RESONATOR VS MUFFLER, how to better quiet an exhaust?

So I'm new but I did do some searches before posting this, I'm running a 05 LGT stage 2 no cats at all w Perrin d/p back and Cobb freeflow d/p (how I got the car from member Drizzen last month). As you can imagine it's pretty loud and seeing as how I might be attending police academy soon it would be frowned upon.

 

I have read simply adding a resonator such as the recommened vibrant ultra quiet http://vibrantperformance.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1021_1033_1055&products_id=47&osCsid=eaccfe95b9ec0e2c0d7224920167ad75

will quiet it down significantly but others say a true muffler will quiet it down much more such as the recommended Magnaflow 4x9 oval

http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shopexd.asp?zone=main&id=7931

 

My questions are which one will quiet down the exhaust more? Will either change the exhaust note? Will either effect power?

Any advice welcomed (PS I have the stock exhaust w both cats for emission time)

I'm thinking a muffler will quiet noise down more because a resonator is usually just an open chamber, maybe a small baffle inside where a muffler has actual guts to it. Either way, decibels will drop and the noise will become deeper. Neither will effect power. If you to reduce noise even more, get a catted DP in place of your catless.

i've gone with a second resonator in the system with good results ~

 

i do have a catted downpipe as well though

I've also read that equal length headers will also quiet exhaust, and improve low end power

Headers of any form will increase noise because they're a thinner wall pipe compared to the OEM cast manifold.

Stock mufflers will quiet your car down to respectable levels, and return it to a respectable appearance as well.

Headers of any form will increase noise because they're a thinner wall pipe compared to the OEM cast manifold.

 

Actually ELH will decrease sound at idle a bit. My friend put then on his wrx and noticed right away it was quieter at idle and cruze.

^+1 to this.

I've also read that equal length headers will also quiet exhaust, and improve low end power

 

 

i thought ELH gives you more top end ~

ELH improve spool, so thats low end too. ELH are just plain better performance wise.

keep it loud and don't become a pig!!

simply put...a resonator has less packing than a muffler... so a muffler will quiet it down more.

Muffler. I ran a stock y-pipe with Trust axlebacks and it was loud. Went to Perrin y-pipe and stock mufflers and it quieted down quite a bit.

So here is what I've done to quiet down the exhaust so far, 1. Maddad EL headers 2. Magnaflow center center muffler in place of aftermarket silencer 3. Went back to stock mufflers

 

Still want it quieter, not running cats, want to know if there is anyplace to fit a small silencer(s) on a Perrin turboback system?

Put the cats back on the car. You aren't going to have it both ways, a quiet exhaust that's high flowing. If noise is your big complaint then put the car back to stock.

stock mufflers are definitely the quietest option. I had a magnaflow muffler welded in. It's noticeably quieter, but it still gets loud....louder than I'd like but at least I can live with it now.

all I need is 14 inches to have a resonator welded in, is there space left?

Here is what I have done to MY06LGT exhaust: see post #23 below

 

And I have equal length headers: see post #23 below.

 

Sorry, the links did not work. I have copied the pertinent info in post #23 below.

^^^

Unless you want to post your password so we can sign in as rhe...

 

"Invalid Private Message specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator"

 

(need to copy & paste the pertinent parts of the PMs into your post)

Here is what I have done to MY06LGT exhaust: http://legacygt.com/forums/private.php?do=showpm&pmid=1205030

 

And I have equal length headers: http://legacygt.com/forums/private.php?do=showpm&pmid=1205110

 

Your links are broken.

Your links are broken.

 

I believe that they are both PMs.

he's got symss equal length headers..and i believe the magnaflow with double resonator

 

 

i've also made a mistake on my original post in this thread.

 

i had a borla with second muffler, not resonator..

but i changed that out. i had the 2.5" piping cut off and thrown 3" on with a magnaflow muffler in the middle and kept the borla system from the Y split back

the magnaflow muffler is something like...29x5x9..or there abouts..dont remember the exact dimensions..but it killed the droning on the highway. very quiet

Here's the first one about two resonators:

 

I started off with one resonator in the mid pipe and found that there was still quite a bit of drone especially for rear seat passengers. We then added a second resonator to the mid pipe. My installer (Japanese Automotive) knowing that I was trying to keep the car on the quiet side had installed the first resonator as far forward as possible to leave space for the second (shorter in order to fit) if it was needed. The drone was reduced (only ~10-20%) but I still got comments from my son (the back seat passenger). We then added a metal silencer ("donut") a few inches in from the exhaust tip opening in both of the tailpipes. This reduced sound an additional 10% or so. Finally I had 3-6 coats of sound proofing "paint" (thick black stuff) applierd to the trunk (inside and outside), removed the rear seats and painted the inside rear with some on the outside of the floor pan where accessible as well as removing the rear door panels and painting there as well. No more complaints from wife (front seat passenger) nor from the back seat passengers (although no one is usually back there as my son now lives in another city!)

 

There is a bit of exhaust noise (compared to stock) but it is not intrusive nor droning ... just lets you know that you are driving a car with better flow.

 

And the one about equal length headers:

 

I should also mention that I have Maxim Sims equal length headers that reduce the "boxer rumble". My wife (bless her!) is very sensitive to exhaust sounds and has had me "promise" to not do anything (read spend money) to this car after she noticed that I had made "improvements" to my previous Subie (an '02 WRX).

 

She did ask the other day (after all the quieting discussed in my previous PM) as we drove up the hill to our condo if I had done anything to our car as she detected a bit of a lower exhaust note. Its warmer now and I think it was because the windows were open that the exhaust noise became more apparent.

 

Needless to say, our car is certainly on the quiet side compared to other stage 2 exhausts although it is a bit louder than stock. All in all I am happy with 255Hp and 260 ft-lbs of torque (on a Dynojet) at 16-18psi boost which would be ~300Hp at the crank.

Stock turbo, injectors, and fuel pump. Road tuned by Yoshio (Japanese Automotive) for 91 octane here in Toronto.

Just run a Catted DP

Just put a 26'' resonator on my exhaust and It sounds deeper, less raspy and has less drone. Its a custom 3'in with magnaflow cans, I also have perrin ELH.