while its much quieter than a real drum, its still much too loud for a practice pad. If you're living with someone I suggest you get a pad with a rubber surface, i found those to be exponentially quieter, and they feel just as great.I think the type of plastic used contributes to the loudness, its hard and fragile, and it feels a bit cheap. I'm not surprised the rim won't last long if you do rimshots on it.