I really don't care about weight issues as I have more than enough ample power in my car.

My system kicks azz

Alpine CDA9815 HU to be upgraded to the new Alpine iDAX001
Focal Utopia 165w fronts
Focal 136w rears
Zapco 4 channel competition series 1200 watt
Zapco 1 channel competition 500 watt
JBL stealth sub

What's involved with me installing dyna mat or another product and is really worth the time and effort where I'm going to notice all the nuances of the my high's, midrange and lows that I hear with my system now?

 

Simple answer: Yes.

Long answer:

I am currently in the process of installing sound damping in my car.

I already did Frost King and 'chrome bubble' insulation up front for the heat issues around the tunnel. I was surprised at how much more quiet my car was... but it drew attention to the road noise in the rear, which was left stock.

I spent the better part of yesterday (8 hours or so) taking my door panels off and removing my system and interior. I lined the inside of the outer door skin with 2 layers of eDead, and used liquid eDead on the inner part of the doors. I covered it all up with a layer of Ensolite. I also used a layer of eDead on the door panels... but it was just pieces to cut down on vibrations.

In the back, I took everything out and put in a layer (or two) of eDead. I think I put in three layers on the back wall between the targa top holding pins. I followed that up with liquid eDead in spots... but I should probably continue with multiple layers until the gallon is gone. (I'm tired and getting lazy... damn it. )

Today I spent about 4-6 hours putting things back together. I made new speaker plates for up front using 1/2" MDF and a layer of eDead. I installed hurricane nuts in the MDF for the 6.5 Orion XTR driver, and installed the plates in the doors. When I buttoned up the front doors and closed them, there was a noticeable 'thud' rather than a slam-jiggle-jiggle. The doors feel heavier, too.

Tomorrow I'll finish up the B-pillar, more liquid eDead in the back, and button up the interior. I didn't think to take before/after measurements with my SPL meter... but others here have done similar testing and have said that it is more than worth the trouble.

Hence my current work on my car.

This thread got me started on this weekends activities: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1615456

Good luck!

Mark

 

You've got top shelf stuff in the car, doing everything possible to get every bit out of the money you spent is just common sense.

 

if you went as far as you did with the equipment you have, its only makes sense to finish it off right to get the best performance out of what you have. This is true even for lower priced equipment.

 

Seems like a chit load of work!

 

It definitely is. I helped a buddy do his '02 Z28 in eDead V1se and I think I'm still sore 4 months later.

There are some pre-cut kits for C5's out there, might not be as effective as covering everything yourself but will save some work in the cabin and truck. Then you can always do just the doors with eDead or whatever.

 

Here is a great example of a C5 where we did full sound dampening there are before and afters of everything. Hope this helps. http://www.jmlaudio.com/chevrolet%20installations.htm

 

Dude, it is a hella lot of work, no question.

I finished up today, and the change is nothing less than amazing. I got my interior re-installed and only hooked up my H/U, amp, and front 6.5 components. The bass and mid-bass were great! (I need to re-tune the eq and probably re-direct the tweeters... ) The 6.5's were able to play down really low... and could take a lot of power. Awesome!

I went for a drive this afternoon and I couldn't believe how much more quiet it was in the car. I actually heard more road noise from up front where my firewall is... the back is just dead.

I can barely hear the exhaust now... it's a weird thing, really. What sounds I do hear are very low pitched... no more high frequency noise is coming through.

While I spent the better part of 2-3 days busting my *** getting it done, it was completely worth it. I only wish I had done it sooner.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Mark

 

OK yuo guys have twisted my arm and it's a done deal, besides my buddy owns an audio shop.

What should I go out and buy I see dynamat extreme mentioned alot, anything else you want to help me spend my money on?

I do the whole cockpit including the doors and the trunk but there's no way that I can get my sub out being it's jammed in.

What do you want me to buy and where do you want me to install it?

 

Check out Elemental Designs... I bought a bunch of stuff from them... and we get a forum discount.

https://www.edesignaudio.com/edv2/ad...forum+discount

Much cheaper than Dynamat, too.

You can get Ensolite from here: http://www.raamaudio.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi

I got 2 yards of Ensolite and a can of spray adhesive from Rick. Good stuff... but even better customer service! Rick is simply awesome to do business with. I recommend him highly.

The two yards covered the inside doors, the B-pillar plastic, and a few other areas. Looking back, I should have ordered another yard or two... that stuff is amazing and can cut down the noise!

Check out this thread for more info on damping: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...forum+discount

This is the post that got me fired up. I duplicated his work... and it turned out great: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1615456

Hooked yet?

Mark

 

Hooked I'm beyond that alond time ago. You can see that I have top shelf audio equipment and my IPOD is already intergrated into the Vette and I'm dumping the head unit to get the new Alpine one which will be out in April. I already intergraded the IPOD into the Porsches fiber opic system which sounds killer with an interface from Nav TV. I have K40 systems in both cars with laser diffusers in each.

Hooked!!!!!!!!!!!!

My motor is a 382 all forged with Calies internals, alky, ECS fuel system, AFR 225 heads, custom IC, TTiX twin turbo's, Textralia OZ 700 clutch, carbon fiber torque tube, both half shafts are hardened and a DTE tranny brace, I could go on but what's the point.

So many people say my audio system is the best they have ever heard but I keep wandering in here and figured I could make it even better.

I'm way beyond hooked and need to go into rehab!

 

I recently put in some sound dampening material from Second Skin Audio. The stuff was worth the install, but make sure you get what you order (and I imagine this would apply to all vendors). I bought the expensive stuff in bulk for $260, but they shipped me the $160 stuff in bulk. When I say in bulk I mean that it came in a generic brown box with just a label to identify the dimensions and thickness. After comparing the sizes to what was on the website I could see that mine was half the thickness of what I wanted and paid for. Doesn't hurt to double check!

 

Pack as much foam into the car as you can fit. Everywhere. Every bit helps.

I've got a ton of open cell eggcrate waiting to go in my car soon.

Filling the open area between the door card and inner door panel with open cell foam gave me a very nice reduction in midbass distortion.

You must get as much damping material as possible inside the door as well. I put 2 layers of butyl and ensolire on the exterior door shell, then as much as I could fit on the interior door panel, then I also did the back of the door panel.


My Focal 165ws had a bit of midbass distortion from echoing in the door panels, and this almost completely eliminated it. Though I pulled them and replaced them with Dynaudios, which need even more damping.

Just out of curiosity, where did you put the TN51 tweeters? I found that the a-pillars crossfiring was best for them, but I bought new speakers before my tweeters ever made it out of the door pulls... in door pull locations they were a mess -->

Focal 165w no eq, and with some eq work Focal 165w, L R individual plus final EQ work

 

small hijack but I need to get my system together and come see you Kale for some RTA work and tuning

Fej

 

Since your Dyn audition was probably a lot more fresh than the last set I heard, I'd be interested to see if you think these sound much different, too. Honestly, they sound surprisingly like my focals with the tweeter turned down, and the bass turned up.

 

Anyone use the pre-cut kit from Exotic Vette? Looks like a simpler way to go to get some sound deadening.
http://www.exoticvette.com/insulation%20c6.htm
Evan Q.

 

does anybody else cry-just alittle- knowing how hard GM worked to keep this car light?

don't get me wrong, i love a good system as much as the next guy but the previous posts....

 

I'm glad they did. Thats all the more room for damping and 40+lb subwoofers!

 

based on square footage measurements, my total Dynamat extreme setup set me back about 50lbs. the killers were the Jl12w6 sub w/ enclosure (a good 40+ lbs) and the wicked amp rack (another 40-50lbs)

i'm looking at about 200lbs of additional weight....the good news is that most of the additional weight is in the rear which will give me better tail traction.

.....just another excuse to get more HP mods.

 

hell jay I just spent about 9 hours today and 5 last night on deadening my car. 600 in secondskin audio stuff came in. 84 sq ft of mat and I have one gallon into the car already gotta throw another. then comes foam but that should be a hell of alot easier than the rest..then I can actually finish installing the system. All of this came from a leak from the rain 5 days ago.

I went focal but polykevlar 3 ways since I couldn't find utopias anywhere and using some Jl amps I have layin round