Must also see post #3 below for my professional :-) guide to exhaust auditioning and selection.

First, my "credential" :-): I am a dedicated and seasoned audiophile who cares very much about sound. When I searched the web for opinions about car exhaust in the past, I had a lot of difficulty understanding the reviews, especially when someone would wax poetic about some exhaust system without ever *describing* what it sounds like (!), so following is my attempt to describe what I hear. I have listened to many exhaust systems in person so IMHO I have a good frame of reference as to what each of them sounds like. Later, I will add some comments on what I've learned about other aspects of exhaust systems, such as power gain, torque loss, drone, etc. The hope is simply to help anyone who is new to this.

Anyway... without further ado: The Cargraphic Loud Exhaust is installed in my Turbo 2 years ago on 7/30/2008. For anyone curious, the brain/tuner behind the exhaust is Reinhold Schmirler - the RS of RS Tuning, formerly at Ruf and now tunes 911 professional race cars for a living, among other things. Schmirler has an engine dyno at his facility and this was used in the development and design of this exhaust - a very good thing as this is the most precise way to study exhaust's behavior. Schmirler is not well known in the US but is considered to be a top notch tuner in Europe. While the design of the exhaust is from Germany, the manufacturing is by a company in England, "Phoenix." So despite of the somewhat odd name "Cargraphic," rest assured this is a competently designed exhaust system with an outstanding pedigree, based on sound engineering. It is a large and serious operation, with professional engineering and manufacturing, that has been in business a long time, not a mom and pop store.

There are 3 versions of Cargraphic Turbo exhaust: TUV (most quiet), Sound (medium), and Super Sound (loudest and least restrictive - what I have). The model numbers, engraved on a metal plaque on the exhaust, are CARP97TET (most quiet), CARP97TETR (medium), and CARP97TETS (loudest); . They key to remember is this, once windows are up, even the SuperSound/Loud Version is not super loud. In comparison to other exhausts I've auditioned (many), it has medium loudness. I've been told that in general the trend is that, for US customers, some of those who ask for the more quiet version end up wanting to move to the louder one; the other way around is nearly nonexistent. I've also heard rumor from fairly reliable source that if you are to tune the ECU, the Loud version is the most free-breathing, and therefore the most desirable. The lowest Cargraphic pricing I have seen anywhere is $3848 at Vivid Racing http://www.vividracing.com/catalog/2...-p-157291.html (I paid $5000 5 years ago ).

When you move from the stock system to this, you will likely notice that it's a day and night improvement over stock exhaust. It is quite frankly one of the most beloved mods in my car, up there right next to the Bilstein coilover. When I evaluate exhaust, there are 3 parameters I listen for, so here I will compare stock vs. Cargraphic on these 3 parameters:
1. Loudness and ranking: I would rate the Cargraphic Loud as high-medium in loudness. Don't let the name fool you, the Loud version of this exhaust is not that loud and about 10% of the times I wish that it is even louder. For comparison, the AWE exhaust has similar loudness to this, and the GMG is louder. Loudness is an intensely personal choice and there is no right or wrong, just pick what you prefer most here, but... That said, I should add that for me, a loud, deep, throaty exhaust is a bucket list item not to be missed , at least once in your lifetime! Go quiet if you must but you might be missing something wonderful.Below is my ranking of loudness levels, approximately based mostly on what I heard, and also on what people I think trustworthy have reported. Don't be upset if you disagree please, this is simply my opinion, and is subjected to changes any time.
1. Race versions of systems below (meaning catless): exciting, but could be extremely loud. Must listen before purchase. Could be socially intrusive.
2. GMG: This is an exciting and great sounding exhaust, but loud, very loud. Make sure to listen before you buy.
3. Medium sounding group: A tie between AWE and Cargraphic Loud; BBI and FVD probably in this group also (FVD might have strange noise with deceleration in some cars). The medium group is a bucket-list item to me, like PCCB brake; you must try once in your life :-). Socially not intrusive unless you rev engine so not a problem for work/neighbors.
4. EP2
5. EP1: A quiet system if this is your taste; sound outside of car is exciting but may lack excitement inside car because once windows are up, you won't hear much. If you mod ECU, a quiet system is not as good because it's more obstructive to flow. If you want louder/deeper sound and better flow, take EP2 and others above.
6. Tubi: A quiet system if this is your taste; not as much low frequency rumbling. Some people love this so it's strictly a matter of taste, no right or wrong.
2. Frequency balance: Stock sounds whinny, like a hair dryer, with more high frequency. Cargraphic has a low frequency grunt that is fantastic and wonderful to listen too. Plain and simple one of the most important feature of this exhaust system. You hear this most often for example at slight on-throttle, to about 1500 rpm at Stop sign. That's why I sometimes unknowingly act like a juv. delinquent at Stop sign: I rev the engine just to hear it! :-)
At higher rpm, the frequency climbs, until 7000 rpm then it becomes a mechanical scream. If you are in a tunnel, it is deafening, like a race car.
3. Character: Stock is continuous in character, like a Lexus. Cargraphic, especially if you listen from outside, has a spectacular machine gun like staccato. Heard this first time I auditioned this and thought I was in heaven. Inside, like ALL turbo exhaust systems, the sound could never match that of a NA engine. Sorry, just the way it is. I love my Cargraphic but I will be the first to admit that if you want the best interior sound, nothing "turbo" will "crackle" and match the excitement of exhaust systems of GT3, or Lambo, or Ferrari.
4. Hallmark of Cargraphic, dont' miss this, the deep throat purr :-): Makes a point to listen for this as you audition exhaust systems because some other Porsche systems I've listened to seem to lack this low frequency grunt, which gives a sense of power, besides simply sounding d*mn good. Unfortunately until you hear and compare, you won't know what you are missing.

Note that, as in *all* exhaust systems, because of the car insulation inside-car sound is never as good as outside-car sound, for example when you stand on the sidewalk to listen while another person drives the car. The inside sound in general has less of the extreme ends of frequency response and is not as loud, so make sure you pay attention to this when you audition. To give you an idea of what Cargraphic Loud sound level is like, so you know whether it's the right one for you: Cargraphic Loud is closest to that of 997 GT3 with respect to loudness/freq/character, except it doesn't have as high of a "howl" (think of a wolf howling) associated with the higher RPM climb of the GT3. Bottom line: I would recommend the Cargraphic system without hesitation or reservation over the stock system. It totally changes the driving experience.

Below is picture of Cargraphic's cat converter: Emitec core, HJS cat; considered the gold standard and OEM supplier for Porsche OEM exhausts also. Up next, some pointers on exhaust auditioning for those new to this. And lastly, a warning: I am an over-the-top audiophile who still use a tube preamp, so you must take everything I write about audio with a grain of salt.












Also, proof of my over-the-top nuttiness when it comes to sound, my home-theater: Theta Casablanca Surround Processor, Linn Sondek, Conrad Johnson Tube Pre and Phono Stage, Krell FPB 600, Thiel CS5i, Stewart Filmscreen, JVC Projector.

 

Hi Can,

I would like an audiophile's POV on the Tubi Race, Tubi Street and the Fabspeed 200 Cat system.
Have you had a chance to audition live? Unfortunately, here in Kuwait, I have had no luck to do so.
Do any of them drone? Sound down low, mid rpm ranges and WOT?
If you've auditioned them, could you provide a small comparo with your impressions?
I know that clips are available online, but as an audiophile myself, I know these clips do not come near to real life.

Thanks in advance.

 

Some basic but important considerations (edited):

1. Web sound clips could be extremely misleading so always try to listen in person. Reason for this is that there is no standard whatsoever on placement of mics, what type of mics, volume level, where the recordings are done (inside vs. outside), playback volume & system, etc., etc. All these parameters have significant influence on sound. Just think, by merely cranking up the bass of your computer system, you could change how an exhaust sound.

2. There is no single best exhaust on the market with respect to sound and you should question anyone who advises you otherwise. The reason is simple: exhaust sound depends on multiple "parameters": loudness, frequency, character (staccato or continuous), etc., and just based on loudness alone, there simply cannot be a single system that is right for all, no? Get opinions from forums but in the end, trust no one except your own ears. You have to listen for yourself.

3. In-cabin vs. out of cabin sound. Not many talk about it, yet it is one of the most critical aspect of exhaust auditioning. In *all* exhaust systems, inside sound (listening from inside car) is quite different from outside sound (listening to the car from the sidewalk). Because the Turbo has significant sound proofing, the in-cabin sound is not as loud and the frequency extremes (high treble and low bass) are cut-off. Therefore, outside sound is always better: more aggressive, louder, deeper; the problem is it's not important because 99% of the times you are inside! Outside sound is good for parking lot demos and web postings but that's about it. This makes, again, a live audition from inside the car critical.
Let me give you an example and see if it makes sense: In my car without question the best sound is out of cabin: WOT on a narrow street (for reverberation), someone else drive car with me standing on a sidewalk listening. It's a spectacular sound show, a cross between a jet taking off and a race car. However, in cabin, my favorite sound is actually at Stop signs, when I apply a quick jab of partial throttle to 1500-2000 rpm. Here, the exhaust gives an unbelievably satisfying, deep throat purr and then a howl as I let go. I still to do this, to this day, all the times at Stop signs. People look at me like I am a juvenile delinquent, and juvenile delinquents look at me to check if I am asking to race them. At higher rpm, the sound is muscular, similar to GT3, and indeed better than stock, but it's not something that would get me very excited.

4. Power? Yes note the question mark - be very leery of any tuner that mentions night-and-day improvement in power with just an exhaust. IMHO, it's a fantasy and a bad sales pitch. I know there have been dyno's showing gain of such and such, basically from a more free breathing catalytic converter (stock 600 cpsi cell density, most after-market 200), but in reality what most people feel is simply a faster spooling up. The tach needle *seems* to go up faster, and that's about it. There are actually some anecdotal reports that one could feel a loss of torque in the low range by just adding an exhaust system. I don't know whether this is true, or if it is consequence of seeing that tach needle moving up quickly.
If you want power, get an exhaust AND an ECU tune. Exhaust alone won't do anything worth mentioning, and in fact may cause a sense of torque loss -- see below. Any rave about power gain is more often than not unproven with dyno and more likely in someone's head, IMHO.

5. Sense of torque loss. This is not often talked about, but it's there: There have been reports that there is a sense of loss of low end torque with an after-market exhaust. The few cars that I know about are interesting in that it involves 3 different brands of exhaust, 2 from Europe and 1 from the US, one is auto, the other manuals, so there is no trend. In one case, owner (who used to post here) had dyno that shows a drop in low end torque with the exhaust. Whether we could trust these dyno's (done on different days), I am not sure at all.
Yes, tuners have told me this is absolutely possible: Reduction of back pressure *could* cause torque loss in the low end. There is an explanation for this: Use of large pipes to reduce back pressure, as in these after market systems, could negatively affect the finely tuned scavenging effect of a stock system, causing loss of torque at low rpm. At low rpm the engine behaves like a NA engine (no boost), therefore loss of back pressure is not necessarily a good thing. So... beware and be happy if your after-market exhaust feels the same as before, don't even think about power gain! From Wikipedia: Modifying the exhaust system, (i.e. modifying the exhaust gas velocity by changing exhaust tube diameters) can detract from the "ideal" scavenging effects, and reduce fuel efficiency and power if not properly planned out and executed.

6. Resonance (aka "drone") - a non-issue for most well known exhausts: Enough ink has been spilled on this subject that it's almost mandatory that the audiophile in me adds a few comments, from having listened to several exhaust systems in multiple cars, as well reading numerous posts on this topic. Resonance seems to mean different things to different people; it should not. To me, it is an unusually large increase in bothersome humming noise, and in the case of the Turbo, this is most frequently in the 2200-2800 rpm range or so, and almost always in the higher gear, from 3rd and up. Even the stock exhaust Turbo has a mild degree of resonance. The resonance in the stock car is also heard in 3rd gear and up as a hum, almost like the engine lugging noise. As you replace the stock exhaust with an after-market exhaust, this hum noise becomes louder. The louder the exhaust, the louder this hum becomes.

If you search the forums enough, you will see that resonance/drone mentioned with nearly every single after-market exhaust out there, from Cargraphic, to Tubi, to Fabspeed, Europipe, AWE, etc.; the list goes on and on. Any tuner who claims no drone w/ after-market exhaust is just being a clever salesman IMHO. Likewise anyone who advises not to buy any well-known exhaust because of resonance is IMO lacking in basic understanding of this matter. OTOH, the resonance should only be in the 2200-2800 range and if there is a persistent resonance, there is something wrong with the exhaust or the installation.
At any rate, of the exhausts I've listened to, the resonance is louder the louder a particular exhaust is, and the more low frequency it has. In other words, the exhaust with the least resonance will also be a quiet exhaust without throaty rumbling, which may reduce excitement (strictly a matter of taste, no right or wrong, but if you don't want to miss a bucket list item - an exhaust at full scream :-) look elsewhere). To give an example: The Tubi exhaust to me has the least resonance, but it is also very quiet and has less low frequency component. Also important to keep in mind, the mods you put in your car, like stiffer suspension components and ECU tune, could increase the noise leveland could make the resonance worse.

In the end, why is it not a problem with a majority of exhausts people are using? Answer: The way we drive and the way we adapt our driving. The Turbo power kicks in at 3000, so most of the times, the shift, if you are a "good" driver :-), is done at above 3000. Basically, you do go through 2500 rpm in first gear, but here because it's low gear, there is no resonance, then from then on you will hardly see 2500 again until cruising level. And if you are a good Turbo driver, you don't cruise at 2500. The fact is this: I am a particular difficult and finicky person when it comes to sound, and I've had the Cargraphic for a few years now without any problem. If yours has a problem, check the installation, or check other mods that you have in your car, like an ECU tune that could cause a bad interaction.

7. CEL (check engine light) - a non-issue: Basic discussion first: There are 2 oxygen sensors in any given exhaust; one is positioned before the exhaust fume hits the catalytic converter, aka the pre-cat oxygen (O2) sensor, and another one after the catalytic, called the post cat (O2) ensor. They both senses oxygen but function very differently. The pre cat sensor senses whether the engine is running rich or lean by measuring whether oxygen is high (lean) or low (rich), and the post cat sensor senses whether the catalytic converter is doing its job by comparing oxygen level between the pre cat and post cat sensors. That is why the post cat sensor is referred to as the monitor, and the pre cat sensor is sometimes referred to as the lambda sensor. If your car triggers CEL, it could be:
A. High flow cats could trigger the post cat o2 sensor - easy solution. When? The post cat sensor compares itself (low oxygen level) to the pre cat sensor (high oxygen level) and from the ratio determines that the high flow cat converter has not removed enough oxygen (implying inefficiency with pollutant removal). The solution to this is very simple: you "cheat" by removing the post cat o2 sensor away from the stream. This could be done by either bung extension or the spark plug non-fouler method. Easy, simple, cost a few dollars plus handyman's fee.
Some exhaust has the extension built into its design - there is nothing "magical" about this and if you so desire, as mentioned it's a simple mattter to add bung extension.
B. ECU Tune running rich or lean and trigger pre cat sensor: talk to your tuner. This is ECU problem unrelated to the exhaust.
C. ECU Tune running rich and destroys the cat: A very distinct possibility when you have an after-market ECU mod in your car and it runs rich. Unfortunately this means you will have to change the cat.

8. Other components in the car affect the sound, and you will be very surprised what does. An ECU tune could alter the sound of the exhaust rather significantly: in my car it makes the idle noise louder and removes some of the deep rumbling (not good). Before I tried GIAC tune, I had EVOMSit. With the EVOMSit tune added, the Cargraphic's exhaust became not just loud, but extremely loud. It sounded high strung, stressful at idle, much like a diesel truck. No one else had talked about the following either but I found out that EVOMS raised the idle RPM by a couple hundreds RPM, regardless of what mode, and this added to the loudness problem at idle. I got a headache every time I drove the car so we decided to remove the EVOMS tune. Immediately, the noise problem disappeared. (In retrospect, I am glad for EVOMS's generous return policy that allowed me to switch to GIAC, which in my car has no noise problem whatsoever. I found it amazing that the 2 tunes, EVOMS and GIAC, sound so differently (and drive so differently) from each other.)

9. Convertibles have less sound proofing than coupes, so keep that in mind. Some people prefer a more quiet exhaust system like Miltek and Tubi for convertibles, some want the full loudness. It's strictly a matter of personal preference, no wrong or right. It also makes it even more important to try to audition a car that's as similar to yours as possible.

10. Drone in Automatic: In a manual car, the way to not hear resonance/drone is to cruise in such a gear that your rpm is NOT in the 2000-2800 range. In an automatic car, I would imagine this could be a problem as you don't have as much control, unless you want to have to constantly change gear of your auto transmission during cruising. No direct experience and just speculating, anyone could correct me on this?

11. Idle versus WOT: The perfect exhaust for a daily driver should not be loud all the time. It actually should be quiet at idle, and as loud as tolerable at WOT. This is why the EVOMS tune with Cargraphic exhaust gave me a headache as mentioned above: it is loud at idle, like a diesel truck. (I am sure this tune changes all exhaust systems it pairs with, not just Cargraphic.)

12. BS Meter: The internet will always be full of arguments & exaggerations; kinda fun and doesn't bother me because I ignore poor-quality posters. I have a list of what I ignore - they are actually pretty funny, just not truthful 99% of the times:
1. Ours exhaust sounds more like a Porsche (vendor's BS, which Porsche and how?).
2. This quiet exhaust is for drivers who wear skirt (from fanatic loud exhaust owner).
3. This exhaust sounds like a truck/tractor/diesel (from fanatic quiet exhaust owner).
4. I have had 5 exhausts and this one sounds best, is best, works best, best reliability, best workmanship, best power, best blah blah (typical crazy internet stuffs).
5. I listened to exhaust A and it sounds like shiit, my exhaust nudge nudge wink wink is much better (mind already made-up, audition made solely to justify "mine is best").
While there are exceptions, 99% of the times any of the above when said would cause me to ignore poster. Look for them, it's pretty funny how often they are repeated across all forums.

13. Tunnel Audition: As mentioned above, frequently the best sound is from outside the car, and the best way to do it is to have someone do a fly-by of your car at WOT, with you standing in the sidewalk. Since most of us wouldn't want someone to abuse our car like this, is there an alternative? Happily, yes and very simple: take your car to a tunnel and accelerates through it in lower gear (so your speed is appropriately safe) to 7000 rpm.
You have not lived until you drive your car at WOT through a tunnel with windows down, and sunroof down. I promise you will come out with a silly grin, but beware that other drivers in other cars might not be pleased and in fact might even flip you the middle finger (in the US). It's really best to do it when there is no other car around. I have found this to be an amazing stress reduction exercise; very therapeutic after a long day at work for example.

14. A final note on auditioning:
Don't forget the music: During my first auditioning I sat on passenger seat, totally focusedr, with windows down intensely looking for any tiny bit of abnormal sound. In reality, what do we do when we drive? Windows up, music in back ground. So, especially if you listen to music loudly, the exhaust sound is overwhelmed by music, by road noise, by windows being up, etc. This is why I advocate to buy a little louder than you think you like. This is a sports car, have excitement in your life and don't miss this bucket -list item of an exhaust at full scream.
I cannot stress enough the difference between outside and inside sound. Outside sound such as cold start sound and fly-by sound with you on sidewalk (those youtube clippings) are exciting and are fun, but 99% of the time you are inside, where much of high and low frequency are filtered. So for inside sound, what you are looking for is a warm, substantial sound at WOT, and much less noise at idle or at cruising. Most reputable exhausts *are* like this - otherwise they would not be reputable right? Drive with windows up and down, with music on and off to see the huge difference.
There is no single best exhaust and this is not a popularity contest. Listen with your ears and pick what sounds best for you. Although the character of sound is important (some rumble down low, some don't, some have more staccato sound than others, etc.), loudness IMHO remains the most important and very personal parameter (it is a tradeoff between excitement and comfort, no right or wrong). Too loud then you have a headache, not loud enough and you feel terrible because it feels like some sound is dying to get out of the car and your inner aggression would never be dealt with adequately . A good loud exhaust scream is a bucket list item :-). Partly because I really like a loud satisfying scream from my exhaust at WOT, and especially if this is a weekend car (not a daily driver where you could get stuck for hours in traffic) and your neighbors are not a concern, I would vote to always err on the louder side.

Exhaust audition doesn't take long, it's fun, you get to meet another Porsche nut, and more is better because no question it *will* give you a better idea of what makes you happy, what not. Some of the ones that might be of interest to you as they span a range of sound: Cargraphic, EP, GMG, Tubi. If you like something, arrange to listen to it a second or third time, more is better when it comes to audition, no question about it because you gain experience as you listen more.

 

Pretty much agree with Cannga. Dont let the name fool you, loud is more 'just right' in my opinion. Wife friendly, neighbour friendly but plenty menacing when your pressing hard on the loud pedal.

 

Great write up - as always.

 

Thank you both.

Mine will be a coupe. Unfortunately, I don't have the opportunity to audition here.
Fortunately for us, but not necessarily for mother earth, we have no problems with emissions tests so we ca run catless.
I plan on the ECU upgrade + BMC Air Filter + Exhaust as upgrade step 1.

I do not want to hijack your thread Can. I will gladly ask you through pm if you don't mind...

 

Another picture:

 

It doesn't look that shinny in real life. But still... yummy!

 

Hi k_ddsl (see PM later -- yeah I am hopingto keep this thread about Cargraphic only ), I actually have driven the car that's coming to you, the PDK Turbo, and I could give a description of the 2 cars, stock 997.1 Turbo, and stock 997.2 PDK Turbo.

1. Stock 997.1 Turbo: What could I say. IMHO, one of the worst sounding sport exhausts of all times: whinny, continuous nature (no "fun" crackling or staccato sound), no low frequency rumbling at low rpm, no mechanical scream at high rpm. A cross between a hair dryer and a Lexus. The only advantage it has is that it's the most quiet, if that's what one is looking for.

2. Stock 997.2 PDK Turbo: An improvement over 997.1 Turbo. Warmer in sound and some low frequency bubbling. Much less of that whinny hair dryer sound.
But still very quiet, compared to GT3 and my Cargraphic. The Cargraphic has very a strong mid bass to mid range "punch" in the sound, that gives it a sense of power. There is not enough of this in the stock PDK Turbo.

Congrats on your new PDK Turbo btw. I am jealous. I test drove one and was absolutely stunned by how fast it feels. Made an un-modded 997.1 Turbo feel ponderous and slow! (An ECU modded 997.1 Turbo becomes an absolute must, to compete with this monster.)
The PDK Turbo still would benefit from an after-market exhaust like a Cargraphic though. No doubt in my mind about this.

 

When I first heard the "loud" version in Atomic80's car, I thought no way would that go on my car. But after I found out I might be sacrificing some power with the "medium", I went for the loud. I've been very pleased with my decision. The interior noise is very unobtrusive albeit there is a slight, but pleasing drone in the cabin in the 2650-2800 RPM range (I rarely drive at those RPMs). I recently took the car to the dealer for service, and I was surprised how loud it was when the service technician drove it back to his service stall. I now realize why heads turn as I drive by.

BTW I believe Can "auditioned" my car before he pulled the trigger on his exhaust. I think he also had the benefit of test driving the Bilstein coil over set up on my car before he became the consummate expert on suspension mods.

 

And the short shifter too, no?!
Thank you Larry. Was very nice of you to let me drive the car.

 

Your right again! Happy to oblige. It's is all part of the Porsche community to help each other where we can.

 

Just had my AWE gen 2 exhaust installed. It was purchased used from a 6speeder who traded in his car for a GT3. I must say that it's a bit louder inside the car than I had expected. I'm not sure I can say that there is drone but it's definitely got more midbass than the stock exhaust. I was thinking of ipod solutions for the car but I dunno anymore as this exhaust seems loud enough that I probably wouldn't listen to much music in the car. Maybe I just need to get used to it. I don't actually mind the stock exhaust sound. I briefly drove in a car at the dealer that had an aftermarket exhaust which I thought sounded really good inside and outside the car. Unfortunately, I never learned what brand the exhaust was but I think it was a Tubi. It had the same tips as the AWE one but I realize that means nothing. (As an aside, the tips on the Nissan GTR are ENORMOUS. There was one at the dealer I had install the exhaust).

As an audiophile I also appreciate reviews and other people's opinions but at the end of the day I rely on my own ears to judge a pair of speakers etc... After all, one person's mellifluous and balanced is another person's bass-heavy and loud. Listen for yourself if at all possible before parting with the dollars.

 

yeah Cargraphics exhaust sounds like an Audio Research M300 amp, PH 11 pre-amp, Sota turntable with Koetsu cartridge and Martin-Logan CLS speakers...not!......more like Klipsch speakers.

BTW, to review an exhaust without soundclips is just wrong....

 

No, dont agree. If your aftermarket exhaust has a drone ...its normal. It now just comes down to how loud the exhaust is (and who made it) and that will basically determine how bad the drone will be. The rest is all to do with the person as an individual and how much they are prepared to put up with/tolerate.

+ 100 % The Bogg, you are bang on the money!
If you want an exhaust and want the least amount of drone possible then I have the answer for you. Im now on my 3rd (inc stock) and LAST exhaust. You will like it. Keep the thought alive that you can have an ipod and a decent sounding exhaust....because you can. There is a solution and its called Europipe EP1. And, it actually makes the car go better too.