iamgnat

Hello,
I've been planning to tackle sound deadening my Escape this summer and I wanted to do it myself. I looked into a bunch of the major brands and had decided on going with Damplifier (great reviews and decent price).

My local sound shop (did my Amps and the stereo in my wife's 911) messed up some wiring when they reinstalled a panel in our 911 which caused us to run up a $500 bill at the Porsche dealer trying to track it down (was causing an unrelated fuse to keep blowing). So the shop is offering to either cut a check or give use store credit plus the employee pricing.

The only thing I still need/want on any of our cars is the sound deadening, but they use Hush Mat and I can't seem to find any good comparisons with the major (Dynamat, Damplifer, Brown Bread, etc...) brands. The combination of the discount/credit (the later because I don't have to deal with budgeting ) means it will be in the price range of the asphalt based mats (but it isn't asphalt based) and therefor worth considering.

Anyone have any experience with Hush Mat or know of any good comparisons?

Thanks,
-dave

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lbridges

I don't have experience with their product, but their web site claims it is not asphalt based. From this I assume* it is a butyl based product, which is generally a superior product to asphalt.[*] you really should check since they didn't come right out and say butyl, and assumption can be a dangerous thing.

Just to clear up a couple of points. This genre of product is known as a sound damping mat. It uses mass (weight) in a viscous material to dampen vibrations - not deaden sound. Sound deadening (maybe should be called sound adsorption) is accomplished through the use of jute like mats or a closed cell foam product (think neoprene, Ensolite, etc.).

The HushMat may end up producing a quieter vehicle through reduced vibrations of panels, but if your goal is seeking Lexus/Cadillac type quiet, then you need to pursue the closed cell foam/jute addition to the HushMat as well.

The addition of a square foot of closed-cell foam mounted to to the inner side of the door outer skin - directly behind door speakers - is well worth the effort. Yours ears will have more appreciation of the bass notes coming from your speakers.

WarX

your wife drives a 911?? *bigok* lol, personally, i wouldn't go with anything else but Damplifier, i love the stuff. I would take the check and buy damplifier and go to another shop to get it done since they already messed up one car, wouldn't trust them with another. Also go with a closed cell foam barrier as well, you'll notice a huge difference

iamgnat

It was compensation for when I bought my old XK8 without telling her Ahh the days of being young with too much money. Alas where have they gone


Thanks for the feedback on Damplifier.

As far as the shop goes, I don't blame them on this and they didn't even question or try object. The problem is that Porsche bundles almost every wire in the door up really well, except the wire for the door light. So if you aren't careful (and know to watch for it), it will fall down and get pinched at one of the points you bolt the panel on with. They have also done plenty of other work for me, given me great advice, and given me some great deals. I have no problem with people making mistakes, it's how they handle them that is important.

-dave

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durwood

www.sounddeadenershowdown.com

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DarquePervert

Interesting read, durwood.

Thanks!

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durwood

n/p.

I know there are a few good tutorials out there for sound dampening depending on need. I'll try to find some good links for that as well and add a few comments of my own.

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RedGTiVR6

The guy that wrote that show down pops in here every now and then. He'll probably hit up this thread soon.

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durwood

Ya I think his username is rudy or rudeboy in some other forums as well.

Just don't use peel-n-seal or cheap solutions

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iamgnat

Yeah, that is the info that made me decide on Damplifer. That is a great site. Unfortunately it doesn't have anything on Hush Mat so it doesn't help with my current dilemma.

I guess i'll go with my original plan to go with the Damplifer. Always trust your gut right?

Thanks eveyone for your input.

Thanks,
-dave

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WarX

ha, is that who rudy is? i was wondering about that he posted a few times in other sound deadening threads and i was impressed

Dennis5587

lmao, poor guy gets to be harrased now, bad enough his car smells like crap

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durwood

that wasn't my intention, but we do learn best from our or others mistakes no? One of my friends from a while back was a general contractor and decided to do his whole truck in peel n seal. I have no idea how it looks now since I haven't seen him in years but I thought it was a good idea at first. Then I did some research and found it wasn't.

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Rudy

Here I am popping in I haven't seen any Hushmat firsthand, but my understanding is that is very close to Damplifier in quality. Maybe get your shop to do the job then send me some scraps to test?

Seriously though, the most important thing is that you not use asphalt. If you have any doubt, there are two simple tests you can do. Either will give you what you need. Test 1: drop a small piece in a few ounces of mineral spirits or turpentine. Wait 15 or 20 minutes. If the liquid turns brown, it is asphalt; black and it is butyl. An easier test is to try and light a piece on fire with a butane lighter. Butyl will ignite, asphalt won't. Only takes a few seconds to light, but watch out, it does that freaky flaming drops thing light plastic does.

Using a vibration damper like Damplifier or Hushmat will do several things for you. It will improve the quality of the music you hear by reducing resonance in the sheet metal and it will reduce transmission of noise into the passenger compartment. As has been mentioned, to maximize both improvements, you really want to add a layer of closed cell foam to the project. The two approaches combined are much more effective than either one alone.

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Dennis5587

so closed cell... should you do the entire car in that as well? just go over all the sound deadening? or just certain parts

Also, what about the trunk, do that as well?

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