S4 exhaust round up and reviews

New toys arrived today, another test on the way maybe ?
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sixpot said:
I have a full Scorpion system with the revised drone-free back boxes. Was originally fitted with the full noise system which was terrible! This system has zero drone, but I can't help thinking it may be a bit restrictive with the three way pass back box. Sound levels are just a bit higher than std, but the hotter the exhaust gets (after a good blast) the tone becomes deeper.
I also thought the tail pipes were too big, and went to Pipewerx to get custom ones fabricated.

Edit: Scorpion claim a +20 BHP gain with their system fitted.
Click to expand...

I have the same, I may go to a custom place and get some different back boxes welded in place.
 
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Powerflow custom made

This again was lent to me, my guys swapped the exhausts he had mine I had his for a week.
My fitter said it felt a little heavy, quality looked good. It had already been run in so tone would not change. Quite a loud exhaust this one, very intrusive in the cabin. Got it to 2300rpm and boom.... The dreaded drone !
This drone had an unpleasant effect on my ears like a vibration. The tone was good but very loud, the fart sounded good as did the overrun, lots of burble and popping. Even without the drone this would not be an exhaust for me, in a wrx or an evo maybe but we drive German luxury cars, if it too loud I think that cheapens them somewhat. It seems the owner agreed with me, he brought his stock exhaust and had that fitted back on. He had enjoyed having it stock again and will look for something new.

Round up ..... Loud, loud, loud, big drone! Build quality and fit were good but just way too loud. 4/10
 
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Fctaff said:
Powerflow custom made

This again was lent to me, my guys swapped the exhausts he had mine I had his for a week.
My fitter said it felt a little heavy, quality looked good. It had already been run in so tone would not change. Quite a loud exhaust this one, very intrusive in the cabin. Got it to 2300rpm and boom.... The dreaded drone !
This drone had an unpleasant effect on my ears like a vibration. The tone was good but very loud, the fart sounded good as did the overrun, lots of burble and popping. Even without the drone this would not be an exhaust for me, in a wrx or an evo maybe but we drive German luxury cars, if it too loud I think that cheapens them somewhat. It seems the owner agreed with me, he brought his stock exhaust and had that fitted back on. He had enjoyed having it stock again and will look for something new.

Round up ..... Loud, loud, loud, big drone! Build quality and fit were good but just way too loud. 4/10
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Surley if it's custom it could of been tweaked with larger silencers or additional resonators. A single slim resonator can reduce by 2-3dB.
 
Maybe so but when he had it fitted five years ago there was not much choice or maybe he liked it loud.. I did not question him much on why.. Let's not forget all the years these cars have been out and only now are we seeing an exhaust that has been designed without drone.

There is a fine line between free flow, noise and restrictions. This was loud, sounded nice not broken like the eBay special but not classy, a bit boy racer.
 
I have been reliably informed designing out the drone is the hard part, that is why they all suffer with it.

Full or half exhaust the only one I have heard has no drone is the new scorpion.
 
I agree with your observation of noise Vs class/marque.
I heard a noisey car come passed the Queens hotel in Cheltenham last night so I wanted to see what it was. It turned out to be a B8 RS4. It also struck me as being far too loud for a car of this status.

I also own a Subaru and these need to sound like a rally car but less than 100db in my opinion. Mine is 98dB and they are a lot less boomy but more crackley if decatted.

I went through Prodrive, Hayward & Scott (they may be an option for you), Magnex, straight centre and resonated centre. Finally settling on a TSL Grp'N item.
Which funnily enough, as i later found, are made by Scorpion.
 
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Scott.T said:
I agree with your observation of noise Vs class/marque.
I heard a noisey car come passed the Queens hotel in Cheltenham last night so I wanted to see what it was. It turned out to be a B8 RS4. It also struck me as being far too loud for a car of this status.

I also own a Subaru and these need to sound like a rally car but less than 100db in my opinion. Mine is 98dB and they are a lot less boomy but more crackley if decatted.

I went through Prodrive, Hayward & Scott (they may be an option for you), Magnex, straight centre and resonated centre. Finally settling on a TSL Grp'N item.
Which funnily enough, as i later found, are made by Scorpion.
Click to expand...

https://www.haywardandscott.co.uk
 
Really enjoying this thread...
An awful amount of energy in terms of design goes into producing an OEM exhaust system, which must fit within strict noise emmision criteria and in the case of Audi produce a signature sound synonymous with the brand.
How much time and energy do you think a 'custom' exhaust centre devotes to the process of trying to exceed the performance (physical and sound) of an OEM system which has been designed with computer aided modelling software and defined and refined by using white noise acoustic sound waves ? Not as much me thinks...
In reality the ideal senario is to take the OEM sound and ramp it up so that it is more pronounced yet without any of the dreaded drone. Remember the OEM's have to work within an overall noise tollerance of 74db which is measured on controlled tarmac with entry and exit points measuring a controlled distance with the vehicle under load. The misunderstanding often is that the noise emission is governed exclusively by the exhaust output, when in reality it covers engine - induction - tyre - and wind.
Fortunately we do not have to work to these restrictions, however, we do need to prduce a product that dials out ambient drone frequencys between 125 -135hz.
We took 4 attempts and 10 weeks to deliver a product that achieved this - and that's from a starting point of 31 years in the industry, and with a history of working with Lotus TVR Bentley and BMW.
Cheers
Nige
 
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Very true nige, most custom builders could not devote the time to each car. Not only would you have to do each model but each variant of that model. I used to work for a tvr dealer, they sounded amazing, wet the pants amazing.

I have a few more to test, the guy with the Powerflow has a mate, he is not up for removing his exhaust but is willing to lend me his car for a full day, he is coming to Cardiff Christmas shopping so I'm shouting him and his wife a good lunch for the use of the car for the day.
 
I'm interested in a valued system the capristo is geting my vote at the moment
 
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It's around £2200 is what I have been qouted do far
 
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Well if you get one, give it to me for a week first. I'll pay to have it fitted to your car after the test.
 
I would double check there is no drone with the valve closed, that is a fair chunk of change, you want it drone free.

I would not pull the trigger just yet, wait a few weeks for he tests to finish.
 
No defo the amtrax one is £3700 fitted !!
I have been in a RS5 with the capristo and it was fantastic sound and i also know a porshe thwt runs the capristo sys and it sounds loverly
 
Damn. Didn't think this would be a pathway I'd start looking down, but after reading this thread I've been looking and listening to youtube a fair bit. I said that the factory sound was good with me, especially after the tune. I don't know if its me but it kinda sounds better than it did originally. Might just be that I'm giving the car a bit more stick. I'm not too sure. So, saying that, I would freak if I changed it and found I had problems living with a new sound that I wasn't keen on after spending biggish bucks. We pay similar prices to you guys. I've got to give it to you Fctaff, you've got bigger kahoonas than me. The idea of "putting" an exhaust system on, and then changing it back a few times is too much for me, though it really is the only way to get a true appreciation of what it sounds like. On your car. I must admit, they do sound good though. My wifes getting sick of the sound coming out of the laptop. Some are really "screamy" and high pitched. But some seem to have that lovely throaty sound that the S4 should have. But thats youtube. I've got to figure out a way to hear these for real. Will ring my mechanics and ask them to let me know when they have S4s in with different systems that I could have a listen to perhaps. My vote so far, is for either the Borla, or the non resonated Milltek.
 
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I'll be honest most excluding the eBay specail have sounded nice, if they suit the car is a different matter. That is a totally subjective view point, I would say the most important thing is if possible a good road test.
On tick over and a quick road test you may love it, get it under load or on the motorway/freeway and when you get to the magic 2300-2500rpm boom drone. You can get it up hill on some roads, that is the killer. They may sound great but if they drone o man. It's not something you can escape, it's almost inside your head, your inner ear vibrates. Children find it particularly uncofortable, the one thing I have learned on this test is avoid drone at all costs.

I have the car with the Remus fitted next, then one more full test and that is it for now I think, unless something else pops up. Might do intakes next lol
 
Sounds much more raspy Ross, any drone on the motorway ?

Fantastic workmanship I may add
 
chucky1 said:
Damn. Didn't think this would be a pathway I'd start looking down, but after reading this thread I've been looking and listening to youtube a fair bit. I said that the factory sound was good with me, especially after the tune. I don't know if its me but it kinda sounds better than it did originally. Might just be that I'm giving the car a bit more stick. I'm not too sure. So, saying that, I would freak if I changed it and found I had problems living with a new sound that I wasn't keen on after spending biggish bucks. We pay similar prices to you guys. I've got to give it to you Fctaff, you've got bigger kahoonas than me. The idea of "putting" an exhaust system on, and then changing it back a few times is too much for me, though it really is the only way to get a true appreciation of what it sounds like. On your car. I must admit, they do sound good though. My wifes getting sick of the sound coming out of the laptop. Some are really "screamy" and high pitched. But some seem to have that lovely throaty sound that the S4 should have. But thats youtube. I've got to figure out a way to hear these for real. Will ring my mechanics and ask them to let me know when they have S4s in with different systems that I could have a listen to perhaps. My vote so far, is for either the Borla, or the non resonated Milltek.
Click to expand...

I found early on listening to sound clips is very deceiving, for one depending what it was recorded on ans played back on made a massive difference. That is why I decided to not use sound clips but how I felt about the sound . another point is, your not going to hear how it sounds outside really, I based my thoughts mainly the sound inside.

The sound inside is what you have to live with day in day out, so to me that is the most important sound. It's nice to have it sound a bit more aggressive to the public too but you do not want to rattle your neighbours crockery or wake the whole street comming home at 3am.

My advice to anyone looking for an exhaust is ask about drone, for me drone is a no go area.
 
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Fctaff said:
Sounds much more raspy Ross, any drone on the motorway ?

Fantastic workmanship I may add
Click to expand...
Thanks mate.

Its sound spot on for me, and its only raspy when your really giving it some beans. I cant deny there is an element of drone, but as per the message above, i only notice it on a long uphill section of motorway i drive daily. Just plodding about daily i think its fine and unobtrusive.

My plan was to make my own exhaust from the xpipe back. The plan being welding in electonic valves to control the sound a bit more. I have fone a similar setup on an old car, and it was spot on. Just cant find the time just now!
 
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A lot of homework will be needed on this me thinks.
 
audi upgrades
Remus

Some nice chap called Clive trusted me with his S4 for the day, he drove in to Cardiff for the day and I got the train in and was waiting for him a 8.45am. We rung my insurance and put a days cover on it.

This exhaust has been on the car for years ( it's was on it when he bought it 18m ago ) so is well run in, first impressions was it was quieter more subtle then the other so far. Can not comment on fit or quality as it was on the car. Just tootaling round the street it was nice, not to loud but something there. Foot down it woke up a bit and sounded nice, the farts and blips on downshifts were clearly audible and a nice spit and burble on overrun..

Now for the motorway run, could this be the one you all ask. ( To date I have only been out in one car that did not seem to drone. I was a passenger and it was a brief trip but was promising, more to come on this. )

So I hit the motorway, started to build up some speed and ..... Drone at 2300-2500 sigh... Not massive, not painful but present this is not the holy grail. I would say this was probably the least drone but I want no drone damn it !

Ran the car for about ten hours, city, town, mountain roads and motorway.

Round up..... Nice sound, quite subtle highlights all the important parts of the drive, suffers some drone 8/10
 
Hay good reviews can I surgest that you add them all to the first post for ease also what system have you been in with no drone !! I know Remus ate working on there valuved x pipe at ghe moment! Have you had chance to test any valued systems or any plans to ?

I'm going value or just sticking to standard set up as mine has the valued system from Audi

Thanks Bob
 
razza1 said:
What valved system from Audi is that? Didn't think the S4 had valves?
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I had the dynamic pack and sport diff with all the driver set up ect so when I put it in you dynamic the values open for more noise you can here the difference I gave the custom seg up to comfort apart from engine noise ghats set to dynamic.
 
Nope it's done thro the exusat if you look down the back box you can see the value second pipe in to the centre I was unsure my self till someone told me so I had a look and you can see the value
 
As far as i know if you have the sport diff you have to have the dynamic pack that then gives you the vaule exuast this is what i have been told as i said i was told this and when looked down the back baox you could see the vaule so i took it as true
 
I was under the impression it was just extra noise also but I'm happy to be corrected.

Can't add things to the first post, it can only be edited for a short time after posting. I'm hoping to test the no drone full exhaust next, watch this space !
 
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razza1 said:
Can you see a controller for the valve on the exhaust?
Click to expand...
Not looked tbh only had a quick look down the pipes and seen what looked like a value.

I may well be wrong would not be the first time lol
 
Fctaff said:
I had the infinity exhaust but it was just a little to loud for my toddler, it settled in nice and if I were not doing school runs with a whiny toddler it would have been fine.

The infinity
The quality was excellent, the tone was strong and deep, sounded great on overrun and on hard throttle. There was a slight drone at around 2.5k under load, as wales is all vallys, it's under load 50% of its life. The drone was not excessive but in a 4year olds world it interrupted the frozen watching on DVD it's the end of the world.
I returned to infinity and they did not think they could get it to a level that would not drown out frozen a little. So we returned it to stock, frozen was once again returned to perfect clarity, o the joy !

Round up..... Beefy sound, great build quality and fit, slight drone at 2.5k 8/10

I was talking to a guy who had bought an S4 exhaust from eBay, he fitted it and removed it. I phoned him and asked if he had returned it yet, he said he had not so a plan was hatched. I was going to try and review a few a few exhausts and post the results here.

I popped to his house and picked it up, drove straight to a friends garage and had it fitted.

The EBay Specail
This is a no name eBay special, straight out the gate it looks cheap and somewhat flimsy. Does not look worth its £400 price tag, fitting is a nightmare, nothing fits well, it has to be muscled on.
As soon as its started its bad, sounds like it's touching the underside rattling, buzzing and knocking. I drove it up the road and o dear, it sounded bad, like every 17year olds nova with flick on bits. Did not sound beefy like the infinity, just sounded broken !
I was in for the long run and thought I would run it for a week or until the owner had to return it. Took the wife out in it and she was mortified, the car really did sound like a shed. People stopped and turned and looked to see what was making this racket. Needless to say it was removed first thing this morning, on the drive home I had the song "silence is golden" stuck in my head lol

Round up..... sounds broken, terrible cheap nasty poorly fitting Rubbish, knocks rattles 0/10

Now the guy that bought the eBay jobbie has now bought a milltek, this arrives tomorrow and I have blagged it as he is working away from wednessday. So I should have it for a week to see what I think, I just have to pay to have it fitted to his car later.

Milltek
Watch this space.
Click to expand...

Hi all I have the awe tuning touring exhaust with resonated downpipes and find it to be a great sounding system without being droney. Mine is an s-tronic s4 and this exhaust suits it perfectly.also had the car stage 1 tuned recently and on the rollers the car made 23bhp more than stock just from the exhaust and a replacement pipercross filter.
 
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