Greymouth couple Edgar Rochwalski and Janice Lee dispute a $500 fine for playing classical music too loud in their garage.

The soothing sounds of Radio New Zealand Concert turned into a bittersweet symphony for a West Coast couple who had noise control called on them.

Janice Lee and Edgar Rochwalksi of Greymouth are now appealing the $500 fine, saying their radio was not that loud and they turned down the volume after Grey District Council issued a written notice.

"I am 70. My husband and I listen to Radio New Zealand Concert occasionally daytimes while working in our garage," said Lee.

"It's a mix of music, news and interviews, but it is not at all loud and can only be heard in the garage."

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But brassed-off neighbour Katrina Stewart said the noise was affecting her quality of life and she first called noise control two years ago to lay a complaint.

"It's not party level, but it's constant and I can't cope with it. It is disrupting and affecting my life and my family.

"We can't go outside to enjoy a barbecue or play with my son in the garden because I can hear classical music being played very loudly ... it's bouncing off the tin garage and is very irritating and stressful."

Rochwalski said the volume had been at a level already approved by police as acceptable after a noise complaint in February 2015.

Then, on January 6, the couple received a letter from Greymouth District Council chief executive Paul Pretorius, asking them to keep their music to acceptable levels.

On January 29, two district council staff arrived at his home to tell him the noise was excessive.

Rochwalski said he recorded the exchange, which took place outside his garage. Although the voices were clear on the recording, no music could be heard.

"You can hear the cicadas and birds chirping but no music and it was playing at the same 2015 approved level which they now said was excessive," he said.

He said he asked the council staff to call police.

"I was given a written notice to abate the noise so I went into the garage with the police officer and turned it down to a level he said was acceptable."

The couple were shocked when they later received an infringement notice of $500 plus $167.25 costs for not turning down the music after the verbal and written warning.

Lee said the couple felt victimised by one neighbour's repeated complaints.

They sought a legal opinion from Community Law but were told the council had no obligation to take scientific readings and could issue an infringement if a direction to turn down the music was not immediately complied with.

The couple said they will appeal through the district court.

For its part, the council said the couple knew the score.

Pretorius said the council had received complaints that the classical music was being played very loudly from 7am to 7pm.

The council had taken due care and responsibility in assessing what represented excessive noise.

"On the day that the infringement was issued, we in fact called the police. Had he turned the music down when asked, the infringement would not have been issued," he said.

"As a local authority, we can only focus on excessive noise. Music played loudly but not excessively loud can be seriously intrusive and a source of immense discomfort to neighbours. This is the situation here."