That difference matters because a foam panel may make a room sound less echoey without doing much to stop a generator outside the window. Hence, in this article, Tribune Online looked into 10 of the best cheap soundproofing materials for apartment living, based on established acoustic principles and practical residential applications. Door draft stoppersThe gap underneath an apartment door can become an obvious pathway for outside noise. Rugs and thick carpetsHard tile and other reflective flooring can make a room sound louder by allowing sound to bounce around the space. The best cheap soundproofing materials for apartment living are not necessarily the products with the word ‘soundproof’ printed on their packaging.