alt Hacker NewsI've lived in an apartment complex with weirdos before, including one lady who used to scream at random times, but we basically couldn't hear them. The screaming lady was only audible if the window was open.
All the apartments were separated by brick or concrete, the front doors had lobbies that acted as baffles, and all the living areas were carpeted and had good thick ceilings.
This is very much my experience too. The difference between stout, newer buildings and old tenements are night and day. I used to live in a place made of massive thick concrete slabs with airgaps, and the only time you could hear neighbours was when somebody was using a drill, or on occasion, one neighbour singing in the shower so it travelled along the water pipes.
Other places, you can follow conversations through the wall if you're attentive and they're raising their voices.