WHY?
This 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan came to us looking to improve the sound in the vehicle, without breaking the bank. This Tiguan came equipped with the Fender system from the factory, not a bad place to start. One way to accomplish this is through sound dampening. Sound dampening has a number of advantages, including but not limited to: a reduction in rattles and vibrations, lays the foundation for future audio upgrades, Sound Shield will also help reduce road noise inside the vehicle, along with so much more! We recommend sound dampening in every vehicle, as the added sound dampening will improve the acoustic environment that is the vehicle.
This customer plans on bringing the vehicle back to us in the future to upgrade the various audio components. Starting with the sound dampening is a great way to get the build started. This route will ensure the customer is getting the most bang for their buck, and in turn will provide the highest levels of customer satisfaction. At the end of the day, that is what we care about the most. That smile on the customer’s face when they first hear the vehicle once we’re done with it. And that is exactly what we provided with this job, an ear-to-ear smile and a great sounding vehicle.
WHAT?
Sound dampening on all four doors, front and rear. Our preferred sound dampening treatment comes from Soundshield, the industry leader in sound deadening solutions. We have been using Soundshield for years, their products are tried and true. With that said, we installed one roll of Soundshield per door in order to dampen the vibrations in the vehicle. Photos of this installation can be found below.
Sound dampening is one of the best bang-for-your-buck upgrades you can do in car audio. As mentioned previously, sound dampening lays the groundwork for all future audio upgrades. Sound dampening isn’t required, but will make a noticeable difference compared to a lack of sound dampening. Soundshield will provide benefits outside of the car audio experience, by reducing road noise, leading to a quieter cabin and a more enjoyable driving experience. Sound dampening has many uses outside of car audio, which is why it is such a great foundation to start your build. We recommend Soundshield to everyone looking to improve the sound in their vehicle.
HOW?
Sound treatment install involves removing the door panels and all associated connections, wires, anything in and around the doors. From there, Soundshield is placed both on the metal door itself, attached to the vehicle. As well as on the detached door panel, which will sit on the inside of the door, between the metal door and the door card. Additionally, more Soundshield is placed in especially high vibration areas: around the speaker mounts, where the door cards mount to the metal door, and more. There is an audible difference that can be heard from a door that has been treated with Soundshield, versus a door that has not been treated with Soundshield. The treated door will sound less hollow, will make less noise, the sound of the door closing will be quieter, and much more. As opposed to the untreated door, which will be all around louder.
To aid in the installation process, our installer Phil made a cardboard template of the inside of the door, marking where the notable landmarks were located. This can be better seen in the images down below. This streamlined the install process and ensured a mirror image on all doors, leading to a high quality install. Using this template, holes are cut out where the door card mounts to the metal door, and for any important component located in the door. Electrical components located in the door include: window controls, mirror controls, door lock mechanism, and so much more. These are all vitally important to the operation of the vehicle, and in turn must be treated as such. Extreme care is taken during installation, ensuring no damage is done and all factory accessories work as intended, as they did when the vehicle came into our shop.
Once all the Soundshield has been applied to the various parts of the door, the door is ready to be reassembled and reinstalled in the vehicle. All connections that were previously unhooked are now reconnected, and the door card is put back in its place. Once the door has been mounted and everything is back in order, all original functions must be tested again. Turn signals, mirror controls, door lock/unlock, and more. All must be tested to confirm everything is in working order before returning the vehicle to the customer. In this case, all accessories did in fact work the way they did when the vehicle entered the bay. This process is repeated on all four doors, and with that, the installation is complete.
THE RESULT!
The results are in, this sound-dampened Tiguan sounds significantly better than when it came into our shop. There is a noticeable decrease in vibrations and road noise, improving the sound quality inside the vehicle. To quote the customer, “that is incredible”. The difference between a car that has been sound dampened, versus a car that has not been sound dampened, is astounding. It is a difference that needs to be heard to be understood, as with most of our work. And we would love to provide that experience for you.
Get in touch with us today, we would love to give you a demo in one of our vehicles. When you like what you hear, we can get you on the schedule to get some work done. We look forward to getting you all taken care of! Leave a comment below, shoot us an email, give us a call, reach out however you know how. We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience!
Music. It’s What Moves Us.
– Elevated Audio
