass from traveling through walls?

It is difficult to completely stop bass from traveling through walls, but there are ways to minimize its impact. Adding materials like soundproofing foam or mass-loaded vinyl to walls can help absorb or block some of the sound waves. Placing speakers away from walls and using bass traps in room corners can also help reduce the amount of bass that travels through walls.

5. Why does bass seem to travel through walls more easily than other sounds?

Bass frequencies have longer wavelengths and lower frequencies compared to other sounds, making them more able to penetrate through solid objects. In addition, our ears are more sensitive to bass frequencies, so even small amounts of bass that pass through walls can still be perceived as loud.

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