It may have seemed like half but it was probably just a few, since a subwoofer can often be heard through a distance of at least two typical living areas in any direction even at moderate volumes. Hopefully I'll never live in an apartment again (currently renting a house). But many with our preferences don't have the luxury of a choice. And some of them are afraid to ask neighbors to stop using subwoofers, which means living with distraction, anxiety, and sleep deprivation.
I've had to ask people to stop on three separate occasions. All did, thankfully, but one accused me of racism! I had left a note that acknowledged that some people are accustomed to bass noise and may not think of it but I have difficulty ignoring it, and she seized on "some people" as a racial generalization. That experience just underscores why so many are afraid to ask others to turn it down/off. Those who are selfish enough to use subwoofers in apartments naturally tend to resent such requests, even if it means making ludicrous leaps in reasoning to justify those feelings. They feel they need to make the requester pay for speaking out.
When speaking with potential landlords I stress the issue and ask if the tenant lease agreement respects my concerns.
