DeeCee wrote:Damping/Mass loading - adding weight to the panel to reduce panel resonance (commonly mastic or bitumen based material)
Absorption/insulation - introducing a barrier to absorb magnitude of sound waves and reduce overall sound
Barrier/Reflection - introduction of another layer for sound waves to get through (commonly foil)
Dynamat does all things from the above list but primarily Damping and Barrier, but due to the thickness and need to in panel gaps between door and door trim (in most common application of door speakers) the effectiveness is not as great as one would think. Ideally you would use two layers of dynamat or a similar product to increase the damping and barrier properties to reduce resonance of panels and overall noise output.
For Absorption, you would ideally use a closed cell foam based product (I have used wetsuit material in the past) to reduce noise transmission. This is a technique they use in middle to high level cars like BMW where the noise transmission is lowered due to a 1" thick layer of foam on the floor of the car.
To effectively reduce noise into the cabin, you would need to damp/absorb and barrier the floor and boot of the car (boot includes sides of the boot and underside of parcel tray as well) with a double layer of dynamat or with a layer of dynamat and a layer of foam. This is a time consuming job as you have to isolate the cabin as effectively as possible by covering up utility holes, spreading the coverage of sound deadening products to the edges without gaps etc. Will also get expensive.
You would reduce noise transmission through the chassis and body of the car through Damping and create an isolated environment with Absorption and Barrier.
To answer the question directly, a dynamat bulk pack could be used for two layers on the boot floor, sides, back of rear seat and under parcel tray to reduce the overall noise into the cabin, but it will not completely isolate it from the cabin.
If the drone is of particular concern, change the tip to something smaller or change the resonator to a muffler at the rear.
My personal opinion is that I would do as much as possible to save the kid's ears at such a young age, be it changing the exhaust system to suit or isolating the cabin as much as possible. I hate to think about the problems that some kids will have that I have seen, with their parents playing their stereo and subwoofer's at 90% in the car.
Any other q's, feel free to ask
Awesome reply Deecee, that's particularly interesting that gaps will make a noticeable difference with dynamat type products. I think I'll buy a bulk pack and see what difference it makes then look at adding a foam layer.
I removed the rear seats and parcel shelf trim to have a look at fitting extra baby seat restraints and was surprised how much insulation the parcel shelf has, but the boot and rear seat rest has bugger all really.
The exhaust is fine most of the time, it's just low revs cruising up Ngauranga Gorge at 80kph sort of thing that its a bit droney. It's 3" straight through but I fitted 2 resonators and 2 mufflers, the rear is an Adrenalin R muffler which made a good difference. I could possible change the rear exit though.