Soundshield Archives - Perfectionist Auto Sound and Security

Anchorage Ford Transit in for Audio and Comfort Upgrades

04/27/2021 By John Schwartz

A client from here in Anchorage recently brought his 2020 Ford Transit van to Perfectionist Auto Sound and Security for an audio system and sound deadening upgrade. The big cargo van was a bit too noisy inside for the client’s liking. He also wanted the stereo system to sound better with improved clarity and better bass performance. After inspecting the vehicle, one of our Product Specialists put together a simple yet elegant upgrade solution that would deliver exactly what the client wanted.

Ford Transit Sound Deadening Improves Comfort

The first order of business was to remove the entirety of the interior on the Transit so our technicians could install 12 rolls of SoundShield SSD1 acoustic deadening material. This deadening was applied to the floor, the rear side panels, the rear doors and the outer front door skins.

SoundShield’s thick butyl, aluminum and foam material helps prevent sound energy from the tires, exhaust and drivetrain from entering the cab. The difference in comfort is instantly apparent, and it makes driving the van much more enjoyable. A secondary yet equally important benefit is that the clarity of the outgoing audio of the Bluetooth hands-free communication system is much improved.

Audio System Upgrade

We replaced the front door speakers with a set of Morel Tempo Ultra Integra 602 6.5-inch point-source coaxial drivers to improve the stereo. These speakers offer a dramatic improvement in both frequency extension and clarity. The result is that every genre of music sounds clearer and more detailed.

The next step was to install an Alpine PWE-S8 powered subwoofer to the vehicle to add some warmth and extension. This compact subwoofer system features an 8-inch woofer housed in a cast-metal enclosure. It includes a 120-watt amplifier to drive the sub and has all the connections we needed to integrate it into the factory radio. Of course, the key to making it sound good was to configure the crossover and level controls to work with the rest of the van’s speakers.

Alaska’s Vehicle Enhancement Experts

After a few days of work, we had this Ford Transit upgraded and ready to roll again. The client was amazed at how much quieter the vehicle was and loved how the audio system sounds with the new speakers and subwoofer. If you have a car, van or truck that could be more comfortable with a quieter interior, or you want to upgrade its audio system, drop by Perfectionist Auto Sound and Security in Anchorage and speak with one of our Product Specialists. We’d be happy to design a custom solution that addresses your needs. If you can’t visit the store during regular business hours, give us a call or send our team an e-mail using our contact form.

Product Spotlight: SoundShield Slim and WrapIt

11/27/2020 By BestCarAudio.com

The SoundShield team has recently introduced two new products to help mobile enhancement retailers deliver amazing upgrades: Slim and WrapIt. Slim is a butyl damping material designed for applications where material thickness is a concern. WrapIt closed-cell foam allows technicians to control vibrations at specific points in the vehicle. These new products, combined with the original SoundShield, help to ensure that your vehicle is quiet so you can enjoy your music more.

SoundShield Slim Butyl Damping

SoundShield Slim is a perfect noise control solution for applications where weight or material thickness is a concern. If your vehicle has a door trim panel that needs to sit flush to the inner door skin, Slim is a perfect solution. Measuring only 1.5 mm (0.059 inch) thick, Slim’s high-tack adhesive will ensure that the dense butyl rubber sheet will stick permanently where installed. The SoundShield team has tested Slim thoroughly to eliminate any concerns about the material peeling off in high temperatures or turning to a gooey mess. When added to a metal panel or bridged across openings inside your door, Slim dramatically reduces sound transfer into the vehicle. The result is improved sound system performance, clearer outgoing Bluetooth hands-free audio and more accurate voice recognition when using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Slim is manufactured in 20- by 39.5-inch sheets and is sold two per package for a total of 11 square feet. That’s enough material to treat the metal skin of two doors in most vehicles. One package of SoundShield Skin weighs 7 pounds.

SoundShield WrapIt

SoundShield WrapIt was designed specifically as a solution to eliminate buzzes or rattles in the dash, door or trunk of your car or truck. WrapIt is waterproof closed-cell foam that’s bonded to a high-tack adhesive. If there’s a door release or lock rod that just loves to make noise while driving, your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer can add a piece of WrapIt around the rod and against the door to keep things quiet. WrapIt has great applications in the dash of vehicles to keep new RCA cables or remote starter wiring silent. Because it won’t hold water, it’s also a great solution for side-by-side and marine upgrades as well. Technicians can wrap wiring and cables with SoundShield WrapIt before securing them in place so you can enjoy your music without any distractions.

WrapIt is sold in pairs of 2-inch-wide rolls that are 15 feet long. That’s 30 linear feet of noise-absorbing goodness! The foam is 3 mm (0.118 inch) thick, and the adhesive is the same permanent design used on other SoundShield products.

Add Silence to Your Car or Truck with SoundShield

If you’re having new speakers, an amplifier, radio or subwoofer installed in your vehicle, or are just tired of road and wind noise, drop by your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer today and ask about the new WrapIt and Slim products from SoundShield. Of course, the original SoundShield flagship triple-layer noise control solution is always available when you need the most noise control possible. For more information about SoundShield products, visit their website. New product information and photos of amazing installations can be seen on their Facebook or Instagram pages.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Dramatic Sound Upgrade Using SoundShield in a 2010 Volkswagen Golf

09/03/2020 By John Schwartz

A customer recently came in looking to drastically improve the overall sound quality in their vehicle, a 2010 Volkswagen Golf. After talking with the customer, we decided that the best product for their needs was sound-deadening. Sound-deadening serves to keep road noise out of the vehicle, while ensuring that all of the sound from your speakers won’t escape.

Here at the shop, we use SoundShield, our very own sound-deadening product that was created by the owner of the shop, John Schwartz. It is a triple-layer mat that consists of butyl rubber, high-quality aluminum foil and closed-cell acoustic foam. For this vehicle, we used SoundShield on the two doors and floor, as well as extending it through to the trunk where a big portion of the road noise was coming from.

The customer was extremely happy with the difference that the sound-deadening made and was happy to be able to hear their music without the added distraction of road noise. If you (or anyone you know) are looking to reduce road noise and increase the quality of your sound system, stop by our shop or contact us here.

The Advantages of Soundproofing Your Car, Truck or SUV

08/03/2020 By John Schwartz

One of the most significant upgrades you can make to your car, truck or SUV is to have it soundproofed by Perfectionist Auto Sound and Security in Anchorage. Installing sound-absorbing material not only makes your vehicle quieter, but it will also improve the performance of your car stereo, the clarity of your Bluetooth hands-free system, and can make the vehicle more comfortable. Many of our clients choose to upgrade their vehicles with soundproofing to create a more luxurious feel. Curious? Then you’re in the right place.

What Is Automotive Soundproofing?

When your car or truck rolls off the assembly line, there are often small panels or patches of butyl or vinyl attached to the floor and door skins. The added mass from these panels reduces the metal’s ability to vibrate. The result is diminished sound energy transfer from outside the vehicle into the interior.

We take sound deadening seriously. We worked with the fantastic team at Mobile Solutions in Arizona to develop our very own sound absorption solution. It’s called SoundShield.

SoundShield combines a 1.5 mm-thick layer of dense butyl rubber with a 3 mm-thick closed-cell foam topper that prevents buzzes and rattles. The materials are bonded to a flexible aluminum sheet that adds structural stability to malleable components so it can span openings in doors and trim panels.

Soundproofing Makes Your Car, Truck or SUV Quieter

If you want to reduce exhaust, wind, tire, road and mechanical noise in your vehicle, our team is here to help. You can decide how far you want to go. In most upgrades, we treat the inner and outer metal door skins, since they are the primary source of sound energy transfer into the vehicle. The floor, firewall, trunk, rear fenders and the roof are also prime candidates for noise control. You decide how quiet you want the vehicle to be, and we will deliver.

Improve the Performance of Your Car Stereo with Sound Deadening

When a speaker is installed in the door of a car or truck, the inner metal skin acts as the mounting baffle. Since automakers are primarily concerned with assembling the vehicle rather than optimizing the audio system, this part of the door is typically full of holes that let the sound coming from the rear of the speaker cancel with the sound from the front. The result is that the audio system will play louder with less power. Bass and midbass from the door speakers will be improved dramatically (often as much as a 10 dB gain). Finally, because the speakers in the door (or rear deck or rear side-panel) don’t have to work as hard, the system will be more precise, and distortion is reduced.

Improve Bluetooth Hands-Free Clarity

When you’re talking to someone using Bluetooth, the system transmits the noise in the vehicle as well as your voice. If the interior of your car or truck is quieter, your voice will be clearer. In many cases, once a vehicle is soundproofed, many clients report that people can’t tell the caller is using a hands-free system. A bonus is that voice recognition and accuracy of Apple CarPlay and Android Audio are also improved.

Improved Comfort in the Summer and Winter

It’s no news that it gets good and cold here in Alaska in the winter. The thermal barrier added by SoundShield helps your climate control system warm your vehicle up faster when it’s cold out, and keeps heat out in the summer. SoundShield is popular with custom car and hot rod owners, as high-horsepower engines and large exhaust systems can turn a vehicle interior into an oven.

Upgrade Your Comfort at Perfectionist Auto Sound and Security

If you want to improve the performance of your car stereo, make your vehicle quieter inside or improve your comfort, drop by Perfectionist and talk to one of our Product Specialists about soundproofing your vehicle. You can also reach us by e-mail using our contact form to schedule a personal consultation.

SoundShield Upgrade Quiets Road Noise and Boosts Audio Performance

07/28/2020 By John Schwartz

One of our team members from here at Perfectionist decided that he wanted to build up the 2015 GMC Denali that he recently bought. He wanted to add lots of aftermarket sound gear and lighting, but that wouldn’t be complete without the addition of sound deadening.

Here at the shop, we use SoundShield, our very own sound-deadening product, created by our owner, John Schwartz. It is a triple-layer mat that consists of butyl rubber and high-quality aluminum foil, topped with closed-cell acoustic foam.

Our tech decided to SoundShield his whole vehicle — the front two doors, rear doors, floor and back wall — to block out unwanted noise as best as possible. He got what he wanted: better audio and a quieter ride.

If you or anyone you know are looking to reduce road noise and increase the quality of your sound system, stop by our shop or contact us here.