subwoofer

Very sound advice and I appreciate it very much. Thanks. I wish I had known this earlier. Is there any brand of resonated OAPs you recommend? BC Fabs has very nice, heat-wrapped and resonated ones for 3.6k.

Anand

Josh_357

I've only run Soul, they worked well, but I'd go with the best priced option these days.

subwoofer

Thanks for all your replies and feedback. I just went for another long drive and I will add these last bit of observations.
This is a rowdy loud exhaust! Hilariously rowdy but has to kept above 3k rpms to avoid resonance and boomy sounds. I am learning to adjust my driivng style to always be above 3k rpms.

I will also amend my observations. The exhaust is boomy period! PSE on or off, accelerating across 2k-3k rpms in any gear (when the exhaust valves are closed anyway.) produces a deep resonance . That is the design of the exhaust. Additional boomy sound is added from idle to 2k rpms when PSE is on and valves are open. If I were driving in a city or with frequent stops/starts, the exhaust is a deal breaker. I basically can't drive with the rpms in the 2k-3k rpm range. I drive backroads and can keep the revs up so it is fine for me.

I will ask, can you guys live with an exhaust like this?

In all fairness to Ben, he did answer all my questions post purchase and told me to stay in a lower gear and turn PSE off to avoid the idle to 2000 rpm resonance.

Anand

E39Nutz

Why pay to suffer? That’s just me. There are better choices or revert back to stock. It seems silly to adapt to a bad situation instead of enjoying your drive. Bottom line, if you are not enjoying the drive, it is a failed mod.

subwoofer

I agree that it is not ideal. Debating what to do and when, having just spent 5k on this exhaust. I have only had it for 3 weeks. I tend to vacillate and I am also now wary of glowing reviews that I read of any exhaust. Car does sound like my old 981 as long as I keep the revs up.

Returning to stock is not an option for me. I did not like how quiet the car was with the OEM exhaust. I can now understand why Porsche programmed the valves the way they did and why they added a giant center muffler to kill resonance. Removing that big muffler restores the resonance in all its boomy glory.

I can try the resonated OAPs with the stock rear box but that is another experiment. Or Akrapovic ( I like how it sounds) but the muffler is very expensive.

Ben is a straight shooter and he was very candid with me about resonance and needing to stay out of lower rpms.

Anand

Larry Cable

I have the Cargraphics high flow OAPs with the Akra main ... no issues ... I dont see how the OEM OAPs introduce resonance with an aftermarket main when they are upstream of all that and they do not resonate with the OEM backbox

subwoofer

How do you like your Akrapovic? It seems to be loud. Any boomy resonance as you accelerate through the lower rpms or is it a clean sound? For example, if you are in third at 2k rpms and if you accelerate do you hear resonance or a deep boomy sound?
Also, are you able to use the sport exhaust and turn on the symposer? Would appreciate your input. Thanks.

Anand

Larry Cable

I like the combo - despite being in a minority I think its an excellent exhaust and in combination with the CG high flow resonated OAPs there is no downside IMO ...

this was not the case with the Soul (non resonated) OAPs ... that was TOO LOUD and resonated - I got some really strange looks from people when I passed them at freeway speeds, sport exhaust is fine ...

and it has the best tips!!!

another advantage (IMO) is the fact that the akra maintains the aero "profile" of the OEM muffler ...

subwoofer

I am told that with heat cycling and miles, the resonance or boomy sounds will go away. I will give it this driving season (4-5k miles) and then decide what to do next. Too many big expenses piling up to sink more money into an exhaust.
Thanks guys.

Anand

shawfm

I was waiting for the CG OAP. I have the headers and cats on my 981 GTS and like that.
Did you do the OAP and rear section at the same time or separately? Did it change the cabin noise much?

Larry Cable

I started out. with non-resonated OAPs and the slipon at the same time to save on labor installation costs ... but that combo was unbearable for my ears and those around me... so I took the OAPs off and got the CG high flow resonated-no drone!

the downside is that they are as heavy as the OEM - had they been available at the time I might have gone with the Soul resonated OAPs instead as I believe they are lighter

since my car is a Spyder and I drive top down 99.99% of the time ... all I can say is that its louder ...but in a "wow that sounds great" way - and its pretty tame valves closed and gentle throttle - once they open into the mid range revs its music to the ears

100% subjective!

subwoofer

Why did you add the resonated OAPs? Weren’t the OEMs enough (for sound) with the Akrapovic rear box? Or did you want additional sound and performance?

Larry Cable

well I didnt know they weighed the same as the OEM ones! - so I was looking for weight reduction...

shawfm

I'm not so much interested in saving 5-10 pounds of sprung mass on a 3000 pound car.
The sound and additional power without annoying resonance is what I was looking for.
I know the sound is subjective, I was hoping to hear some of the exhausts in person this summer now that their are more on the street.

subwoofer

Best advice you can give yourself. Videos are great but not always accurate or representative of the sound qualities of an exhaust. Manufacturers want to sell you an exhaust for thousands of dollars so they tend to downplay any drawbacks.

In my mind, a good aftermarket exhaust should sound nice to your ears with an appropriate level of intensity commensurate with your needs/tolerance; should provide an enjoyable sound across the entire rpm range; should not require you to adjust your driving style to avoid unpleasant sounds in a specific rpm range and should allow for operation of the sport exhaust.

Anand