Well...I finally got my Pypes mid-muffler system installed yesterday. Have not had a chance to drive the car too much since installation, but here are my thoughts so far.
- This system is far quieter than I expected. With just two straight-through round 4" body mufflers, I was expecting it to be quite a bit louder than it actually is.
- Startup and idle are a little louder than stock. Not enough to scare the hell out of nearby people, but enough to let them know something has been done to the car.
- Under acceleration, this system is pure sex!!
The tone is moderately deep and very smooth. This is with the factory h-pipe and cats in place, mind you.
- Once you settle into 4th or 5th and are cruising along, you can barely even hear this system. Going down the highway at 70-75 produces very, very little noise. There is slightly more drone (if you want to call it that) than the stock system, but it is definitely not obtrusive or bothersome by any stretch of the imagination.
- I did notice a decent SOTP increase on the ol' butt dyno. The car felt like it pulled a little harder through the gears. Nothing revolutionary, but it was noticeable.
To sum it up - nice system with a great tone that provides a good bump in volume over stock under acceleration, but is very tame when cruising. It sounds just like I hoped it would with respect to the mid-muffler placement and not having a "choking" sound that the rear-muffler systems produce IMO. Power gain is noticeable and drives home the bargain this system is at $300.
However, I am literally shocked at how quiet the system is and actually wish it was louder. That would be my only real "complaint" if you want to call it that. My wife has not ridden in the car yet, but she will love it. She liked the way my '06 GTO sounded outside the car, but would complain about not being able to hear anything any time we went somewhere. I guess a pushrod 6.0L with no crossover (but basically the same type of round, straight-through mufflers - only placed at the back) makes for a much louder setup. That car droned like nobody's business on the highway and was downright scary loud at WOT. This system is definitely conversation- and radio-friendly.
Don't have an immediate way to get clips, but I will try to get some posted at some point. For anybody looking for a downright awesome sounding system for a great deal and you don't want anything too over-the-top loud, this may be what you are looking for.
BTW - installed my new C&L Racer intake w/ Brenspeed 87 octane (till my next fill-up when I bump up to the 91) tune and OMG!!!
This was most definitely money well spent. The power increase and 100% improved throttle response were immediately noticeable. The car now runs through the gears like a scalded dog...definitely a night and day difference. The sound produced by the intake is quite awesome as well. Definitely recommended!!
Cheers!