i may have to shoot another one, just to see if maybe it was my buddy's particular bow.

I find that it is sometimes an accessory. A friend of mine bought a new Merlin Max Extreme, because he liked how quiet it was for another friend who had just bought one. However, his turned out to be loud as heck. After trying a few things with no success, I took off his muzzy drop away and I replaced it with my whisker biscuit - noise gone. He now shoots it with a new whisker biscut and is loving it.