Phoenix Gold Phorum

I have never seen this website before, but I thought it might be interesting to some of you:

http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com/

It has some really good comparisons between some of the highest quality stuff out there, like RAAM for example.

thats was awesome, nice find.

excellent info yes sir! Now I just need brian to come and install some for me sometime!

I've seen that somewhere before. Isn't it linked off of the Raammat website? Great find though, and some good info...

excellent find ....

Its been around for a couple years now actually, but yes it has good info.

saw it on sounddomain quite a while ago....

I like how Cascade out did most, if not all, in the tests but was not rated at the end.

??? which ones exactly did it win? i didnt think much of the VB2 when i used it, and the tests didnt show anything spectacular.

also, it isnt a self adhisive product...which i wasnt thrilled with.

to me he drew the proper conclusions.

the Damplifier Pro seemed to be the best overall value to me

the hot/cold tests it never altered it's state, the weighted adhesion after sitting for an hour there was not removal time listed....

ok...well when i decide to hang barbells on my sound deadening i will consider it...

Rammat is the best overall value.. But the second skin is the best....

VW337 wrote:I like how Cascade out did most, if not all, in the tests but was not rated at the end.

I hadn't noticed that before. Cascade is omitted from some of the tests as well. If you want to find out more about this the tester goes by the username Rootboy on ECA. I thought he was on DIYMA too, but couldn't find him there. I also noticed that it doesn't include HushMat, which is also considered to be a premium product. The test has become a bit dated though, and I hope to see another test like this.

I know Brian doesn't like VB2 anywhere near as much as he likes his peel and go Dynamat Extreme, however of the products I have used over the years I rate VB2 at the top.

Nothing seems to leave as nice of a finish as an end result, if application is correctly performed.

If preparation is done correctly nothing is easier to accomplish the goal.

Best of all VB2 will expand when you heat it, so once applied and cooled to a normal temp it has shrunk some adding a bit of tension to the surface this creates a more rigid surface less likely to rattle/vibrate.


Keep in mind when I used this product I cut it to the rough shape of the surface I am applying it to, and use full sheets not small pieces. I then take that sheet and lay it in the sun until it becomes very pliable, then I start to apply the sheet with a heat gun in hand.

This however is all just my opinion, which is based on the products i have used. The Butyl based products are great and all but I find them more cumbersome to work with, more hazardous, and they don't have a finish that appeals to me.

I've dealt with a few brands over the years but never anything from Cascade. What exactly do you mean you find the butyl bases products to be more hazardous to work with? I'm not quite sure either what you mean about the finish not appealing to you. Only thing I can think of as far as appearance is the butyl residue that can seap out the freshly cut edges on smaller pieces. It never really bothered me though because I almost always do a layer of closed-cell foam over the top of deadener. Have you ever dealt with the Raammat Errin? I think the showdown did The BXT60 justice. It's great to work with, performs near the top of the group, and with it's pricing is a tremendous value.

There is a product that I was telling Brian about that is called PROFLEX. It's primarily used as a crack isolation, water-proof and sound reduction membrane used in flooring installations such as stone tiles or wood. It has a sticky tar backing and a fiber mesh surface. Applies like dynamat would after being set out in the sun or hit with a heat gun. After installing it you could paint the whole thing with resien for strength. I havent used it in my car yet but will be very soon. Since I'm the dealer for the NW market, I get the stuff for pretty cheap. The website doesn't really show thr product but I'll post a pic or 2.

--Brian, we need to hook up since you live so close and I'll give you some to check out.

Slightly off topic but on the same idea...

How much do you think full sound deadening affects MPG? Is it significant? Noticeable but not drastically? Not at all?

Since most cars are designed to carry 4+ people, I suspect there is basically zero difference, and hardly measurable... but I'm still interested to hear from those who might know better than my speculation.

I'd have to say that it depends on how much OVERALL weight you add to the vehicle. You don't 35mpg in a civic with 4 dudes in it thats for sure. Once you take into account for the amps, wires, box, woofers AND sound deadening you'll be adding 75+ pounds depending on the equipment used. The SD would be spread out so it might not effect the car the same as having everything in the rear of the car.

I know a guy that had three layers of lead tamped into his car bottom with glue in between to stop them from separating just to get a dead resonance condition in his car. But Dyna-mat was just a young thing back then and it did not impress him with its overall performance...

I found the link and post most enlightening Thank you!

dedlyjedly wrote:What exactly do you mean you find the butyl bases products to be more hazardous to work with?

I have laid several fingers open on the foil covering over the years, even if you use gloves while doing the install a blind reach behind a panel can still cut you open. In regard to non physical hazard the butyl itself when hot tends to migrate in little pieces, on the bottom of shoes and what not, this can lead to stained upholstery.

dedlyjedly wrote:I'm not quite sure either what you mean about the finish not appealing to you. Only thing I can think of as far as appearance is the butyl residue that can seap out the freshly cut edges on smaller pieces.

The physical finish of the VB2 looks like textured ABS and it is pretty cool looking to open a panel and see what appears to be a molded sheet of ABS covering the entire surface. The foil covering on the butyl products looks great until you apply it, you get creases, dents, tears if you have a larger recess, and overall once applied unless it is relatively flat surface it just looks unclean.

dedlyjedly wrote:Have you ever dealt with the Raammat Errin? I think the showdown did The BXT60 justice. It's great to work with, performs near the top of the group, and with it's pricing is a tremendous value.

Never tried Raammat. Also keep in mind I am not saying any of the products are bad but I have always had the best looking and deadening results with CAE. They also make a paste that is kick ass for larger areas, pour it in your beater paint gun and go to town, lay on a nice even layer give it an hour @ 70F+ and apply a thin finish layer, great for inner doors, floor pans, trunks, and fiberglass enclosure insides.

I have a huge roll of VB2 I bought a few years back for my Taurus. After reading all of the comments here, I am glad I have hung on to it, and look forward to putting it in my next vehicle.

I also have a bucket or two of the liquid (I think VB1). I spray this into my boxes and hard to reach places on any serious install I work on. I like this stuff as well, but it is not a very pleasing surface to look at when finished.

VW337 wrote:

dedlyjedly wrote:What exactly do you mean you find the butyl bases products to be more hazardous to work with?

I have laid several fingers open on the foil covering over the years, even if you use gloves while doing the install a blind reach behind a panel can still cut you open.

Ah. I hear ya. I experienced this a lot in the past with Dynamat and others as well. But don't stereotype all butyl-based deadeners with that kind of treachery! The Raammat won't slice and dice like that.

But, I am interested in your other comments about the Cascade products. Maybe I'll be able to try it out one of these days.