Track Pipe vs. Catback Loudness
 

Hi, I'm kind of interested in getting the single exit Berk Track pipe...

My question is: How much louder the Berk pipe or other muffler delete pipes vs. a cat-back system? I've watched some videos and can't really tell much of a difference in overall volume between the two.. Are the track pipes offensively loud?

Assuming the rest of your exhaust is stock, they're not really that bad. Definitely louder than quieter catbacks like TRD/Q300, but quieter and less ricey than something like a N1 (But I also hate the N1, sorry people). They have a bit of drone at some fairly specific RPM ranges, but it's pretty easy to keep on the tame side and you get used to it quickly. IMO, it's one of the best exhaust mod past the 2nd cat for the money. If you're just looking to make the car sound better, you can't beat the price and performance benefit will be essentially the same as any other catback.

When I first got mine mine, not long after buying the car, it seemed ungodly loud immediately after installing. A few days later I was used to it, and now it seems tame in comparison to most exhausts for these cars. Gives it a fairly nice tone at WOT, a bit loud for some perhaps, and you get those always pleasent gurgles and pops on downshifts.

If you plan to keep the rest of the exhaust stock, go for a track pipe. But really, your best bet is to hear one in person. Real life sounds/differences are hard to really tell from youtube clips.

What specific catback are you trying to compare it to? To answer your question about track pipes being offensively loud.. it's quite subjective. In my opinion though, they are loud, but not too obnoxious.

If the rest of the exhaust stream is stock, it's not very loud.

I'm running a catless header, stock mid pipe, and muffler delete. It passes sound even at restrictive tracks (under 93dB at 50') so I don't consider it "loud," but it is definitely a lot louder than with the stock header.

Just drop the muffler and run like that for a while. Just straight deleting the muffler will sound very similar to a single exit muffler delete. Just dropping the muffler will create a little more drone, but it won't damage anything. I ran like that for a couple weeks before deciding on a Berk dual exit.

I ran a muffler delete for a few years, back before the "track pipes" were out. Now I'm on a PLM catless header, Motive concepts OP, Invidia catless resonated FP, and Invidia N1 and it is quieter than the muffler delete. I'm too lazy to dig up my youtube videos of cold starts, but it's noticeably quieter (and of course has no boxer rumble :( )

Did you have any other exhaust mods when your muffler delete was on?

I find it very hard to believe that a full catless system with an N1 is quieter than a muffler delete. Cars I've heard in person with just an N1 are pretty much as loud as the Berk delete I have.

Stock exhaust, with muffler delete...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMM77U4al9Q"]2013 FR-S axle-back delete - YouTube[/ame]




PLM catless header, Motive Concepts OP, Invidia Catless resonated FP, Invidia N1 catback...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdIBaUuN3aU"]2013 FR-S, Full Exhaust, cold start and 2 step - YouTube[/ame]

I have a full uel catless system w/ the N1 catback and it's nearly as loud as when the bolts on my OP got loose and I was stuck listening to it with no exhaust connected to the headers. I'm starting to feel bad for neighbors with my early morning cold starts for work. I know it scares my roommates.

I'm going to respectfully disagree with those saying a muffler delete isn't too loud, although maybe I'm just too old.

I'm running a Nameless track pipe on an otherwise stock car, and have gotten more than one complaint from neighbors about the noise. I've also set off the car alarm in the car that parks next to me in my garage.

I also feel the drone is a real problem - it's BAD from 2000-2500, which, for me, sits right at the speed traffic moves on my commute. My wife has started refusing to take my car on long drives.

I'm going to be switching back to stock soon, and looking into a UEL header rather than spending the coin on an exhaust.

Of course, everyone's baseline of 'too loud' is different, but for me, this definitely passes it. On the plus side, it's a cheap mod and you can resell it easily enough if you don't like it.