Between "silence" and silence, i.e. my experience with interior soundproof

I read a little about the fact that recently producers must let go of the interior soundproof.

When constructing cars, they must maneuver between millions of restrictions.On the one hand, wanting to get stars in crash tests, they push cars with heavy equipment that improves safety.On the other - to meet the requirements of exhaust emissions, they break what can be done from the mass.Some are measured by stars, others - we play CO2, but nobody measures, for example.noise level in the car.That is why producers allow themselves, for example.for saving on the quantity and quality of soundproofing materials that land in their products.

I didn't believe it until I saw at home.

I drive a fresh Japanese hatchback folded in Great Britain.Controversial stylized, not the strongest, not the fastest, but I love him anyway.And for the first 9 months of driving I was convinced that for my ear, he was very well muted.Until I saw in the pictures on the web is a soundproofing, which looks like a piece of pampers stuck to the door:

And then this, which is simply a plastic embossing, mounted next to this pamper:

or that, i.e..breaks in the soundproofing of the terminal wall,

and that, i.e..The symbolic presence of the anti -presence mat at the bottom of the embossing under the spare wheel:

What you see is photos from my car, I will explain where I have them, but on the Internet forums I watched a lot of someone else's.

Looking at these elements, I was even more impressed.And it is not that there is a lot of mute for me, and others, for example,.European manufacturers do it better.Each manufacturer has its own Myki, but in general these are the amounts of soundproofing used in modern models of popular brands.

Can it be improved?

I was happy with what I had, because compared to the second, 20-year-old chariot, which I have been for 10 years, new was super-cuts.In my ear, it did not stand out against the background of a similar class test cars.

When I asked Tomek - a friend professionally dealing with the subject of soundproofing of the interior of the cars - whether it is possible to improve the manufacturer, he just smiled and showed me photos of a fraction from his projects.I expected that only the owners of older cars or the cheapest, possibly some music lovers, decide to do such treatments, and it turned out that his studies get cars from virtually every price shelf and more often new than older ones.They are factory soundproofed similar to mine, and when they leave the studio - it's a completely different conversation.

Or maybe with me?

From word to word and I was persuaded - I discussed the topic with an expert and decided to check at home what can be achieved with a professional interior soundproof.For a moment I thought to do it yourself, but 1) I would have to comb the internet first in search of what and how, 2) I would have to crush the car for a long time, which I always have enough, and above all 3), I would be afraid that when dismantling the elementsthe interior will break something, or after folding the interior will look worse than the factory complex and everything will start to creak.And I would not survive.

I admit that I left a car with a soul on my shoulder.

I have known installers from a friendly Wroclaw company for years, I have read all the opinions on the network about their work, but I was still afraid that it was impossible to damage and put everything together without losing quality.But since they gave a perpetual warranty - good, we do.

Między „ciszą” a ciszą, czyli moje doświadczenia z wygłuszaniem wnętrz

When I got photos of a closed cart, I didn't feel better at all.Then I got photos that you saw earlier.

By the way, I saw what is for a thin headliner:

How many resonance mats on the floor:

What the soundproofing of the resonance box looks like, which in every hatchback is the trunk connected to the cabin:

Or how the engine cover is muted:

As you can see, the field to show off is considerable.

After dismantling the interior.Because it's like knocking, for example.stones with bare sheet is a bit like playing cymbals.The sheet falls into vibrations and begins to call.The resonance mat works a bit like a finger located on a cymbal plate - the material does not fall into resonance and stops calling.

Not all surfaces can be soundproofed in this way.The key experience of the installer and his know-how is crucial here: that the material will be installed where it will work the most efficiently.Sure, you can stick everything, but that means unnecessary kilograms.

My mat has landed m.in.On most floor components, it also found a roof or door panels.And in a few other places that installers consider to be their professional secret.

Then there were suppressing materials, i.e. various types of sponges and foams.They are designed to suppress sounds falling into the cabin.And these reach almost every side.As explained to me, the soundproof mats on the one hand have an open structure to absorb sounds, and on the other closed, for example.They did not absorb moisture.

The material wall was sealed with appropriate materials (without undressing the dashboard), others went to the floor, and others on the door.Which hit where-the company's know-how again, and yet in the restaurant you do not ask the waiter about the recipe for the serving dish.

In addition, in the case of my car, it was also important to damp the wheel arches - there was a lot of noise from there.

The first thing that caught my eye when picking up the car is that it looks like when I left it.

Okay, there is one difference - due to the soundproofing of the folding part of the floor, I see that it is a few mm higher than the rest of the interior in the trunk.But it doesn't bother me at all in using the car.In addition - if it wasn't for the photos I got in the meantime at Messenger - I would risk saying that nobody was moving anything here.

The first thing that threw myself into my ears is how else the factory audio equipment is playing.

Drwing door, better insulation than outside noise made the equipment play much more juicy.And that wasn't just my opinion.Once under the shopping center I accidentally met a guest with the same car as mine.From word to word and it turned out that he spent a lot of money on soundproofing the door and replacement of the speakers.We listened to both sets - mine didn't sound worse.And has more advantages.

It is cooler in a well -soundproofed car in the summer.

This is due to the additional layers of insulation, which means that the heating sheet does not reflect all the heat to the cabin - the anti -presentance mat, finished with a layer of metal foil.

Okay, but is it quieter or not?

When I drove for the first time, I was surprised.Honestly, I expected a hit of silence.I thought the engine sound would be barely audible and that the wind flowing the cabin would not be felt inside at all.Nobody promised me it, but since it was supposed to be so great, I came up with it.No, it is not as quiet as in the recording studio, because they will not allow the law of physics.But that it is quieter and if it is quieter, I was convinced more and more with every kilometer traveled.

Of course, we compared the results of the volume measurement made with a sonometer before and after the modification.The difference depending on the speed was distributed between 2.4 and 3.2 dB.3 dB means limiting the noise by half.Or vice versa - that before silencing the car was twice louder than after.Half as quister in the cabin at 130 km/h and a result of 67.1 dB - sounds great.And the result achieved in my car is not record -breaking, Tomek said that in cars that have greater acoustic problems, and there are plenty of such, the differences may be even greater.

But what does it really mean, I have found completely unwittingly.

I used to hear my cars.I do not look at the speedometer, after the acoustic load of the engine on individual gears I know how fast I go.I have been driving so far after soundproofing.Once or a second, I was surprised that the car began to tilt much more in the corners and after a while I came why this is happening.An additional 20 or 30 km/h on the speedometer must have made a difference.I had to switch to new standards quickly.

I also noticed the change after driving on the road.

I sometimes spend the whole day in the car and wind a good few hundred kilometers.In less than 30 months.Since the first registration, my car has 50,000 shot.km, almost half of it after quiet.And I see after myself that I am much less tired on the route than before.My wife has similar impressions, who also happens to make this car a few kilometers.

Lord, how much did it cost?

Sure, the costs are also considerable.The material weighed less than 30 kg - and I have to carry more with me every day.However, I did not notice the difference in fuel consumption - the on -board computer like enchanted shows an average of 6.8 l/100 km.The cost of such a modification is depending on the scope of work or the size of the car from several hundred zlotys for silencing the door, around 6,000.And more for a full package, with a ceiling, posts or softening of the seals, so that they fit better to the door.

Is it worth it?

This is already a matter that everyone must assess individually.Considering the cost of buying a new car, the period of its use and the amount of time that you spend behind the wheel - everyone must value their comfort.I don't regret it, the car is one of my work tools.And I will probably do the same with the next car.And I bet I will not do it again, but I will give in the hands of professional installers - after more than a year and a half from installation, the interior elements of my car are still folded like new, nothing knocks, nothing knocks - as it should be.I wouldn't be able to guarantee it myself.