About GTAs versus stock
I put the M-5230-V6 dual conversion, which comes with GTAs, on my '06 convertible automatic. I loved the sound, but after a while they seemed a little too loud to my old earbones. Had no other objections to them, and until I bought a new GT/CS, didn't intend taking any "corrective" action.
After three thousand miles in the GT/CS I decided it was a little too quiet for my style. I had spent many, many hours driving manual shifts, and in the new car it seemed I was missing some of the important cues I was used to. I had a little trouble matching engine revs and car speed when shifting down, for instance, and wasn't as smooth starting from a standstill and shifting normally through the gears, as I had been accustomed to.
Last week I took the GTAs off the V6 and replaced them with the GT takeoffs I'd bought more than a year ago. One of them had been on the V6 for a year as a single, before the dual conversion.
The GT takeoffs on the V6 FRPP dual conversion are ideal. Same sweet music, just not as loud. I liked the GTAs better at idle, but for driving, it's GT takeoffs all the way.
I took the stock mufflers off the GT/CS and put on the GTAs. As someone mentioned, they are not that much louder than the stock ones, but they sound really good, and are just over the threshold of meaningful sound for an ear-shifter like me. I can hear them when I'm paying attention, but they are not obtrusive. I was never sure if I was hearing exhaust sound, wind, tire noise or differential noise, with the stock exhaust. Now I know.
I don't know how much of the differences in my perceptions are due to the nature of the convertible versus that of the coupe. The coupe filters out a lot of noise the convertible allows to pass through to the driver, top up or down.
The GTAs are really quite a bit lighter than the GT or GT/CS stock exhausts. I like that idea, too.
