Solo exhaust, loudest options

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I keep bouncing around ideas on exhaust for my vert. I know unless an amazing deal comes around it will be a SOLO. I had one on my G8 and loved it, just wanted it louder. Wife has already said as long as there is no drone, it can be as loud as you want...
I already have picked up a set of slightly used Solo cats for this, LTH are a couple of years off. My choices so far:
1. Solo axle back and cats, stock LS3 tubing for the rest of it.
2. Solo cat back and cats.
3. Solo axle back, cats, and x-pipe
4. Solo axle back, cats, MR resonators, Thinking basically same sound as catback.

My G8 had LTH with Solo cats, and catback for a volume reference.

Thanks;
Mike

[Titan]

Do you have to worry about drone with the LS3? I thought that the L99 was where it became a problem.

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From reading some of the posts. The AFM on the L99 makes the drone horrible and just plain a bad sound when switching to 4cyl mode, but there is still some with the LS3. Some posts have said it is horrible depending on the exhaust even with the LS3.

[Juiced1]

Option number three would be the loudest. We set up a customer with a similar set up and it turned out to be pretty loud. The axle-back is pretty much a straight pipe. Swapping in a generic X-pipe and cutting out the factory resonators combined with a set of high flow cats really eliminates all the sound deadening. It had some slight drone at around 1800 rpm I wanna say but a quick adjustment on the J-pipes eliminated that real easily.
If it were my car....I'd go option number two. It'll cost a few more bucks but in the long run you'll have something that is more enjoyable. It won't be as loud but it'll have a smoother deeper and more refined exhaust note. Plus, if you ever decide to run a set of long tubes down the road you'll want some sort of muffler on the car. Headers with no resonators or mufflers is gonna be over the top for most.

[bundledmail]

Because LT headers are also an option for me later on, I chose the cat-back XC (C = Vert) Solo Exhaust, so as to not be so overwhelming come header time...

[rberns]

Originally Posted by Titan

Do you have to worry about drone with the LS3? I thought that the L99 was where it became a problem.

I think your are thinking of AFM which is only in the L99.

[429]

Stainless works chambered setup will be the loudest of any muffled car.

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Another vert. owner told me he had horrible drone with the Stainless works system.

[2SS45th]

I have a ridiculously loud setup, but it drones terribly. The LS3 definitely drones, just not quite as bad as the L99. If you want dron free the Corsa has a great sound with no drone as well.

[Who Dat 2SS]

I've got the Solo Mach-XC on my vert and love it. Cat back with stock manifold and cats. No drone but it's an l99 so do have AFM tone.


Sent from my iPad because I've been sucked into the terrible but inescapable black hole that is Apple inc.

[Liam]

There can be an exhaust drone on ANY car.. LS3, L99 or any other car. Many exhausts (Flowmaster especially) have an in cabin drone with a V8 in approximately the 1800 to 2500 rpm range. So you can't be so quick to say "Its the AFM, tune it out". The sound of the AFM on some aftermarket exhausts is different from what is known as exhaust "drone". That standard RPM drone has been around LONG before AFM even existed.

So basically , if the exhaust note of the complete exhaust setup you use has a drone at a certain RPM, it will always be there with or without AFM.

That is why saying "You won't have drone, its and LS3!" is very inaccurate. RPM exhaust "drone" and AFM activation sound are 2 different things.

[Top Off]

My G8 was an auto. The AFM sounded like crap when it kicked in. I had it tuned out right away. My headers, cats and catback were all installed at once. I really did like the sound, I just want it to be louder and deeper if possible this time. I know I only need to worry about the drone this time around, and not the crappy AFM sound change over.

[akonechn]

I have the Mach X and HFCs and have been really happy with the setup. I don't think it drones, at least not like other cars with other setups that I've ridden in. With the LS3 manual your sound is almost completely controllable by how fast you are going and what gear you want to be in. There is always going to be some cruising sound with an aftermarket exhaust, especially if you want loud, but I don't consider my setup as droning.

Best thing about the Solo setup is that it sounds like a completely different car from the outside/back. It is a fairly quiet system when riding in the car with the windows up. But if you get a chance, hear it from behind and it is like a totally different car. Anyway, I think it is a great setup from a good company at a reasonable price. My thoughts.