Best Sounding Exhaust

Hi folks, new here. I've got an 06 5M GT with 3700 miles on it, and I'm starting to get a little itchy for some upgrades. I think an air filter and new swaybars are in my future, but the thing that bugs me most of all about the car is how quiet it is. I want some growl to go with the turbo whine.

Any opinions? My dealer has a performance shop, and they have mufflers from Prodrive and Greddy (thought they had Cobb, too, but I don't see that on their site now). Anyone have opinions on what's the loudest / deepest / best sounding set of mufflers for a GT? How much louder are they than stock?

Would love to hear wav / mp3s of these...

Thanks in advance,

-Harrigan

I know this isn't what you were askin about, but I would wait on the swaybars. Sure they're easy to install and can be cheap, but you won't get much of a difference, especially if you're not autocrossing or sumthin where you need the extra 0.0002 lateral grip factor.

As for the exhaust, I'm currently runnin no mufflers, stock exhaust, just wanted to see how it sounded a few days ago, liked it so I left it off. I'm sure I'll put them back on in a week or so but I think it's fun right now.

Lots of sound clips

Media and Downloads

Where do you live? I might be do'n a full parts swap off my specB soon......PM me if you are around the MA area

I know this isn't what you were askin about, but I would wait on the swaybars. Sure they're easy to install and can be cheap, but you won't get much of a difference, especially if you're not autocrossing or sumthin where you need the extra 0.0002 lateral grip factor.

 

Really?? Funny, when I put on new endlinks and cusco antisway it tightened up quite nicely. As for exhaust clips, check out scans007 site for a TON of different exhaust clips.

Ha!! scans beat me to it!!

:lol: :lol: Prob posted at the same time......we'll call it a tie but I have status so mine went in first

Greddy sounds goooood... but might be a little too flashy / big for my tastes in terms of appearance. Them's some BIG pipes. Someone else elsewhere wrote that the Perrin system was deeper / ballsier -- anyone else second or refute that?

Thanks for the other links, too, will check 'em out.

As for the swaybars, I was told that would help a lot with the car's understeer -- which is pretty dramatic if you really chuck it through curves.

Someone else elsewhere wrote that the Perrin system was deeper / ballsier -- anyone else second or refute that?

 

I have the perrin and love it. People def look twice when the hear it. It can be pretty loud if you really get on it, but it also is pretty mellow low in the rpms. Sorry no soumd clip

I have the perrin and love it. People def look twice when the hear it. It can be pretty loud if you really get on it, but it also is pretty mellow low in the rpms. Sorry no soumd clip

Is the Perrin also a cat-back system, or axel-back?

Is the Perrin also a cat-back system, or axel-back?

Its a cat back and I am running the perrin up/dn pipes for now. once i put on my header, it has an intergrated up and the perrin will be gone

Also just noticed that my dealer has the Greddy EVO2 exhaust for a "sale" price of $850. That competitive?

can be had for $750...search.

"Best sounding" is very subjective - some of us like mellower tones, remember.

Deepest and most aggressive? Of the *sound clips* that I've heard, probably the Perrin cat-back system, paired to a fully catless setup downstream of the turbo - but I'm not sure how much of this might be due to sheer volume (the Perrin is definitely on the loud end of the spectrum) and/or due to recording/playback distortions (an unfortunate limitation of "sound clips" is that they may convey a bit of bias in such a manner, which is unavoidable).

The Perrins can be had both as a cat-back system as well as in axle-back format (canisters only). Note that for the latter, your stock piping will somewhat restrict sheer volume.

Stromungs (cat-back) have a nice deep rumble, but they're definitely also not on the loud end. They're also somewhat hard to get a hold of.....

Also on the quieter end are the Prodrive canisters. They are definitely not going to be up your alley, I'm afraid.

My Blitz Nur-Spec "Touring" canisters (available only as a pair of canisters - quite pricy at that, too) produce a deep bass note/rumble that's nearly totally isolated to "behind the vehicle" - it'll produce enough vibrations to set off alarms in parking decks, even if I try to stay below 2K RPM ! But it's definitely on the quiet end of the spectrum. In-vehicle, it actually get quieter as the rev-range climbs. I sincerely doubt that this would be what you're looking for, though. And unfortunately, they don't even really "open up" in terms of volume when paired with aftermarket piping upstream - they remain still relatively quiet. You might want to look into the Nur-Spec "Racing" canisters instead, if you like Blitz products. A local enthusiast's STi, using the "Racing" canister, is *quite* loud, and retained well the engine's noted "Boxer Rumble."

The GReddy Evo2 (cat-back) is definitely also quite melodic and aggressive, and is on the louder end of the scale as well.

From various Forum brothers' reports, the AVO mufflers will "open-up" quite a bit if paired with some aftermarket piping upstream.

Also, you may be interested in the AutoSpeed turbo-back system, which has a very aggressive note.

can be had for $750...search.

Before you spend almost 2 car payments on some stupid mufflers... please, please, try my exhaust.

It's 49cents (yah, $0.49) and 10 minutes of time.

Watch - http://legacygt.com/forums/intake-exhaust/35764-new-hog-zawst-system.html

Thanks for all the advice so far. TSi+WRX, you're entirely correct. Completely subjective, the sound. I'm not looking to rattle windows or screaming race-car sounds, but I'l like something deeper, louder and that "comes on line" sooner than the stock system. I quite like the sound of the stock system when I get up in the 5000-5500rpm range, and am looking for a little more enjoyment out of the exhaust in the lower range.

I liked the sound of the Greddy system clip, but those tips are awfully big...

Hogmeat, I'm also hoping to increase flow, something about slipping a washer in there... I dunno. Neat idea, though.

It's a sedan, btw. Searching some other threads tells me there are actually a ton of systems out there:

Perrin

Borla

Megan

Cobb

Greddy

Crucial

Stromung

Prodrive

Blitz (?)

Autospeed

Time to do some price checking.

harrigan -

Looks like you've been doing a good deal of research.

You should note, first, that the Crucial, Cobb, and Megan systems are not yet on-market. Of these three, it's more than likely that Megan's system will reach retailers first, followed probably by Crucial, and then, finally (as always), Cobb. The last two might come close in terms of release date, though...seeing that Cobb's always maintaining that they're "just-about to be out the door."

Aesthetically, if you want twin-tips, aside from the Stromung (which has cost, availability, as well as sound-level considerations), you're looking at waiting for either the Megan or the Crucial. Judging from your response as to how you would like your new system to sound, though, perhaps you are not seeking as much "sound and fury" as I originally thought..... And I would actually thus say that the Stromung should be just fine for you if a twin-tip solution, available "right now," is what you desire.

We've already covered the GReddy (cat-back) and Perrin (both cat-back and canisters-only). These, though, you should note, will offer incremental noise as you climb in the rev-range. The Autospeed turboback system will return much the same results.

I've already addressed the Borla cat-back as well as Prodrive canisters with respect to volume - or lack thereof. However, again reviewing your stated preferences in this regard, these systems might actually very well be suited for your taste.....

Similarly, I've gone through the Blitz Nur-Spec Touring canisters' behavior - which is *exactly* what you're looking for in terms of sound, but the tips are HUGE, and this undoubtedly will not be acceptable for you. You'll run in to this problem, too, with the Fujitsubo cat-backs.

Finally with your tastes, you'll also want to look into Lachute's cat-back system.

---

As for the "Hogzawst" washers, don't knock it's performance potential! Honestly all that a "performance exhaust" is for our FI vehicles is just a controlled exhaust leak.... I'm not sure that with the end of the pipes opened-up like that, you might actually see at least some gains, however noticeable, or not.

It *does* sound absolutely bitchin', though!

harrigan -

 

Looks like you've been doing a good deal of research.

Really just getting started, and I'm not that much of a gearhead to even know what all the acronyms are yet.

You should note, first, that the Crucial, Cobb, and Megan systems are not yet on-market. Of these three, it's more than likely that Megan's system will reach retailers first, followed probably by Crucial, and then, finally (as always), Cobb. The last two might come close in terms of release date, though...seeing that Cobb's always maintaining that they're "just-about to be out the door."

Good to know. The Megan's sound nice to me, but it looks like they're going to tone them down considerably before putting them on the market.

Aesthetically, if you want twin-tips, aside from the Stromung (which has cost, availability, as well as sound-level considerations), you're looking at waiting for either the Megan or the Crucial.

I think I do like the twin-tip look better than the "grapefruit cannons," as pipes like the Greddy's have been described.

Have the crucials been previewed anywhere like the Megans have?

Judging from your response as to how you would like your new system to sound, though, perhaps you are not seeking as much "sound and fury" as I originally thought..... And I would actually thus say that the Stromung should be just fine for you if a twin-tip solution, available "right now," is what you desire.

Mid-range sound and fury, I'd say. I don't need a V8 rumble when I turn the key, but when I decide to let loose (and ohhhh did I torch a jackass in a souped-up, lowered pickup truck trying to race past me on the right and cut in on an on-ramp last night) and step on it, I want to hear some good noise before 5000RPM. Even a lot of noise. I won't be stomping the gas in my back alley, after all.

We've already covered the GReddy (cat-back) and Perrin (both cat-back and canisters-only). These, though, you should note, will offer incremental noise as you climb in the rev-range. The Autospeed turboback system will return much the same results.

Why's that? The catback systems usually have like a 3" pipe, right, which is what lets out the boxer rumble? At higher revs there's less rumble, so the "difference" is less?

I've already addressed the Borla cat-back as well as Prodrive canisters with respect to volume - or lack thereof. However, again reviewing your stated preferences in this regard, these systems might actually very well be suited for your taste.....

Wish I could hear all these live, side by side. Maybe I should try to line up a "Colorado Exhaust Shoot Out" -- seems like a few folks here are from CO. Wonder how many have modded the exhaust.

Similarly, I've gone through the Blitz Nur-Spec Touring canisters' behavior - which is *exactly* what you're looking for in terms of sound, but the tips are HUGE, and this undoubtedly will not be acceptable for you. You'll run in to this problem, too, with the Fujitsubo cat-backs.

I'll have a look. Bigger than the Greddy's?

Finally with your tastes, you'll also want to look into Lachute's cat-back system.

Roger that.

As for the "Hogzawst" washers, don't knock it's performance potential! Honestly all that a "performance exhaust" is for our FI vehicles is just a controlled exhaust leak.... I'm not sure that with the end of the pipes opened-up like that, you might actually see at least some gains, however noticeable, or not.

 

It *does* sound absolutely bitchin', though!

So is there a downside to the washer trick? Maybe I should look into what tools I'd need.

Stromung can be loud with 1 HFC or no cats at all. I will be customizing the Stromung next week.

Forgive my noobitude. What's a 1 HFC?

Forgive my noobitude. What's a 1 HFC?

1 High Flow Cat(alytic converter)