You can't capture the real sound of an exhaust system on a vid or recorder, ya gotta hear the systems in person at places like meets and shows. If you're deciding on an exhaust system that's the only true place to hear exhaust systems....honest! Wish someone had told me this before I bought or was sponsored 4 different systems....
Gary

 

So the drone....how is it? I mean do you still hear it from 2k-4k rpm? I have trouble driving fast with a girl in the car and trying to keep a conversation (not due to my people skills lol). I have to drive extremely slow to keep the RPM's down.

Can you rate it 1-10? 1 being OEM and 10 being XO2 with non-resonated test pipes.

 

Getting on the freeway on is the best part, listening to her sing thru the gears. Once you settle down in traffic there is no cabin/interior noise, rasp or hiss.
Gary

 

So how much did you end up paying for part and install? I'm thinking of getting test pipes and the magnaflow x-pipe but don't know which I should get first, both are around $1-200.

 

Magnaflow crossover was $83 and my muffler genius charged me $125 to cut, fit and weld it into my HKS exhaust....not an easy job done right. Results are amazing with slip fittings....perfect job!
Gary

 

I have the same x pipe in 2.25 in/out, as my exhaust is 2.25 all the way back.

I do have rasp above 4.5k, but only because I do not have any resonators, and my HKS mufflers are Hi Powers, with no hemholtz resonators either.

 

Why would you destroy your HKS exhaust system like that, do you have any idea how many hours of testing went into developing that sound? You would have been better off with Stillens true-dual system, made and designed by Magnaflow.
Gary

 

Just an update to this subject, I just got my resonated X-pipe installed earlier. I replaced the xo2 resonators with the RESONATED X-pipe while keeping my H-pipe. The exhaust sounds TOTALLY different, little to no cabin noise, and it doesn't make your ears ring anymore. The pitch is close to stock, but about 4 times louder if I had to guesstimate. Now I'm thinking of some resonated test pipes to make it a tad louder, hopefully not raspy.

 

Wait a sec...which resonators did you replace? There are only the ones in the front of the exhaust (the H pipe) and the ones all the way at the back... But you said you kept the H pipe, so you replaced the ones in the back?

 

No he just chose not to get rid of the H-pipe. He got rid of the resonators right behind the H-pipe and put in the X-pipe. There's enough room to fit it in there.

 

The idea behind this thread was replacing the HKS crossover with a Magnaflow x-pipe to fix the restriction in the crossover. The idea of the X-Pipe is to blend the exhaust pulses and it does a far better job than the crossover. I can't imagine using it to replace resonators even in a replica system....
Gary

 

I didn't buy a kit lmao.

My stock Y pipe frayed from being too low, so I picked up 2 universal 60mm to 130mm HKS Hi Power mufflers and the 2.25 magnaflow x Pipe.

There isn't a need on the VQ platform for more than a dual 2.25in exhaust. Not to mention the only cat replacements I plan on getting are ART pipes, and they are 2.25in, resulting in the most efficient exhaust flow possible.

I have no idea if HKS makes their exhaust kits in house anymore, but my mufflers are extremely well crafted and even came packed in Japanese newspaper. (The Nikkei 225 section no less)

They definitely haven't lost me as a fanboy.

 

You wouldn't be a HKS "Fanboy" had you spent $1300 for their cat-back exhaust only to discover there was a restriction in the left bank due to **** poor quality control. And then had to spend more $$ buying a Magnflow X-Pipe plus install to correct the restriction. And then there was the HKS attitude, "Just send it back with your receipt and we'll take care of it!" How do you send your system back, and how long will your ride be down? Naa I was a fan too, not anymore....
Gary

 

I understand completely. In fact it was one of the reasons that led me to a setup custom.

I'm wouldn't spend $1300 on a system knowing there was a chance of that, let alone knowing the abuse my stock system took.

The benefit of a small town is you know everyone personally who turns a wrench on your car. I had my exhaust guy tuck the piping as high up as possible. Way less abuse then before.

 

just a thought to the thread. i know its quite old.

Cant you just cut/re-weld the H-Pipe of the hks to take out the restrictions?