It's here....my apostasy from SOLO/conversion to ARK.

[BloodUSMC]

Helloooooo!! I wanna hear it!!!

[2010 SSRS]

looks great, can't wait to hear it

[SIXJAK]

I'll post some vids up tonight. If the DT-S produces any drone it's not perceptible by me. My SOLO's make a little but for how loud they are that's probably quite a feat. At idle and low revs, the ARK is deeper. Non of the blattiness or rasp I seemed to be getting with the SW LT/SOLO combo exists with the SW LT/ ARK DT-S combo.

KM it kinda reminds me of how your set up sounds. It's just louder. Not jack hole loud but loud enough.

I'll post some vids later when I get a chance. Got a show tonight and a party afterwards so It will be later later. Very very happy. Those concerned with drone, look no further. Your exhaust is ARK DT-S.

[KMPrenger]

Originally Posted by SIXJAK

I'll post some vids up tonight. If the DT-S produces any drone it's not perceptible by me. My SOLO's make a little but for how loud they are that's probably quite a feat. At idle and low revs, the ARK is deeper. Non of the blattiness or rasp I seemed to be getting with the SW LT/SOLO combo exists with the SW LT/ ARK DT-S combo.

KM it kinda reminds me of how your set up sounds. It's just louder. Not jack hole loud but loud enough.

I'll post some vids later when I get a chance. Got a show tonight and a party afterwards so It will be later later. Very very happy. Those concerned with drone, look no further. Your exhaust is ARK DT-S.

Yeah,my mags aren't loud...especially with the resonated X thrown in there, but I like the tone. I think LT paired with them would rock.

Awesome and thanks for the update....looking forward to it!

[PoorMansCamaro]

Originally Posted by SIXJAK

Ummmmm okay, whatever dilusions I had about missing my SOLO's went bye bye in the the first 50 ft of driving. It's quiter but the quality of sound is much improved. The SOLO's do not play as well as the ARK's do with my Stainless Works LT's. The mechanics were LOLing at the perceived difference in quality between the two. It is stark.

Originally Posted by SIXJAK

I'll post some vids up tonight. If the DT-S produces any drone it's not perceptible by me. My SOLO's make a little but for how loud they are that's probably quite a feat. At idle and low revs, the ARK is deeper. Non of the blattiness or rasp I seemed to be getting with the SW LT/SOLO combo exists with the SW LT/ ARK DT-S combo.

KM it kinda reminds me of how your set up sounds. It's just louder. Not jack hole loud but loud enough.

I'll post some vids later when I get a chance. Got a show tonight and a party afterwards so It will be later later. Very very happy. Those concerned with drone, look no further. Your exhaust is ARK DT-S.

First of all I want to say congrats on your new exhaust and liking it. I do have to say that I'm somewhat shocked at the difference you are making it out to be. If anyone has followed your posts and read how you praised SOLO, I think it just goes to show how one could think their exhaust sound fabulous, and you really can't gauge drone/rasp to other systems until you've driven other cars with different exhaust. With that said, I know you aren't bringing down SoLo, which I'm sure is a good exhaust. I'm just glad you went with something else and thought it was an improvement and gave your honest feedback.

On the other hand, you should have went with Corsa

[GMGP5X]

Originally Posted by SIXJAK

Ummmmm okay, whatever dilusions I had about missing my SOLO's went bye bye in the the first 50 ft of driving. It's quiter but the quality of sound is much improved. The SOLO's do not play as well as the ARK's do with my Stainless Works LT's. The mechanics were LOLing at the perceived difference in quality between the two. It is stark.

When I listened to video of the Solo. I new you would like the ARK-DTS. The solo has way to much rasp. I will be waiting to hear the video with the LT headers.

[GTAHVIT]

Video plz

[KMPrenger]

Again, I've heard his car and been in it while driving with the LTs and the SOLO, and for one...SOLO does a fantastic job with its J-pipe technology killing drone. 2nd...that thing really doesn't have as much rasp as you might think. I've heard videos here of other (i will not name) exhausts that sounded very raspy compared to this SOLO setup....but when your pushing it as hard as Jak does in his vids there will be rasp for sure.

I guess I'll just describe it as a very aggressive mean sound....the V6 equivalent of the SS with Long tube headers and a Borla ATAK exhaust.

The ARK I'm sure will be a bit more tame, but still muscle with a nice throaty low tone. (which is what I love!) Now to see if I'm correct!

[SIXJAK]

Originally Posted by KMPrenger

Again, I've heard his car and been in it while driving with the LTs and the SOLO, and for one...SOLO does a fantastic job with its J-pipe technology killing drone. 2nd...that thing really doesn't have as much rasp as you might think. I've heard videos here of other (i will not name) exhausts that sounded very raspy compared to this SOLO setup....but when your pushing it as hard as Jak does in his vids there will be rasp for sure.

I guess I'll just describe it as a very aggressive mean sound....the V6 equivalent of the SS with Long tube headers and a Borla ATAK exhaust.

The ARK I'm sure will be a bit more tame, but still muscle with a nice throaty low tone. (which is what I love!) Now to see if I'm correct!

^^^
I think this is a fair assessment. The SW LT/Random Tech HFC/SOLO Mach X combo is brash, and in your face. Nothing subtle about it. And certainly not for ppl who are ultra sensitive to "rice" or rasp. This setup is hardcore sounding and I always thought the rasp in it's tone sounded purposeful if that makes sense. For how loud this set up was the J-Pipes did an amazing job of contolling the drone. There was a tad and I played around with the J's trying to eliminate it completely but never could. It was certainly bearable. I think the next step up in loudness is probably cutouts.

I'll tell you where it really put a smile on my face was cruising around toying with it around 4k RPM. It was absolutely divine. It sounded like a badd*** flugal horn.

The ARK delivers the same kind of sound in that RPM range just a little muted. Not quite as brilliant. In that area, I prefer the sound of the SOLO. More fun to cruise around with the windows down. There are certain instances where it could be too much. There is no such thing as stealth with that setup and at times, the volume would cause me to be self-conscious.

Cruising around and living with my exhaust day in day out, the ARK DT-S is hands down a better companion to the SW LT's. It sounds tighter, more refined, deeper at low revs and it's quieter which for what I use the car for is better, smarter.

Drone? The ARK plays better with the SW LT's. My 14 yr old son took a ride with me this evening and I just waited for him to say something or acknowledge anything different. About 2 mins into the ride he said "what did you to your car Dad?" "Why do you ask does it sound different." "He said "It sounds better and it feels smoother." Hmmmm. Come to think of it, gone is my vibration that seemed to come on around 2200 RPM. It's quiter in the cabin and the amount of drone it produse reminds me of KMPrnger's car which is to say nothing. Outstanding engineering by ARK.

From the outside I do like the lower tone from the ARK and it just sounds more polished-hey that's cause it actually is more polished...mirror polished to be exact...LOL-

KM posted a video of a Camaro in one of these threads which had the SOLO Mach X mated to a set of DT shorty's and it sounds real good. Easily one of the best in the sticky thread. Maybe the SOLO's would play nicer with a set of BBK, OBX or ARH LT's. Maybe the SOLO HFC's would make it less brash.

The ARK fits better and does not use the O'Reillly's band clamps. SOLO should come up with a better solution IMO. I have had my car in 4 x's having them adjust stuff to get rid of of resonance bcause the exhaust was touching somewhere or it was loose. they finally added some additional hangers up front just aft of where the midpipe joins the headers as well as solid welding the rear sections to the midpipe to get rid of the band clamps that were leaking and flexing. That helped a lot. still could feel the x-pipe banging around underneath on occasion. Which according to Bmore, will cause KR. That may explain why my car feels a tad peppier.

In sum this is the exhaust that I truly wanted all along but was hesitant because of fear of drone and it's you-better-think-twice 1400.00 retail pricetag. Black Friday was my friend and it can be yours too. This ARK has non of the bugaboos i.e. mainly excessive drone that I was originally concerned with. I wish I could have known this before. Que sera sera I s'pose. The mechanics were very impressed with the fit and the finish and the quality of the couplings.


First cruise with windows rolled halfway down. you will see observe in this video that this motor is lacking some trifecta attention.



Here's the SOLO setup after I just put it on.

[SIXJAK]

I'll get some better vids up, it was raining cats and dogs from about 8pm on..still is.

[JoshBobGuptaMarley]

If deffinetly has a nice deep tone, drone or not, what a system! The guys who put my system on we're talking about the high quality of the ark system. Kudos to us !

[Harley1]

Sounds great! I may have to change now too!

[SIXJAK]

Went back to the muffler shop this morning to pick up my SOLO catback in my truck and the guy that did my install had a Magnaflow truck muffler that he'd just pulled off of his truck-he thot it was too quiet- and I asked him what he was going to do with it......it's now on my truck 100.00 installed. The thing looks brand new, sounds awesome.

Anyway took the green monster out for a spin this morning..here ya go.

vvvvv

[SIXJAK]

Originally Posted by PoorMansCamaro

First of all I want to say congrats on your new exhaust and liking it. I do have to say that I'm somewhat shocked at the difference you are making it out to be. If anyone has followed your posts and read how you praised SOLO, I think it just goes to show how one could think their exhaust sound fabulous, and you really can't gauge drone/rasp to other systems until you've driven other cars with different exhaust. With that said, I know you aren't bringing down SoLo, which I'm sure is a good exhaust. I'm just glad you went with something else and thought it was an improvement and gave your honest feedback.

On the other hand, you should have went with Corsa

LOL I would expect no less from you poorman. It is amazing what a little context will do for you. SOLO is a fine exhaust. It really is. For how rowdy it was on the outside, it sure was doable inside thanks to the J-pipes. I think the SOLO's would be ideal if you're leaving the stock headers/cats. There is a clip with SOLO's+DT Shorty's that sound incredible. Mated to LT's they are hardcore in every sense of the word-the good and the bad are magnified greatly.

The difference between the two is huge. Video does not properly portray this.

I bet the Corsa would sound better than the SOLO's with my Stainless Works and i bet drone would be minimal.
The ARK is so good though I no longer feel the need to keep searching for that sound. It's here.