Getting a handle on that exterior noise can be as simple as installing sound deadening to eliminate the excess vehicle vibration and engine clatter. Most car audio experts recommend adding sound deadening (or damping) equipment to your vehicle because it optimizes your sound system. 

One issue that is prevalent in cheaper cars and other older vehicles is the shakes, rattles, and road noise that you are forced to experience on nearly an everyday basis. This is caused by cheap hard plastic material getting loose over time from regular vibrations and bumps with little to no damping to stop the rattles. These rattles most commonly occur in areas such as door panels, the dash, and trunk lid.

Car doors themselves are not very good speaker enclosures, given that they are constructed from thin, hallowed out sheet metal. The poor acoustic environment results in discordant speaker rattling and vibration. Sound dampening eliminates negative wave cancellation, when the sound bounces off parts of the car before racing your ears, which reduces volume output and clarity. 

Adding sound deadening will not only reduce the shake, but by taking up that extra room in the panels of the car – it will fill up the “space,” make the panels more rigid and less flexible which cuts down on the room the sound has to bounce around and lose quality. It’s difficult to measure the square footage needed to cover your car. There are specific kits made for your whole vehicle, which are usually called “bulk packs”, and kits made specifically for your trunk, doors, floor, roof, hood, speaker panels, and even license plates. It comes in many different sizes and thicknesses based on what you’re going to use it for. The most common form of sound dampening material comes in sheets or strips and is applied with an adhesive on the back of the sheet for installation that is then rolled on with a special tool.

Adding sound dampening layers to your panels is the non-electrified version of amplifying your system, because it creates an environment for a purer sound stage. Sound deadening materials are typically weather and temperature resistant, which ensures you will enjoy premium sound quality for many years to come.

Installation Steps

• When installing sound deadening material, take a spin around the block in your car with the radio off to see where the most unwanted noise or rattles are coming from. The main places the annoying rattles come from are the vehicle’s floor, wheel wells, firewall, doors, roof of the trunk, and under the rear seats. Refer to your vehicle’s service manual for information on how to dismantle the trimming panels. Be careful when removing the panels to avoid breaking the fixing clips.
• Once the trimming is dismantled, remove the remainder of the factory insulation if it is damaged. If it is still intact, there is no need to permanently remove it. Next, you need to properly clean, dry and degrease the prospective surface. Sound deadening won’t adhere properly if applied to a wet or dirty surface. Use a metal surface cleaner or degreaser along with a dry, clean rag. Make sure to use gloves and apply the degreaser in a well-ventilated space.
• Measure the prospective surface you are going to treat. To make things easier, make a template on a large sheet of paper and then transfer it to the damping material. That will make it easier to install it more accurately and avoid wasting material. Use a utility knife to cut the desired shape and size. 
• Place a sheet of sound damping to the surface without removing the protective film. If it covers the surface properly, you are ready to install it. Gradually remove the protective paper film as you apply it to the surface for better adhesion. Once on the surface, press it down firmly until it is set in place. Flatten it with your hands to avoid unnecessary air bubbles. Use a rolling tool like the NVX SDRLR2 to press the mat down to the metal surface. Go across the entire surface with the roller to ensure that the sheet is installed properly.
• Once all sound dampening is in place, simply reinstall all trim pieces and carpet back to its original placement. Now you are ready to enjoy higher sound quality with fewer vibrations.

Once you have installed the first application of deadening material, take another drive with the radio on and find any leftover rattles.

Sound Deadening Materials

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I’m Sorry Officer…

What exactly is the limit in decibels for it to be in violation? And if he pushes it, I play dumb and ask him if he can use his SPL meter (which they don’t have) to show me because I can’t believe my car could be that loud. Works every time.

                                                                                          –  Michael V.

Subwoofer Trick

Turn the subs off on my head unit in the settings and tell the cop it’s not hooked up yet. And demo it with door speakers. Confuses the hell out of them every time. Last time I did it I was told that when I do get it hooked up to keep it down. Like that would happen!

                                                                                              – Andrew R.

I’m a Professional Audio Technician…

And I am running diagnostics for research on how to better sound deaden cars and on easing the reverberation on other cars so that noise complaints like this are less likely to happen.

                                                                                                 – Jeremy C.

Remote Control Trick

Get a separate switch on the remote control and put it in a hiding spot within reach then when the sirens turn on, hit the switch and your subwoofers are off! Tell them “my subs haven’t work for years.” Confuses them and they’ll let you off with warning.

                                                                                                 – Mario C.

Relocate

You can always move to one of several states where there are no laws against loud noise!

                                                                                                 – Nick C.

Shop Now!

The post How to Get Yourself out of a Noise Complaint appeared first on Sonic Electronix Learning Center and Blog.

Sound Dampening is a great investment for any vehicle owner. It helps keep the outside sounds out, and the inside sounds in. If car speakers are surrounded by dampening, this material helps the speakers output more smoothly along your vehicles doors, meaning much stronger and full audio playback. Adding sound dampening to as much of your vehicle as possible is essential to a complete audio system.

When on the market for quality Sound Dampening, it can be tough to know how the stuff will work when it’s actually inside your vehicle. With NVX Sound Dampening you can be sure that you’re getting the thickest product for your dollar. Basically the thicker the sound deadener, the better the results you will see. NVX Sound Dampening Material is designed to be 2.3mm thick, up to 30% thicker than leading competitors. This allows for better rattle protection, and road noise elimination, allowing you to enjoy the solitude of your drive, or increase the overall output from your audio system. If you’re using subwoofers in your vehicle, sound dampening is practically a necessity.

There are plenty of different kits of NVX Sound Dampening currently available at Sonic Electronix. Some are designed for adding a subwoofer to your vehicle, others are a perfect solution when installation door speakers.  Some kits are designed to purely to outfit your entire vehicle with dampening, from floor to roof and everything in between.  No matter what upgrades your doing to your vehicle, there’s a package of Sound Dampening that will aid the installation and its final results. Check out the NVX Audio store at Sonic Electronix Today!

The post Get the Best Dampening for your Dollar with NVX Audio Sound Dampening appeared first on Sonic Electronix Learning Center and Blog.

Radar Detector
Love speeding but hate jail? If so, a radar detector would suit you and your vehicle well! Plug it into a 12v socket and mount the detector and you are ready to go. There are many different kinds out there to choose from.

Sound Dampening Material
Got rattles? Sound dampening is great for reducing annoying vibrations. It adds dead weight to the panels you apply it to, which lowers the resonating frequency. It effectively reduces the amount of road noise that’s let into the vehicle. You will also notice you won’t need to turn your stereo volume up as high as before.

Seat-Heating Pads
Does your booty freeze in the winter? Well there’s a solution, and it’s probably simpler than you may think. Universal seat-heating pads are available at very pleasant prices. Simply remove the upholstery of your seats, and lay the heating pads down in your desired locations. With the flip of a switch, these seat-heating pads will thaw you, posterior first of course.

Remote Start
Continuing with the winter theme, we always recommend a good solid remote start module for those cold winter mornings. These are very useful for warming up your engine and the interior of your car without stepping foot out of your house. With the press of a button, start your car and let it warm up for a few minutes before you drive off. It will save you some shivers, and hopefully some miles.

The post Top 5 Vehicle Upgrades For Car Enthusiasts appeared first on Sonic Electronix Learning Center and Blog.

No aftermarket car audio installation is complete without some good sound dampening. This industry has traditionally been led by sound dampening giants such as Dynamat, Hushmat, Stinger, and Ballistic. However, there is a new line of sound dampening that is going to give all the other brands a run for their money. Brand new for 2011, MTX Audio’s accessory line Streetwires has released a new type of sound dampening that is looking to revolutionize the industry.

While the purpose of all sound dampening material is the same, it doesn’t mean that all the products are the same. The new ZeroNoise Noise Killer Mat from StreetWires is entering the industry hoping to show the world that they are very different from the rest. Just like the rest of the sound dampening products, the Zero Noise mat will reduce the amount of road noise, engine noise, and vibrations in the vehicle. This will enhance the sound quality of the music, reduce the amount of outside noise, and make your Toyota sound like a Lexus.

The primary difference that separates the StreetWires Noise Killer Mat and its competitors is what it is made out of. Straying away from the traditional dampening material, Streetwires chose to use their own ZeroStain material that has incredible adhesion, but does not leave any stains on the installer’s hands or the car. For those that have every installed this material in their car, they will be able to appreciate a mess-free material that is easy to install, highly adhesive, and still has all the same sound dampening qualities as the highest end material. StreetWires is offering the material in two different thicknesses and a variety of different packages to match your application.

The post StreetWires Releases Zero Noise Sound Dampening appeared first on Sonic Electronix Learning Center and Blog.

By Seth Wilde – Product Specialist

Getting better sound quality is the reason we upgrade our vehicle’s factory audio system.  The OEM speakers don’t play the music the way that they should and the amplifier is not as powerful as we need.  If the car came with a subwoofer, an upgrade to an aftermarket subwoofer will provide deeper and cleaner bass from your music.  By installing and tuning some aftermarket car speakers, subwoofers, and amplifiers, an entire new world of audible frequencies is available for us to listen to. Although this is where most people stop adding to their new car audio system, there is more that can be done to increase the sound quality.  That solution is in sound dampening material.

Sound dampening material has become increasingly popular in aftermarket installations as more individuals have experienced the benefits that come from having it in their cars.  Many companies such as Dynamat, Ballastic, Second Skin, HushMat, and others have developed new technologies to make this material a valuable component in every installation.  Some of the many benefits of adding this material include enhanced full range sound replication, deeper bass response, and increasing the overall sound of the music inside the car.  In addition to making the music sound better, sound-dampening material also reduces the amount of outside noise that is heard inside the vehicle.  No system is perfect without some quality sound dampening material.  There are many different packages available to meet the specific need of your car.  One of the more popular products is the Dynamat Extreme Bulk Pack.  This kit includes 36 square ft. of material, plenty for an entire car.  It is cut into smaller sheets for easier installation and use around the entire car.  They also offer smaller packages with less material, as well as trunk kits and license plate frame kits. Other manufacturers, such as Ballistic have similar products that offer equal performance to that of the Dynamat.  The procedure that Ballastic uses to make their sound dampening material results in a thicker compound.  All of these products are excellent for adding to any car, truck, SUV, and other vehicle.  For the best sound out of your audio system, invest in quality sound dampening material.

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