Has anybody gone without?

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-01-2004 11:44 AM

Has anyone just gone without the center resonator on there exhaust system. I am tired of my setup and want it a bit louder. I have heard nightmare stories of the sound without it, but I want some first hand experiences from you guys. Thanks.

**dukez** · 07-01-2004 11:51 AM

Not me, but i have heard systems without them. It's really loud. Not sure how it would sound/drone inside the car, but outside its really deep and loud. A low low soundwave that travels through buildings.

Kinda like 50hz a subwoofer would make.

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-01-2004 12:01 PM

Hmm, I think I wouldn't mind that , but I figure that the droning is going to be unbearable at those levels
Thanks Dukez.

**turbo_junkie** · 07-01-2004 12:03 PM

I didn't use a resonator on my GTI's 3" exhaust and it was LOUD. Highway speeds the droning got real annoying , but the plus side was if I could get it to hit the right note driving through parking lots, it would set off car alarms

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-01-2004 12:06 PM

haha, I get the alarm thing now from how it sounds and from my subs. I always thought it was oud enough as it is, but I think I may try it without. I mean I can always just replace it again it I am not happy.

**littlewhite** · 07-01-2004 12:08 PM

My exhaust is 2.5" all the way with a Borla muffler, although i never heard my car zooming around outside, i found it not extremely loud in the inside. I sort of want it a little louder.

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-01-2004 12:09 PM

Thanks. I am leaning towards it now. Probably have it done tomorrow. I am running that same setup now.

**white fish** · 07-01-2004 12:16 PM

not on my audi
But I did that on my Mx-3 with a 2.5V6 no resonator, no cat and just a muffler 2.5" piping and it was so raspy I hated it

2 days and I got a resonator

**maxh2o** · 07-01-2004 12:40 PM

Took it off on my old GTi and ran 2.5" through a supersprint highflo muffler. Sweet sounding growl, not overly loud and I never got angry looks from anyone on the road. Do it!

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-01-2004 12:40 PM

Keep them coming

**Saturnine** · 07-01-2004 12:43 PM

You still want those resonators Evil??

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-01-2004 12:48 PM

That's what I was contemplating. Going without or running one of them in place of what I have now.

**OverSpun** · 07-01-2004 06:15 PM

ahh, i wrote a big long post to this earlier and the site died right as i hit submit and it didnt work and i lost it. anyways to sum it up...

my friend had a HFC to a 2.5" DP to a borla muffler with straight pipes, it was loud as hell and unbearable in the car, it gave us the biggest headache ever. he added a glasspack and it wasnt so bad. basically it sounded like a POS honda, pretty gross, we couldnt even stand sitting in the car, so id reccomend against it evil, unless you like obnoxiously loud cars, audis shouldnt be super loud, but tasteful sounding IMO, the borla exhaust has a good note.

**DDQ** · 07-01-2004 06:42 PM

A 4-banger will never give a nice exhaust tone that most want. The louder it is, the ricier and more Honda-like it sounds. Just my opinion. It's just the nature of noise put out by a 4 cyl. engine.

Although I'm partial, many other owners also agree, the Scorpion is the closest sound to a 6 cylinder car. But, it's not crazy, it's just much deeper, and you only hear it when you really hammer it.

**+decipher** · 07-01-2004 09:19 PM

I still have the center resonator on my Audi, BUT I removed it on my '91 GTI.

What I can tell you is that without that center resonator and with a scorpion DTM style muffler the car is freakishly loud. Like "ticket me now officer" loud. It also gave the car an annoying drone on the highway, and after I took the superstreet tour to NOPI in it, I was really close to being certifiably insane. However, it did make the car sound like it had a huge engine in it.

**DDQ** · 07-01-2004 09:25 PM

No one that has ever rode in my car (old parents included) have even noticed my exhaust is louder than stock. Unless I'm WOT, you don't even notice it.

I'm running straight 70mm pipe to the muffler. You can't even hear my car idle. Even when I peg it you just get a deep sound, nothing ricey, and is not even close to being able to set off an alarm. Doesn't even bother anyone in the cabin. Mabye I'm just the minority.

I've never heard a four-banger be that loud, it will just sound like bumble-bees.

**TheEZest** · 07-01-2004 11:31 PM

im pretty sure that A4 in SC took his center resonator out of his borla. i think that he said he was really happy with it. there was a whole post on the old AZ about this. are those posts archived anywhere or something? if not, im sure A4 in SC will be around soon enough to give his opinion.

**littlewhite** · 07-02-2004 12:05 AM

Originally posted by DDQ

I've never heard a four-banger be that loud, it will just sound like bumble-bees.

Reminds me of the 5zigen exhaust. Man, those are pretty bad. Beee BEEEE ~

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-02-2004 05:15 AM

Originally posted by TheEZest
im pretty sure that A4 in SC took his center resonator out of his borla. i think that he said he was really happy with it. there was a whole post on the old AZ about this. are those posts archived anywhere or something? if not, im sure A4 in SC will be around soon enough to give his opinion.

No he has a glasspack in it's place. I think I'm going to go with nothing now, then if I hate it I'll run Saturn resonator.

**Daft** · 07-02-2004 06:10 AM

The one thing you'll really notice is the note will get very raspy. The resonator on the A4 1.8T does a very good job of hiding the civic/neon ricer sound. It does endup quiet though.

I'm sure you can put some other resonator on there that will retain a low note that you want without a large flow restiction. There's alot of 3" exhust systems out there for Jap cars that encorporate resonators just for this reason. Everyone hates the dirtbike exahust note these days.

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-02-2004 06:35 AM

hmmm, now you got me thinking again. I really am not looking forward to that kinda sound. I just wanted it to be a bit deeper than it already is.

**Daft** · 07-02-2004 06:45 AM

Well, removing the resonator will definately not make it deeper.

Why don't you make a new one?

Buy a new one in a larger pipe diam and fabricate it into the exsisting pipes of your exhaust system.

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-02-2004 07:02 AM

I may just go with Saturn's resonators. Where is he, get him in here now!

**jrodmk2** · 07-02-2004 08:22 AM

i have both resonators, but no cat and it is like a race car. quite loud when warmed up. you definitely know i am coming down the street. that and some spoolage

i'm going to get a hiflo cat hopefully that will make it nice again(low key) oh yeah i have the miltek system

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-02-2004 08:24 AM

I was going to go with the test pipe, but I just can't live with that CEL. My car is nice and dep now and from what I have been told, easily heard from far away, but I just wanted more.

**Saturnine** · 07-02-2004 09:18 AM

Ill be shipping them out later today Sir

**nizmosx** · 07-02-2004 09:19 AM

damn you guys should have heard my old nissan s13. it was an 89. it had the truck motor ka24e, with headers no cat, and an apex n1 dual exhaust wich was for a s13 with the silvia motor. at the track my car was louder that almost all the v8 domestics and this is no joke. civics would start reving up for no reason when in the tech line so domestics started doing it, then i did and after i reved everyone stopped. the car was INSANE LOUD and yes i got tickets, DO I WANT THAT AGAIN<<<<NO but it was cool while it lasted. people can hear me from miles away, there has been many of times im hauling ass at wot and there is a cop. since my exhaust is quiet in my a4 i never got pulled over. cops say they cant realy see your car speeding but they can hear it. AND WHY HELP THEM HEAR IT......... i think its cooler that the car is quieter, i love my neuspeed and the weird whistle it makes at wot. it makes people wonder whats under the hood.

**A4 in SC** · 07-02-2004 01:11 PM

Sorry I'm late chiming in. Yes, Evil, I ran mine w/o the resonator, and I HATED it. It certainly wasn't deeper! It was way too loud for me. Loud in a very bad way - loss of deep tone, and was pretty high-pitched.

I'd certainly install some sort of resonator in there. I really like my setup's sound. Moops has an APR exhaust, and to be honest, it sounds very much like mine. The only thing is that my piping is stock w/ the glasspack and Remus rear box. I want to go w/ at least a 2.5" pipe downpipe back. No custom cat for me either.

I just have to convince myself that the APR exhaust performance gains is worth $900. I have the sound now, so all I would be gaining is performance (which is just fine w/ me - it's all about performance, anyway, right?!?!?!)

Mike

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-05-2004 09:59 AM

I'm gonna go with Saturn's and see what's it's like from there.

**OverSpun** · 07-05-2004 10:09 AM

glad you decided to get another resonator... straight pipe would have been rediculous...

speaking of which, does anyone have a sound clip of a borla exhaust with a test pipe? i want to see how it sounds.

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-05-2004 10:30 AM

I'd have a testpipe right now if I didn't hate that CEL

**dtmevolution** · 07-05-2004 02:14 PM

where can you get a glass pack for a 2.5"?

**Devious27t** · 07-05-2004 04:32 PM

Originally posted by EVIL-AUDI
Has anyone just gone without the center resonator on there exhaust system. I am tired of my setup and want it a bit louder. I have heard nightmare stories of the sound without it, but I want some first hand experiences from you guys. Thanks.

i was runnin s4 muffler only and it was loud as hell i was not a fan so i put a straight through magnaflow resonator on it it was louder than the stock one but not as loud as not having one.

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-05-2004 05:17 PM

Originally posted by dtmevolution
where can you get a glass pack for a 2.5"?

Around here they are readily available at most auto parts stores for very cheap.

**A4 in SC** · 07-05-2004 05:22 PM

Yep, I got my glasspack at a local muffler/general automotive shop. Of course, they don't have a madrel bender!! ARGH!!!

Later,
Mike

**Silvant** · 07-05-2004 05:37 PM

i was running my 3inch with no resonator for about 2weeks when i first did it.. ended up having to carry earplugs around with me.. granted its 3inch and i was running it through an apr high flo straight to a borla xr-1 muffler that you can look straight through.. it was deep and LOUD.. ended up adding a 4inch allied resonator and running it backwards so the gases are flowing with the louvers instead of against. made just the right amount of difference..
i know im comparing apples to oranges with my set up and yours but whatever.

**EVIL-AUDI** · 07-05-2004 05:42 PM

Thanks silvant. I figured your's wasn't the quietest around.

**Daft** · 07-05-2004 07:05 PM

Evil, what is John sending you? B6 resonators?

BTW, I know why you'd get the CEL with the testpipe but, why can't you just weld a new bung on there for the 2nd bank O2 sensor? The 2nd bank O2 is only checking the difference in O2 quantity between bank 1 and bank 2. Will it throw the code if there is no difference?

Just thinking out loud....