AWE Touring with Resonated Downpipes installed and reviewed

[Bruno_s4]

If anyone here is left still on their stock exhaust and considering the AWE Touring then read on.

Coming from a B7 S4 Avant 6MT where I went through three different systems in my attempt to make more power, open up the V8 sound and keep the drone to a normal level the B8 S4 is obviously completely different.

At this point in my life (44 yrs old, 3 kids....) I wanted an exhaust that gave me some performance and upgraded sound but didn't wake the neighbors and set off car alarms.
I make a lot of calls in my car for work and didn't want comments from the person on the other end.

So after extensive reading of reviews and talking to AWE it sounded like the Touring was the way to go. And resonated DP's to take the drone down further.

Was able to put it all together locally from some people de-modding and had it installed on Thursday. All I can say is wow. AWE hit the nail on the head.
During idle standing outside the car the tone is just a little louder. Enough where someone may be on the fence if I have an exhaust.
Driving around slowly it has a little more growl and punch to it but again not enough to attract attention (something my V8 was extremely good at).
On the Hwy at 120kms (2100 rpm) in 7th gear (i'm DSG) I can attest there is no drone. So happy that they got that right.
Now if you really want to hear the exhaust then just go WOT and HELLO! There she is.
The little V6 gets some of it's ROAR back and going through the gears the BARRRAPS are music to my ears.
And yes it does seem to pull harder in the higher RPMs.

This review has been mainly based on driving with the windows up (since it's still cold here in the Toronto area) but I did roll them down a while and everything was even better.

Thank you AWE for taking the time to put together such a nice sounding exhaust for people like myself.

If you want louder... get the AWE TRACK.

[Shaun Perry]

Great descriptive review. Thanks for taking the time. I picked up my B8 S4 few weeks ago and have begun the modding. I am and have already been sold on this exact exhaust set up based off my research. Reso'd downpipes and everything. This post further seals the deal for me.

I'd like to get as lucky as you and piece it together locally by people de-modding as well but no dice yet. Have considered going new though. We will see.

[shoe3k]

The stock downpipes with the AWE Touring are pretty loud already, especially in the higher RPM range. The track edition will introduce some more rasp and more sound in the lower rpm range, which will create more drone. All the exhausts sound awesome and can't wait for the weather to clear up to get some good clips in with my car. Thanks for the review and enjoy your car!

[kpykng1]

Than you for the review. It's exactly what I was hoping to read. I just ordered my AWE touring with resonated downpipe also, I get mine installed in two weeks. Now the wait will drive me crazy.


Sent Blu's iPhone...

[agorich]

that is the same setup I am interested in. now if only I can convince the wife to let me get this done before new counter tops throughout the house!

[ARoach04]

I just got finished install my AWE Touring and completely agree with Bruno. I'm in love!

[bizzy]

Just a word of advice, make sure to disable the soundaktor (plays fake engine noise in the cabin). I have this same setup and thought it was too loud, but realized later I didn't disable the fake sound.

You'll need to either pull a fuse on the drivers side or use Vagcom to disable the sound (I did the latter).

[kpykng1]

So disabling the soundaktor should be done to all aftermarket exhaust systems?


Sent Blu's iPhone...

[14S4GWM]

So disabling the soundaktor should be done to all aftermarket exhaust systems?


Sent Blu's iPhone...

Pretty much, even with stock if you don't like the fake sound. I coded it off the day I got the car.

[Difference]

Thanks for the review! It's been a while since I've considered the same setup. Might pull the trigger! Also, fellow Torontonian!

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

[Bruno_s4]

Thanks for the review! It's been a while since I've considered the same setup. Might pull the trigger! Also, fellow Torontonian!

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

If you want to meet up to hear it then let me know!

[Ks3.0]

If anyone here is left still on their stock exhaust and considering the AWE Touring then read on.

Coming from a B7 S4 Avant 6MT where I went through three different systems in my attempt to make more power, open up the V8 sound and keep the drone to a normal level the B8 S4 is obviously completely different.

At this point in my life (44 yrs old, 3 kids....) I wanted an exhaust that gave me some performance and upgraded sound but didn't wake the neighbors and set off car alarms.
I make a lot of calls in my car for work and didn't want comments from the person on the other end.

So after extensive reading of reviews and talking to AWE it sounded like the Touring was the way to go. And resonated DP's to take the drone down further.

Was able to put it all together locally from some people de-modding and had it installed on Thursday. All I can say is wow. AWE hit the nail on the head.
During idle standing outside the car the tone is just a little louder. Enough where someone may be on the fence if I have an exhaust.
Driving around slowly it has a little more growl and punch to it but again not enough to attract attention (something my V8 was extremely good at).
On the Hwy at 120kms (2100 rpm) in 7th gear (i'm DSG) I can attest there is no drone. So happy that they got that right.
Now if you really want to hear the exhaust then just go WOT and HELLO! There she is.
The little V6 gets some of it's ROAR back and going through the gears the BARRRAPS are music to my ears.
And yes it does seem to pull harder in the higher RPMs.

This review has been mainly based on driving with the windows up (since it's still cold here in the Toronto area) but I did roll them down a while and everything was even better.

Thank you AWE for taking the time to put together such a nice sounding exhaust for people like myself.

If you want louder... get the AWE TRACK.

I also live in the Toronto area and was wondering how much the setup cost you and where did you get it from? Might just have to pull the trigger as well

[A.Bruno6]

I have been heavily considering going with this AWE touring exhaust... not sure about getting the res dp's right away or not though. Have you experienced the touring exhaust with stock dp's and then AWE resonated? Thanks for the great write up and review! Cheers from Sarnia!

[Sergeant Kelly]

Thanks for the review! This is exactly what I wanted to know about this exhaust. Sounds like I'm going to pull the trigger on this purchase pretty soon, haha.

[14S4GWM]

Thanks for the review! This is exactly what I wanted to know about this exhaust. Sounds like I'm going to pull the trigger on this purchase pretty soon, haha.

You won't be disappointed, AWE sounds great.

[jl87]

I have been heavily considering going with this AWE touring exhaust... not sure about getting the res dp's right away or not though. Have you experienced the touring exhaust with stock dp's and then AWE resonated? Thanks for the great write up and review! Cheers from Sarnia!

I have the full AWE resonated dp + touring. Very recently I put the stock dp's back on to see how I liked it and within a week I went back to AWE's res dp's. The droney/boomy sound from 2-3k without them was too obnoxious for me, especially after becoming used to the sound with AWE's full setup. This is all subjective and a personal preference, so take it for what it's worth. I'm sure other people will say stock dp's + touring is perfect, but for me as a DD it was just too much. You have a year if you purchase the catback only to also purchase AWE's dp's for the reduced kit price, so you can always try it out first.

[A.Bruno6]

I have the full AWE resonated dp + touring. Very recently I put the stock dp's back on to see how I liked it and within a week I went back to AWE's res dp's. The droney/boomy sound from 2-3k without them was too obnoxious for me, especially after becoming used to the sound with AWE's full setup. This is all subjective and a personal preference, so take it for what it's worth. I'm sure other people will say stock dp's + touring is perfect, but for me as a DD it was just too much. You have a year if you purchase the catback only to also purchase AWE's dp's for the reduced kit price, so you can always try it out first.

Awesome! I wasn't aware of the 1 year availability for the reduced downpipes... that's a great marketing strategy by AWE.

Thanks for the info!

[rockstar143]

I have been heavily considering going with this AWE touring exhaust... not sure about getting the res dp's right away or not though. Have you experienced the touring exhaust with stock dp's and then AWE resonated? Thanks for the great write up and review! Cheers from Sarnia!

I'll be able to speak on this very soon...picked up a set of used AWE downpipes...
I've gotten used to the drone but really when driving around town in low rpm the drone is annoying...
makes it feel like the car is dragging and bogging. At highway speeds I don't normally mind but the other
night we were double dating in the S and after a while on the highway while talking instead of cranking music
the persistent drone was annoying.

So much so originally that I put the stock exhaust back on twice but couldn't live without the awe sound once
I'd heard it. I said I wished you could have the awesome Sport mode sound with AWE and then in drive have it
sound stock. Sounds like the resonators might do just that.

I'll let y'all know.
This is what it sounds like now. This is with stock dp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZnlnztuCHE&t=29s

[XxSullyxX123]

I'll be able to speak on this very soon...picked up a set of used AWE downpipes...
I've gotten used to the drone but really when driving around town in low rpm the drone is annoying...
makes it feel like the car is dragging and bogging. At highway speeds I don't normally mind but the other
night we were double dating in the S and after a while on the highway while talking instead of cranking music
the persistent drone was annoying.

So much so originally that I put the stock exhaust back on twice but couldn't live without the awe sound once
I'd heard it. I said I wished you could have the awesome Sport mode sound with AWE and then in drive have it
sound stock. Sounds like the resonators might do just that.

I'll let y'all know.
This is what it sounds like now. This is with stock dp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZnlnztuCHE&t=29s

Interested to hear your review. I had multiple set ups on my 6MT and ended with AWE Touring and Resonated downpipes. But My gap between stock downpipes w/ touring early on and then with the resonated had different set ups in between (stock and milltek non res). On my current DSG, I just picked up a Touring a few weeks ago. Still on stock downpipes but debating grabbing the resonated downpipes again. Here's my old thread, updated currently with my new car and setup.....thanks!

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...-Everyone-Else

[rockstar143]

LOL...we are literally after the exact same information!
I'll let you know, man...I have a feeling it'll be perfect.
Supposedly with the 6mt since the gearing is different
highway cruising is more tolerable...that 7 gear fucks us.
I don't know...I'm getting old. Every time I was about to
pull the exhaust for the stock one someone would randomly
compliment how exotic sounding the car was. I would be
like yep, it's staying. Once you put stock back on initially
I was happy...wow...so classy, this is better...but within a day
I was itching to have a LITTLE rumble and awesome DSG blip
throttle downshifts in sport mode.

Interesting that you went 6MT to DSG...figuring you maybe lost
a leg in 'Nam or you're after faster times or you like lunch ****rol
or you sit in a lot of traffic now.

[rockstar143]

lunch

c
u
n
t
roll

I can't believe Audizine censors!

Joke killers!

[XxSullyxX123]

lunch

c
u
n
t
roll

I can't believe Audizine censors!

Joke killers!

HA! i thought you **** it out yourself....I didnt lose a leg in Nam, wasn't born yet, I'm only 36. don't track the car, so not after faster times. My wife can't drive 6MT, and when our 4th child was on the way in 2017, it was important that we could switch cars when needed and i can take the kids in her SUV and she could take my car. So i nabbed a Wrangler Rubicon for nearly 2 years to change it up, after almost grabbing a DSG then. but got bored and missed my S4. So i grabbed a DSG in Apr. 2019 that she could drive, with better options than I was able to get it with the first time around. I dont mind 7th gear on the DSG with the AWE. Where i notice the difference between 6mt and DSG is when it shifts gears it has that bassy drop in tone on the DSG. Whereas the 6mt, I'd be off the throttle between gears. I'm enjoying the AWE as is so far, but refinement would definitely work. I also thought about buying used SQ5 downpipes and cutting out the resonators and putting on the S4 downpipes. Due to the larger resonators, AWE didnt even bother making Res downpipes for the SQ5, so it may be a cheap way to refine....

[Marilius]

Just waiting to see if AWE is doing any sort of a Black Friday sale or somesuch thing.

[CKUO]

Does anyone have the experiences of how these 2 compare speaking of drone and volume? I'm DSG with AWE touring now and the drone is annoying.
Magnaflow 11385 resonator + AWE touring
vs
AWE res downpipes + AWE touring

[rockstar143]

I have been heavily considering going with this AWE touring exhaust... not sure about getting the res dp's right away or not though. Have you experienced the touring exhaust with stock dp's and then AWE resonated? Thanks for the great write up and review! Cheers from Sarnia!

HA! i thought you **** it out yourself....I didnt lose a leg in Nam, wasn't born yet, I'm only 36. don't track the car, so not after faster times. My wife can't drive 6MT, and when our 4th child was on the way in 2017, it was important that we could switch cars when needed and i can take the kids in her SUV and she could take my car. So i nabbed a Wrangler Rubicon for nearly 2 years to change it up, after almost grabbing a DSG then. but got bored and missed my S4. So i grabbed a DSG in Apr. 2019 that she could drive, with better options than I was able to get it with the first time around. I dont mind 7th gear on the DSG with the AWE. Where i notice the difference between 6mt and DSG is when it shifts gears it has that bassy drop in tone on the DSG. Whereas the 6mt, I'd be off the throttle between gears. I'm enjoying the AWE as is so far, but refinement would definitely work. I also thought about buying used SQ5 downpipes and cutting out the resonators and putting on the S4 downpipes. Due to the larger resonators, AWE didnt even bother making Res downpipes for the SQ5, so it may be a cheap way to refine....

Of course...the ONE reason I didn't give. :)
On a serious note...I understand that fully...that's how I ended up in an automatic CTS-V. I wanted manual badly. Got auto for the wife then got divorced a year later. Derp.
Unrelated to the car's transmission of course.

Anyway...yeah that all makes sense...I picked up this used set pretty cheap so I figured I'd tempt fate and see if I love it more. I agree with you on the drop between gears
especially around town. Feels like you're lugging the engine because of the drone which makes your brain feel like you need to give it more gas. Hard to explain.

[XxSullyxX123]

Of course...the ONE reason I didn't give. :)
On a serious note...I understand that fully...that's how I ended up in an automatic CTS-V. I wanted manual badly. Got auto for the wife then got divorced a year later. Derp.
Unrelated to the car's transmission of course.

Anyway...yeah that all makes sense...I picked up this used set pretty cheap so I figured I'd tempt fate and see if I love it more. I agree with you on the drop between gears
especially around town. Feels like you're lugging the engine because of the drone which makes your brain feel like you need to give it more gas. Hard to explain.

Yea, interesting that you say it makes your brain feel you need to give more gas. I definitely get that impression as well. That being said, while its got a lot volume when it does that, it doesnt feel droney. then again, everyones opinion on what exactly drone "is" is subjective. the track exhaust I had on my 6MT for a bit actually hurt my ears and clogged them at that frequency. THAT was droney lol. sounded unbelievable outside the car though. too bad.

[rockstar143]

new resonators forced me to align the entire exhaust properly so it looks great and MAN.

No tone lost...not volume lost just the deep annoying bassiness of the drone is gone.* Doesn't feel like

the car is bogging in lower RPM (this wasn't true it just FELT like you needed to give it more gas to*

get out of that sound) and highway cruising is divine.* This literally gave me exactly what I was looking for

nice and quiet in Drive and aggressive in Sport...must have for the exhaust if you're a little older and don't want*

loud and obnoxious sounding.**