Dynamat

[outlawhonda]

If I install them on all doors and tailgate, how much sound improvement should I expect?

[Wandulus]

You will get an improved damping and insullation. How much you will get? It´s dificult to say, but if your going for an SQ install, it´s quite necesary...

[vividjazz]

With just one layer you get a 3db improvement minimum which would require amps of double the power to obtain otherwise.

You should do an outer and inner layer on the doors to create virtual boxes for your speakers. Wheel arches significantly reduce road noise.

I initially just did the front doors with inner and outer layers and diffusers behind the midbase speakers. Could not get over the improvement again when I later did the rear doors and I don't even run rear speakers as its a purists SQ car. Then did the boot and hatch door including rear wheel arches.

People are just wasting their money on any aftermarket car audio equipment without dynamat / soundproofing. Have you ever been to a cinema without soundproofing? and What recording studio doesn't have sound proofing?

[Wandulus]

Originally Posted by vividjazz

.

People are just wasting their money on any aftermarket car audio equipment without dynamat / soundproofing. Have you ever been to a cinema without soundproofing? and What recording studio doesn't have sound proofing?

That´s do not wokr that way...
First, the size of a Cinema or Recording studio (or even a dedicated HT) it´s quite diferent from a car, and the acoustics are working in a totally different way.
Second, in a stock car, yo have a lot of absorving / diffusing material, as seat, interior liner... In a room, with nothing in except for a seat, and paint in the walls, the acoustic es just annoying, with a lot of reflection and standing waves.

[eyedryve]

I'm sure you are right about the cinema, but in the car, the sound deadening and such makes a HUGE differernce. I've done just the front doors with SecondSkin Damplifier and rattlepad, and it's now a completely different ride. I'll do the backs with Damplifier and Overkill- can't wait now. It's freakin' unbelievable.

[STTICH]

Originally Posted by vividjazz

Then did the boot and hatch door including rear wheel arches.

how is the real wheels arches done? possible to show some pics?

[Wandulus]

Originally Posted by eyedryve

I'm sure you are right about the cinema, but in the car, the sound deadening and such makes a HUGE differernce. I've done just the front doors with SecondSkin Damplifier and rattlepad, and it's now a completely different ride. I'll do the backs with Damplifier and Overkill- can't wait now. It's freakin' unbelievable.

That´s right! With sound Killer, you always improve. The point I was discussing, that both stock, a car is better than a room.
Pd: I also had dinamat al around my car!

[vividjazz]

Originally Posted by STTICH

how is the real wheels arches done? possible to show some pics?

You have to remove all the internal trim (plastic). Its time consuming. Clips, screws and remove the lower rear seat belt bolts. Unfortunately didn't take any shots the Saturday I did mine as was rushed to get finished and go out for dinner.

[JChendon]

Does anyone have a walkthrough for doing it yourself? I went to a car audio place yesterday and got quoted 1700$ to dynamat my fit.

[eyedryve]

That is a Croc-o-shite. Do this. Go to www.secondskinaudio.com. Read the instructions available and forum. Believe me. If I can do it, you can do it.

Important parts. Be careful removing the panels. The instructions for removing them can be found here:

http://www.hondafitjazz.com/body_doors.htm

You can, in fact, learn how to take most of the car apart on that site. Anyway, once the panel is off, remove (I saved it for later) the plastic water barrier from the door frame. The black sealant stuff is like napalm though- once it's on, it's on you. So don't get it on you. It won't hurt, it's just nasty.

You can clean the door frame with alcohol or something, and once it's dry, start applying the stuff. I went over all holes and wires, sealing the stuff as tightly to the frame as possible. It's slow. I mean slow. I thought "there is no way it could possibly take 2 hours per door!" I was right. It took me three or more to do a good job.

FYI, I did NOT do the inside of the door exterior. I've heard it really is important for the best sound quality, but I was going for improved sound and rattle control, which I got. I also don't like the idea of putting something on the door exterior, seeing as it gets really wet in there when it rains. The plastic barrier is not for looks. When my door panel was off and the plastic was off, I drove it to work in the rain. It rained into my car...

I did NOT seal up the big access hole in the door with damplifier for 2 reasons. First, there's a big cube thing on the back of the door panel that fits in the hole. I imagine this is only to help reduce resonance in the door, but I didn't want to take it off the panel. Second, it would make getting into the door a beeatch. So, after I sealed up the rest of the door, I cut the plastic sheet that WAS on the door just big enough to cover the hole and siliconed it on where it wouldn't drip into the car. Worked great with a test drive in the rain.

My advice. Go slow, and make sure the stuff is as sealed up to the metal as possible wherever the door panel has waves or shape changes in it, and around the wire bundles, seal it up good around them. Oh, and don't forget to cut out for ALL the hardware attachments you'll find for the door panel.

It sounds like a project, but it's really not. And the result is really amazing. I recommend the damplifier from SecondSkin. I loved working with it, and it does a great job. I also put rattlepad and overkill on the back of the door panel.

Helpful?

[nttdemented]

I plan on doing some dynamating to the inside of the exterior of the doors and use some diffusers behind the mid bass speaks.

I'm trying to build a simple system with what I got from my previous car. I used to have a huge 900watt @ 2ohm mono sub amp and 3 Kenwood Excelon 12"s but I'm planing on selling those and just using my 100x4 amp to power a pair of Infinity Kappa components up front and a pair of Kappa 2-ways on the back. I'm guessing with some dynamat and all that power going to them (wich is their maximum rated power) I should get good ammounts of bass out of the small doors.

Then again I plan on Auto Xing my Fit quite a bit and I don't want to add to much weight to the car with the sound system. How much weight would you guys estimate for a single layer of dynamat on the interior of the exterior of the door and the diffusers?

I've had sound systems for years and even though I've always known of the goodness of dynamat I've never applied any to my own cars due to lazyness but I don't plan on skimping this time around.

[vividjazz]

Dynamat xtreme weight is 0.45lb./ft2 (2.20kg/m2). Other sound solutions are similar weights.

[nttdemented]

thanks for the info m8.

[TotallyFit]

i've heard from guys that are huge into car audio and professional installers that dynamat isn't very good,and that there is way better stuff out there for way better prices.

[big Fit]

Try bed linner truck spray... I did it to my rx-7 to improve road sound. I did not expect to nearly eleminate all resonence in my door speakers... It is fabulouse...... If you like send me a messege and I will explain details of the job.

[vividjazz]

Of the sheeted sound deadening products Dynamat extreme is easy to work worth.
1) Requires no heating to bend or before application like some of the other products.
2) It bends well also making it easy to work with. Some products are very stiff even after heating.
3) Cuts easily with a sharp Stanley knife / blade making it easy to work with. Some products are like cutting chewing gum.
4) Water is not an issue with it so the inside of the outer door skins are not a problem. It does not absorb water like other products.
5) It sticks and stays stuck. No adhesive needs to be applied to it just peal off backing and stick. A lot of other products come off over time. All the sheeted sound deadening products should be pushed down with a roller when applied.
6) Doesn't require scoring with a knife in conjunction with the roller for optimal adhesion.
7) In Australia at least it is readily available as some of the other products are very hard to get or not available at all.

As for wether one sound deadening product is a better deadener than another they are all better than no deadening. Some are geared more for audio like Dynamat Extreme while others are geared more for stopping rattles and road noise so horses for courses. In the independent reviews done in Australia of the handful of available products there isn't a lot in it between most of the products. Personally I've deadened my front doors in the Jazz with G-Spot and the rest with Dynamat Extreme and I can't tell any difference. Both do the job for me. Obviously Dynamat Extreme is a better product than original Dynamat.

[rcantu]

guys check out this comparison. it should answer a lot of your questions.

Sound Deadener Showdown

Dynamat is good stuff but is the most expensive out there. I've used rammat, second skin, and roofing stuff called Peel n Seal. the butyl stuff is best and doesn't stink. you can sell remove it to access your doors too.

[timot_one]

Originally Posted by rcantu

guys check out this comparison. it should answer a lot of your questions.

Sound Deadener Showdown

Dynamat is good stuff but is the most expensive out there. I've used rammat, second skin, and roofing stuff called Peel n Seal. the butyl stuff is best and doesn't stink. you can sell remove it to access your doors too.

That's a good read man. Sound deadening material is always important to reduce road noise for either a quiet environment or to improve the efficiency of your audio system.