You’ve probably had a debate with your local mechanics or with friends about some of the common sound deadening materials Soundskin and Dynamat but always left wondering which of these does a better job right?
Like I earlier mentioned in this article there’s a very big difference between soundproofing versus sound deadening/ sound conditioning. If you’re only interested in soundproofing materials for cars or home, I’d recommend you to read this article. Soundskins and Dynamat are only effective in sound conditioning and does little job in blocking out external sounds. (Swear no one has told you this).
What is Sound conditioning/ deadening?
Sound deadening makes the car interior quiet, reduce road noise, vibrations, reverberations, rattles, and echoes. In return, you will reduce road noise and heat inside your car and also improve the stereo quality.
Imagine a situation when you can whisper to your passengers without those annoying rattles or listen to your stereo in clarity? This is what is achieved by sound deadening. In this article, I’m going to compare two famously known car deadening products and highlight one that’s best for you.
Soundskins and Dynamat overview
Below is a detailed overview of each of the company, headquarters, and some bits of information about the brand and the products offered.
Soundskins
A look at Soundskins website, I discovered that the Australian based company was founded in 2015. I couldn’t find the about page, but I guess it’s because it’s a new company. Its products are available here in the United States and other countries including France, Mexico, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand,
The brand’s products use high-quality butyl and foam which are both heatproof, waterproof and durable as well and come with a self-adhesive coat so you won’t need any glue during the installation process.
SoundSkins Pro review
Soundskins pro is a combination of three layers of foil, acoustic foam and rubber butyl. This custom blends ensures vibrations reductions, improve heat insulation and loss of sound thus reducing road noise and enhancing the performance of your car stereo.
The product is available in 11 square feet a size large enough to cover two sedan doors.
Soundskins key features
- Waterproof
- Offer maximum noise deadening
- Easy installation
- Denser to block outside noise
- Offers heat insulation benefits
- It’s affordable
Products
You will find soundskins products in lite and pro versions. For starters, it’s important to note that the only difference is that the pro versions come with an additional layer of foil.
- SoundSkins Lite Mega Kit (Covers 4 doors, 44 sq ft.)
- SoundSkins Rings 2 Door Kit (Covers one pair of speakers)
- SoundSkins Lite Door Kit (Covers 1 door, 11 sp ft.)
- SoundSkins Pro Door Kit (Covers 1 door, 11 sp ft.)
- SoundSkins Rings 4 Door Kit (Covers two pair of speakers)
- SoundSkins Pro Mega Kit (Covers 4 doors, 44 sq ft.)
Installation process
Do you remember the day you ordered something online, and you couldn’t figure out how it’s used or installed despite having an instruction manual? You got frustrated, wasted hours trying to figure it out only to end up hiring a professional to do the job for you?
Sound skins products are easy to install unlike Dynamite products reviewed below. You won’t need to spend hours on YouTube watching the installation process- as its installation process is simple and clear.
Dynamat Review
Dynamat is a privately owned company based in Hamilton, Ohio. Founded in 1989, (pretty old..huh) it an established brand, recognized by many for its high-quality products. It provides products to prevent unwanted noises and vibrations not only in cars but also for home appliances, computers, and home acoustics.
Dynamat Xtreme Review
One of the popular products from this brand is the Dynamat extreme. It’s a super thin, sticky butyl rubber that’s bonded with aluminum alloy skin formulated with Vector Chemistry to make it one of the most efficient sound dampening materials available. It’s relatively easy to install, and the heavy aluminum and butyl rubber will stretch and contour better compared to any other product on the market.
Dynamat versus Soundskins Comparison
Now let’s see how the two products compare and the winner in each case. Features we’ll compare are ease of installation, product size, thickness, efficiency, and the price tag.
Ease of installation
As a rule of thumb, if you’re doing a DIY soundproofing project, the installation process should give you a headache especially if you’re a beginner. When it comes to installation sound skins are easier to install compared to Dynamat. If you’re a beginner, I would recommend sound skins, but you can try Dynamat products if you’re willing to spend a couple of hours on YouTube watching tutorials guides
Product size
Sound deadening products are available in different sizes. If you’re tight on budget and you want a larger piece, sound skins is the way to go. While they are available in 11sq ft sizes while Dynamat are in 36sq ft sizes, they are affordable.
But overall, Dynamite is the clear winner in this case because it’s available in a bigger size though the prices may vary.
Thickness
If you want to enjoy the full benefits of soundproofing, then the material thickness should be a top priority because the thicker the material, the better it is in soundproofing.
Soundskins only weighs 7.7 pounds and has a thickness of 0.059” while Dynamat mat weighs 15 pounds and its 0.069” thick.
It’s true that Dynamat is a clear winner in this case, but the fact is that you won’t notice a significant difference at, probably you won’t notice any difference at all- since the two products are sound deadening materials and not soundproofing materials.
Efficiency and price tag
These two products are effective in getting the job done. They are water resistant, heatproof, soundproof, have a self-adhesive side and durable.
I guess you already know that price at times determines the quality of a product right?
In the case of Dynamat, you will only spend 2-3 dollars per sq ft and almost the same price for sound skins of the same size.
Conclusion
That’s it for today; I hope you find my review helpful. According to the above comparison, it’s evident that there’s no clear winner, but Dynamat gets a slight advantage because it offers a variety of products and it’s an already established brand- has developed trust over the decades. Other than car sound deadening, you can read my articles on home soundproofing.