AtomicAWD

So the ARK axleback is noticeably louder? Didn't think it was available alone.

jameshan

iTrader: (1)

Yeah it was definitely a good step in volume. Although now it's been some time and I'm used to it now/carbon build up in the pipes naturally muffles it slightly so I'm installing a exhaust cutout valve. They don't sell the axleback separately unfortunately. I bought mine off the forum from someone.

Meraki Autoworks

iTrader: (8)

Contact us for pricing on the Ark, we have a sale coming up on it!

-Josh

Luisvm

I had the Stillen axle back on my car for a while. At first, I loved the sound on hard acceleration, especially combined with my aFe intake. However, after a while it started to annoy me when driving on the freeway. It seemed to bother me the most when I had passengers in the car. I finally decided to put my stock exhaust back on the car and it feels like a new car! Haha maybe I'm just getting old and, as a result, my preferences have changed... I never had this feeling on any of my muscle cars with V8 engines.

AtomicAWD

Was the Stillen too droney, too loud, or think it's just your perspective on after-market exhausts in general? It did seem to be one of the louder ones available.

Luisvm

It was only axle back but loud for what it was. Might be due in part to the round shaped muffler vs. the more common oval shape. I've read that round mufflers tend to produce deeper, louder and more consistent sound. Not sure if any of that is actually true though... Drone was only an issue at low RPM's on the freeway. I think it was somewhere just under 3000 RPM when it was the worst.

I might've liked it more with a mid pipe even though it would've been louder. I thought about either getting a mid pipe or switching to factory f-sport exhaust, but decided to go back to stock and I'm happy.

To answer your question, I'd say a combination of the following were the game changers for me:

• Too loud for the power produced by the car
• Drone on the freeway (low RPM's when I'm occasionally/rarely trying to save on gas)
• Under hard acceleration I'd get rattles, even after adjusting the exhaust positioning
• With my bronze wheels, minimal drop and diffuser/splitter, the car started to feel like a rice rocket to me and lost the luxury/sport feel that I forgot I wanted

AtomicAWD

I hear ya, and am being cautious about that as well. Doing minimal drop just to even the stance, smoothing out the exhaust note, and keeping visual mods as complementary not gaudy or brazen.

FearDaFish

Anyone know if the JoeZ cat back is indeed quieter than the ark cat back? By looking at it I would think it would be because it had traditional style mufflers where ark doesn't even look like it has mufflers lol. But the helmholtz design might make up for that? Like you, I'd rather not be aggressively loud because I'm not driving a 700hp vehicle. But the stock exhaust is just too blah.

I also prefer not to get an axle back when it'll cost just a bit less than a full cat back without the power gain.

Gman2448

Just had the Magnaflow axle back installed a few weeks ago. Personally, I think it sounds great!! I don’t know why anyone would want more sound that what the Magnaflow offers. This is still a Lexus, not a Honda Civic.