Dynamat Review 2023: Uses, Installation and Alternatives
I’m the type of person that loves to listen to music while driving. For me, nothing beats being on a road and listening to my favorite band.
The only problem is there is a lot of noise that is interfering with my music such as tire hum, wind, engine whine, vibrations etc.
This road noise is irritating and has an impact on how your car audio system sounds like.
Your car is made of metal and because of that acoustics in your car can be pretty bad.
Solution to this problem can be using materials that work like sound deadeners. There are many different brands on the market. One of the best is definitely Dynamat.
Dynamat helped me to keeping the unwanted sounds out of the car.
What is Dynamat?
Dynamat is a material that will help you keep unwanted road noise out of your vehicle and cut down on any vibrations.
It goes in many places in your car – behind the door panels, above the headliner or below the carpet. The material can stretch and adjust without any tearing.
On their web page, you can find the long range of products they offer (Dynamat Xtreme, Dynamat Hoodliner, Dynamat Dynaliner, DynaPad). All of their products are compatible, which is always a plus.
With Dynamat, you really have a feeling like you are driving in an expensive, luxury vehicle.
What is Dynamat Made Of and Used For?
Dynamat works in a couple ways. It sticks to the object and increases its mass. Objects gain more solidity and this prevents vibrations. It will also cut out any squeaks.
Because it is a dampener, it will soak up the sound and in that way refuse any outside noise to get in.
Another bonus – Dynamat will prevent heat between your interior and elements to escape.
You shouldn't worry about any unpleasant smells, the material is odor free. Also, it never drips.
Like I said, their products can work well together. You can get amazing results by combining them. On their web page, you can find seven different products. I will talk about all of them.
Dynamat Xtreme
Dynamat Xtreme is made of butyl rubber bonded to the thin aluminum skin. The butyl rubber with aluminum allows the material to easily stretch.
Good news is you don’t need any surface prep, with the adhesive it will stick to the surface and stay in place.
It is applied to sheet metal, you can line your doors, trunk, roof or floor.
Dynamat SuperLite
The product is similar to Dynamat Xtreme, made of same butyl rubber. The rubber is bonded with gleaming blue.
You don't really need to know what gleaming blue is. All you need to know is that it will keep your overall cars weight down.
If that is important to you, you should consider using SuperLite instead of Xtreme.
It won't isolate the sound so well like a Dynamat Xtreme but still works great.
You can use it for full coverage of your vehicle or just the problem areas.
Dynaliner
Dynaliner is made of closed cell rubber with cells packed together intensely. This way it reduces heat and resists oil and water.
A lot of noise comes from the roof of your car. You can apply Dynaliner on your roof, over Dynamat Xtreme. That way you get the best listening experience in your car.
DynaDeck
DynaDeck is thermoacoustic foam carpet and padding replacement. It is water and oil resistant, as well as wear resistant.
You won’t be needing any adhesive. Because of this, you can easily move it and reuse it.
It comes in many different sizes and colors, typically used on vehicle floors. For a quiet ride, it is recommended to use it over Dynamat Xtreme.
DynaPad
It is a square foot floor mat, made of two layers of acoustic sound soaker foam. DynaPad removes low-frequency sounds. It will also block out heat.
Like most of their products, this one is also recommended to use over Dynamat Xtreme for the best results.
If you want to cover a whole floor, you will need four of these.
Hoodliner
The product is used to eliminate any sound that your engine might be making. It is made of acoustic sound soaker foam with a reflective, reinforced aluminized skin.
Acoustical foam has the ability to transform sound waves into heat energy. There are also open and closed cells which dissipate sound waves.
You can put it on an automotive hood, engine compartments or any place that needs heat resistive acoustical foam.
Dynaplate
When it comes to sound dampening, this product is comparable to Dynamat Xtreme.
It is thin, light and self-adhesive aluminum sheet. Still, it is quite strong and easy to apply.
You can use it on your floor, roof. You can cover an entire panel with it or just hard to reach areas.
Dynamat Installation
There are a few steps to follow when it comes to Dynamat installation.
First, you will need to remove all of your panels, seating, flooring, carpeting, and the headliner. Make sure to clean any dusty surfaces. That is how you secure better adhesion.
After that, the steps are:
- Cut to shape
- Peel
- Stick and press into place.
You can also buy application rollers, which will help you to push into place.
How Much Dynamat do I need?
This usually depends on how much money you want to spend. You will get best results if you Dynamat the full cabin.
On the other hand, if budget is an issue, consider Dynamat for the doors and areas where speakers are mounted.
Dynamat has different kits with pre-cut sheets for doors, trunk, floor, hood, and the headliner.
If you want to Dynamat the full cabin, you can buy Xtreme Mega Bulk Pack. It will allow you to cover 72 square feet and should be enough.
Is Dynamat worth it?
Installing Dynamat will take money, time and effort. Is it worth it to layer with too many different products?
And do they really absorb outside noise in your car?
Before purchasing you should always know all the pros and cons.
Pros
Cons
There are definitely more pros than cons. So I can definitely say that Dynamat is worth your time and money.
It is still one of the most expensive products on the market. Still, it is a top choice among professionals.
If you are on a tight budget, consider just layering areas where your speakers are mounted. It won't cost you that much but still can make a noticeable difference.
On the other hand, if you don’t have to worry about the amount of money you are spending, consider purchasing different Dynamat products.
Since they are compatible, together they work the best.
You will be able to add more layers, cover all surfaces and in the end enjoy your car even more.
Install Dynamat and you will hear more of your music, experience less vibration, distortion, and rattles.
If you are looking to improve your car stereo system and driving experience, I highly recommend it.
Dynamat Alternatives
Dynamat is an amazing product. The only thing that can stop someone from buying it is probably the price. So, we shall compare some of the best Dynamat alternatives for you.
Second Skin Audio
Second Skin Audio’s Damplifier Pro is another high end option that’s comparable to Dynamat. It’s actually thicker than Dynamat, both in the butyl layer and the foil constraint layer.
Second Skin is one of those products you read about in car forums, where people often claim it’s the best. We’ve generally found them to be very high quality, and like them more because they have good customer service.
Second Skin offers a full suite of car sound deadening and other automotive insulation products.
HushMat
HushMat is Dynamat's biggest competitor. It is comparable to Dynamat Xtreme. The material is a little bit thinner.
You can even order a custom kit for your car and your application will be fast.
If you are on a budget, this is a good option.
You won't need any double layer, which is always a plus.
See our Dynamat vs Hushmat comparison here.
FatMat
The main reason why people love this product is its price. It is one of the most affordable solutions on the market.
It can’t stand the heat that well, so don’t use it if you live in a hot climate.
Users usually love how sticky and pliable it is.
I would recommend investing in something that will last you a lifetime, and not something that will melt in the summertime. Read about our Dynamat vs Fatmat comparison here.
Noico
When it comes to soundproofing materials, you should always pay attention to the thickness of the material.
Noico is thicker than Dynamat, so you can expect better insulation with it. However, to achieve the same effect as Dynamat, you will need 2 to 4 layers.
You can choose between two different range of products.
Reviews of this product are amazing. It is cheap and it works quite well.
Keep in mind that some people have reported that it melts in high temperatures. Read our Noico vs Dynamat comparison.
GTMat
A small number of people is familiar with this product. There aren't many reviews of this product, but so far people love it.
It uses a 4-layer system of Butyl, foam and aluminum foil material.
If you don’t want to spend that much money, this is a product for you. It’s cheap and won’t degrade in high temperatures.
Siless
Just like GTMat, this is one of the unknown sound deadening products.
They make butyl and foil mats, with variations in thickness.
They lack in layering, so you should expect sub-par noise reduction. It is so easy to apply, the product is beginners friendly.
They will tell you just how much you will need for your car, so don’t worry about overbuying.
B-Quiet
Maybe you’ve already heard about this company. That is because they are a pretty big name in sound deadening material industry and make some of the best materials.
Their best product is deadener with butyl based adhesive and an aluminum constraining layer. It is highly efficient at conversing vibrations to thermal energy.
It comes in 1 foot wide rolls and you can choose between two different sizes.
Dynamat has led the industry for years but now has a good competition.
With the alternatives, you can get a full coverage of your vehicle cheaper than doing it with Dynamat.
Keep in mind that cheaper products are lower quality materials.
In the end, you might spend even more on an alternative product than on Dynamat, because you will be adding more layers.
Most of the alternatives products can't stand the heat that good. That means, on a hot day, the temperature will rise and some of the materials might start leaking fumes and adhesive.
Conclusion: Dynamat Review
As you can see, you have many different solutions in front of you.
Dynamat, for now, is the most expensive product on the market. It is one of the highly recommended as well.
Most professionals use it. It offers a wide range of products, so you can find one that you need.
There are even some products that you can’t find anywhere else, like Hoodliner. It will most definitely deaden the sound of your engine and you don’t have to worry about fire.
Dynamat products are one of the few that are actually heat resistant. They won’t melt or degrade on high temperatures.
If you want to hear any difference in sound reduction, you will probably have to cover at least 30% of your car. The cost can add up.
However, the material is long lasting, oil and water resistant and will not promote rust. You are investing in your car for life.
When your car is completely covered, the dampening effect is amazing.
I hope that reading this review has helped you to make your decision.
Whether you decide to invest in Dynamat or to buy another sound deadening product, know that soundproofing your car is really worth it.
In the end, you will have the most powerful sound system.