Dynamat Review – The Best Product On Earth!

Read my Dynamat review below and find an interesting story about this product and some wild adventures of an audio engineer.

I can’t believe the shit I do to get laid.

It’s 2 am in the morning, I’m laying on my back on cold ass concrete and contorting my body to access tight places that I can’t even see.

But when I slide it in and feel the suction, it makes those long moments of painful effort all worth it.

Okay, I know where your mind is and before you click open a private tab and pull your pants down, lemme pull your mind out of the gutter.

You see, as much as you’d like to imagine your old bud Joe getting some juicy tail after a long night recording some hot singer chick for her upcoming LP, sadly, it’s not the case.

You see what I’m actually doing is installing Dynamat in my car.

Sticking dynamat in my door panels to be exact and lemme tell you, sliding a massive piece of sticky dynamat through the small holes in the door panel is as tricky as unhooking a bra with numb fingers.

But it’s just as rewarding when you’ve done it.

Maybe even more so, because soundproofing your car and increasing audio quality will deliver years of great experiences, while your resulting whoopee with the lucky girl (boy,shim,it,etc) will last 10 minutes. (Or years if you don’t cover the stump and catch something nasty.)

With some layers of quality soundproofing in the car, my door speakers will not only punch harder with increased mid-range bass, but also sound clearer.

And most important of all; I’ll be hearing less road noise, tire roar and drunks harassing me at the stop lights.

I know what you’re thinking, how the fuck is dynamat gonna get me laid?

Well I did mention a certain singer chick earlier on, she does exist and so do her DD’s (actually they’re E cups – I asked while we were entering the early stages of flirtation – I’m a gentleman I know).

Good news is: I’m in.

Bad news is: before I’m actually in, I need to soundproof my car.

Turns out my cute singer chick with the dark raven hair and smoking eyes really wants to have it on in a car with leather seats (wtf right) but she’s afraid people will hear.

Bad thing about living in central L.A is that there is always someone around, you may not see them, but they’re always there and so are their cell phones, eager to record amateur pornos in hopes of making a quick buck.

Yeah, my singer chick is a screamer.

Both in her musical life and in her private life.

Without soundproofing the door panels, roof and trunk of my car, those sounds of passion will leak out and cause a mess.

So before we do the business, I need to get my car as soundproofed as possible so we can go incognito in some dark carpark somewhere.

As an added bonus, my  Focal Component Speakers and all the other car audio gear is gonna sound 100x better.

It’s a win, win!

I am a car audio nut and music lover after-all, so killing two birds with one stone is just the icing on the cake.

I just hope one of those birds will stick around for another round.

How Dynamat Will Increase Audio Quality

Enough trash talk, let’s get to the part you want to know about.

Will soundproofing your car increase audio quality?

Yes, yes, YES.

There is no doubt, even the smallest Dynamat kit will make a noticeable improvement in audio quality.

Even if you just soundproof your car doors with Dynamat, the increase in audio quality and reduction of outside noise will be greater than if you purchased a new pair of speakers.

It’s seriously that good.

Dynamat and other sound dampening materials help absorb the vibrations of your car and speakers to provide the most resonance neutral environment possible while stiffening up and providing a solid mounting point for your speakers.

You got to remember that music is actually physical, we may not see it, but it’s there.

It moves in frequencies and waves and the quality of those waves is dependent on a few factors, to keep it simple I will mention the ones that concern you the most.

A big factor of getting a quality sound wave (great sounding music) is from the speaker that pumps it out

The other is the environment that speaker is housed in.

You may have the best car speakers ever like the Focal Utopia Be’s, but they will never perform like they should in the hollow tin can that is your car.

Think of it this way: without soundproofing your car, you speakers sound like a shout in a large hall.

They lacks any punch, definition or character as the sound just slops all over the room and can’t reflect anywhere.

With soundproofing, your no longer shouting in a large echoing hall but in an acoustically panelled sound booth and every nuance and frequency is tighter than my cute singer friend.

To get a great sound from your car speakers, you need to:

  • isolate the forward soundwave from the rear one
  • create a sealed environment
  • remove any external noise.

Even the cheapest of car speakers will greatly benefit from Dynamat and other forms of soundproofing like Noico as you will provide them with the best environment to work in.

Cars are made with zero consideration to acoustic properties, they just slap in some cheap cardboard speakers in a hollow metal housing and call it a day.

Ever wonder why your music sounds so flat and lacking of any dynamics in your car? Or why you need to turn it up really loud to even hear the beginnings of a bass tone?

That’s why.

There’s a reason why slapping some 6×9 speakers in a wooden enclosure always sounds better than a door speaker, it’s because they have a tight, sealed area that pushes the sound back.

It also isolates the back wave from the forward wave which helps create a cleaner, more precise sound.

By soundproofing your car, you’ll be creating a large speaker box for your speakers to work in while creating of layer of soundproofing that will reduce road roar and engine noise.

This will allow you to hear all the frequencies in the song as they won’t be drowned out by constant external noise.

If you even have the slightest interest in audio quality, I seriously suggest you get your hands on some Dynamat and get going.

How To Install Dynamat

The installation of Dynamat is fairly simple due to the peal and stick nature of the material and the minimal requirement of tools.

Tools Required to install Dynamat:

Various Screwdrivers – Flat Head + Phillips

A cute assistant (optional)

Car Trim Removal Set

Foam Roller – Usually comes with a set of Dynamat.

I could go into detail about how to install Dynamat but there really isn’t much too it. I have zero automotive knowledge apart from basic car audio installs and I managed to work it out.

You want to install the sound dampening material on the bare metal of the car, so the first course of action is to remove any carpet, door panels, etc to get to it.

This is where your screwdrivers and trim removal tools come in, just remove every screw, and slide your trim pullers around the panels you are removing.

Carefully run the tools around the edge of the panel and you’ll start to feel the pins that hold the panel start to get loose.

Once you have access to the metal, you can test fit a sheet of Dynamat and cut it accordingly to your door dimensions.

Quick Tip:

You do not need to be super precise with your measurements as no one will be seeing it, the main idea is to cover as much metal as you can with Dynamat.

I find it easier to cut the sheet in half, peel the backing paper off and slide it into position. This is great if you’re installing into door cavities as the access is very tight.

Once it’s in position, just press it down and roll over it with your foam roller. This will flatten the Dynamat and ensure it gets a proper stick with your metal panel.

Just repeat until all your desired panels are covered.

Further Tips:

  • The more the better! – You will only benefit if you apply more Dynamat, a second layer of Dynamat guarantees the best results and sound improvement.
  • If you are sound proofing the doors, apply one layer to the inner door well, and one on the outer skin.
  • While you’re working in the doors, add some speaker baffles to create the ultimate sealed environment to not only increase speaker response, but also protect them from moisture and dirt.

Recommended Dynapad Products:

The popularity of Dynapad is owed to its quality and great range of products that are tailored for all sections of your car.

You can just buy up the sheets in bulk and go nuts or if you are more budget conscious and want the most bang for your buck, I have found the following products for every part of your car.

Simply click on the part of the car you want to install Dynamat in:

Doors

Roof

Floor

Trunk

 Entire Car

Best Dynamat Alternatives

There are plenty of Dynamat alternatives around on the market and they work just as well or even better than Dynamat.

The truth is that whatever sound dampening material you use, it will make a massive difference to your sound quality.

Many alternate Dynamat products all feature the same things; foil backing and a thick layer of self-adhering butanol that will provide great sound insulation properties.

When I set out to fully soundproof and insulate my car, I pulled out the credit card, logged into Amazon and went to town.

I ended up purchasing a whole raft of different Dynamat alternatives alongside countless Dynamat kits.

Here are the Top 3 Best Dynamat alternatives that I found to work really well and were cheaper than Dynamat.

1: Kilmat

2: Noico

3: Stinger

If I was to sound proof my entire car again, I would purchase a majority of my sound proofing materials from either one of these guys.

Grab a few Dynamat kits like Dynamat extreme for areas you’d like a thicker membrane and everywhere else, you can safely use any of these three Dynamat alternatives.

When I was ordering the first time, I was on a hormone-fueled rampage and was adding anything to my cart without thinking or doing prior research.

Needless to say, the UPS guy was piling boxes on my door a few days later and amongst the endless rolls of soundproofing, I found a years supply of condoms and a gallon of lube. Oops.

Since you’re here learning about Dynamat, I can tell you’re a wise guy and are actually doing research before buying anything, great stuff.

You’re credit card will thank you.

How I got on With my Dynamat Install

After the contortion act that was the installation in the doors, the rest of the car was a snap. It was a slow and methodical process of taking one part off, applying the Dynamat or Noico Sound Insulation and putting the part back together.

Here are some handy tips for your next Dynamat Install:

  • Place all screws and plastic clips in separate plastic lunch bags. When you’re removing panels and taking out the screws and plastic clips, place them in plastic bags. Label the bags with whichever part they belong to. For example : front passenger door. The next bag should only contain parts from another door and so on.
  • Label Parts. If you have removed some weird looking parts, just label em! Slab a label on it and write on it where the part belongs. This will be handy when you’re piecing the car back together again.
  • Take photos! If something looks complicated or goes back a certain way, whip your trusty cellphone out and snap a picture. Or better yet, get an (attractive) assistant to record a close-up video of the disassembly process. Trust me, this has saved my ass a few times on this install.
  • Do one part at a time. As tempting as it is to just rip everything out of the car, chances are this will be your first time dissembling a car and remembering where EVERY bit goes back into the car will be a challenge bordering impossible.

Just take it slow, get the feel of the job and go at your pace. In the end, you’ll be happy you did. Take one door apart, apply the Dynamat and reassemble the door. Move on to the next one.

If you are doing the floor, it’s not as big a problem as most parts are unique and will only fit in one spot but even so, take photos and label everything!

  • Set aside plenty of time. If it’s your first time installing sound insulation in your car, expect it to take many hours. Don’t plan your day and then go pulling your car apart to install some Dynamat. It will take time to do a proper job so make sure you have no plans for the day or early evening. Better yet, pencil in a full weekend to do it all. If you’re lucky, you might be cruising the highways with your new improved ride come Sunday evening.

Conclusion – Was Installing Dynamat in my Car worth it?

Was installing Dynamat in my car worth it?

Let’s put it this way; every cell in my body screams yes!

The initial cost and installation were a bit tedious sure, especially when it was 3am in the morning, I had no seats in the car and I needed to be at a meeting at 7am.

It also didn’t help when my cute singer friend decided to take her top off at one point and taunt me while I was on my knees rolling out the Dynamat. My eyes were on the job, but my mind was somewhere else entirely. I hope (or don’t) that you’ll have that problem as well.

 The hardest part was getting the floor carpet back in its correct position. There are a lot of things to align and getting it just right was a bitch. I eventually got it but I may have messed up on one end. Ah well, that’s what you get for not keeping your eyes on the prize.

For the hood liner, I found pulling it out through the rear hatch to the easiest. Once I removed the clips and hand grips, it essentially fell down as a whole entire section, leaving a nice bare metal surface for me to work on.

Once I applied the Dyanmat to the roof, I got my seductress to help me hold it in place while I clipped and screwed everything back. See! She does have other uses.

Okay, the big one. How did it sound! Did I notice a difference after installing Dynamat?

Fuck YES!

Cruising down Highway 1 near Huntington Beach, it was almost eerie hearing how crystal clear my music was at 70mph.

Like holy shit.

It felt like I was sitting in a couch with a surround sound system and was watching the world go by in my car.

It’s like a little audio bubble that isolates you from the outside world. It’s only you and your music – and your passenger singing at the top of her lungs along to it.

Properly sound insulating your car is seriously a must, once you experience it, you will know what I mean.

There is no more road roar, no more clattering from your engine or wind whipping around the car…it’s just you, the endless road and your music baby.

Was it worth spending a few stacks on Dynamat?

Dude, I’ve already forgotten about how much it cost, the results were well worth the money.

And…I bet you’re wondering if I got laid so here it is. (Perv)

 After cruising down the highway until the early hours of the night, we found a quiet carpark near the beach somewhere and tested that sound insulation.

Tested it well.

I’m fairly certain there weren’t any pervs around, but I may be mistaken. I had other things to occupy my mind with, but I was fairly confident that no one could hear what we were getting up to.

Was installing Dynamat in my car, spending countless hours, money and hard work worth it in the end?

I believe you know the answer to that one buddy, as I am sure that if you found yourself in the same situation, you’d do the same thing and the reward would be well worth all the struggle and effort.

I now have that the ultimate environment to enjoy my music in while driving and I guess I wasn’t half bad either as my cute singer chick is still hanging around.

Only problem is, she now wants to do it in an elevator…

Can you soundproof an elevator?