Noise Killer: Pro Damping technology

Noise Killer: ProDamping compound

During my neverending search for the ultimate tweak I've discovered the Noise Killer, a damping compound made by Rockford Fosgate, an US Company well known for making hi-end amplifiers and speakers for the HiFi car market.
The Noise Killer is a blue compound which is very easy to use, designed to dampen every vibration of sheet metal, fiberglass or plastic panels (of your car) but that I've found to work extremely well, as we're going to see, for our Home Hifi applications: damping metal cabinets, crossovers etc.
First of all let's state this clear: the Noise Killer isn't the ubiquitous compound (normally, black) that you can buy at your nearest car parts store for few bucks per liter. No, the Noise Killer is an entirely different animal. It's a viscoelastic blue coating with some pretty interesting chemical and mechanical characteristics that make it quite a revolutionary product.
This blue compound (a yellow Noise Killer is also available, see later) comes in bottles of 1 liter, to be used with an air compressor and in self-spraying 24 oz. cans (760 g.). Since not every audiophile has an air compressor at home (though it isn't difficult building one using an old fridge engine :-) ) I've decided to test the Noise Killer spray, much easier to apply.

How and where

Easy as 1-2-3: shake the can for a minute, clean and degrease the stuff you want to dampen and apply with a slow motion 10" (25 cm) away from the surface.
For the best damping results it is recommended to apply several thin layers of NK, instead of a thick one. Just remember to apply each layer at least two hours later than the previous one so that the NK can dry.
Also, for better results, try to apply an uniform layer, few mm (1/16") are sufficient to dampen any unwanted vibration. While two hours are necessary for the compound to dry (to touch) you should wait at least 24 hours for the definitive result.
Until it is dry to touch the NK is extremely flammable then, once dried, it becomes fire, water and even rust-proof!!! Moreover, if you don't like the look of a NK-treated surface you can sand it and then paint it of your fav color.
Now, since we're talking of HiFi stuff here, please remember to carefully protect any moving part before applying the NK. Otherwise it will be seized and sealed.
Until dry the Noise Killer can be cleaned with water...YES!!! Water! A wet cloth is all you need to remove any excess of NK on the surface being treated. No more toxic solvents to remove a wrong application!!!

Now let's discuss its applications in Home HiFi: just your imagination is the limit!!! Do you have a CD player that vibrates when your neighbour is into the bathroom? Does the cabinet of your preamplifier rattle like a snake while playing the first album of Lloyd Cole and the Commmotions? :-) Just grab a can of NK blue et voilà, your problems disappear with a touch of this magic compound!
Were you wondering how to dampen that crossover network? Wonder no more! The NK is here for helping you.
Are you thinking to dampen the panels of your loudspeakers? STOP! You'll find the yellow Noise Killer to be a far better compound, we'll eventually review this one in the next months.

Does it really work?

You should know that I'm not exactly the guy who falls in love easily with HiFi gear. Also, no advertisers pay to see their products positively reviewed here. So you should trust me when I say the the Noise Killer is excellent and that I LOVE this product. It is one of my reoccourring dreams of my tweaking sleepless (?) nights that's become reality: a damping spray easy to use, effective, error-proof and universal.
Its damping effectiveness strongly depends on the thickness of the layer you apply but few millimeters are normally sufficient to solve every kind of trouble.
Even better, it's effective without being heavy like those black adhesive sheets you have used since today. Is it a plus? Definitely yes! You can use the NK even on moving parts such as a turntable sub-chassis, without worrying of the extra added weight.
Obviously enough, in cases like this, you need to do a perfect job applying the NK the most uniformly possible otherwise your turntable won't like this tweak much.
The NK, once it dries, is quite stiff so don't expect it to be soft and gummy: it remains elastic enough to dampen the vibrations.
As with every other damping treatment the sound of the damped component can be summarized as more detailed and dynamic, with deeper and tighter bass. As we always say: Less Noise, more Music!
I've used it almost everywhere so expect to find new articles about tweakings on some commercial HiFi product anytime soon on your beloved free mag.

Conclusions

When you have to review a component that seems to be designed to suit your needs what else can you say? This Noise Killer works extremely well and it's a pleasure to use: easy, clean and user-friendly.
Here in Italy its list price is around 30 US $ (your mileage may vary) and, given the way it works, I find it to be a real bargain, especially if you consider that a can is sufficient to treat every HiFi component of your system and more...for example you can use it as it was primarily intended: as a damping compound for your car audio system :-)
You can find it at your nearest Rockford Fosgate dealer or you can browse their site to discover the dealer/distributor in your Country.
Finally, a HUGE thank you to the guys at Card, the Italian distributor of the Rockford Fosgate products, who have been very, very professional and friendly.