I think I was reading too fast and thought someone else asked him that question.
Point still stands though.

I was beginning to think maybe the catless header life just wasn't for me, since I couldn't handle the "normal" noises. But I contacted my tuner, Zach from DT, and he told me the noises were not in fact normal and to check for a leak.

So I went ahead and ordered an overpipe since I was going to be taking it all apart again and replacing gaskets and first I found this:

https://i.imgur.com/TQQxJwE.jpg?1

I was actually pumped that I wasn't crazy, so I got to work and replaced the OP with all new gaskets, the real ones, not whatever fabric JDL gives you, and turned on the car.

Pure bliss was the noise I heard, the idle was 40-50% quieter, the weird ticks and everything I heard before were gone. I went to the highway and floored it, and it sounded like the perfect rumbly flat 4 I was hoping it would sound like, and it pulled even harder than before. No more whooshing noise.

After knowing what it's supposed to sound like now, it was 100% a bad leak before, but never having heard one before I just assumed it was the catless noises.

Just wanted to update this so if any one else was having issues they could stumble upon it with google.

Thanks everyone!