Good but not loud rumble with the following parts...?

[Matthew1125]

So the time has finally come to really build up my car. This spring, I am planning to get a lot of work done, but only have one concern: sound.

The mods I currently have are:
Cobb Intake
Cobb Downpipe
Accessport Stage 2+ Map

My spring list includes the following which I have finalized with a tuner:

Tomei Equal Length headers
Blouch 2.5XT-R
Perrin 3” turbo inlet
Walbro Fuel Pump
ID 1000cc injectors
04-06 fuel pressure regulator
Process West TMIC
And some kind of cat back…

I know the headers will give me a completely different sound, but I don’t want it to be FREAKING LOUD. My problem is, I cannot find a video that has Tomei headers and Cobb DP with a catback system that sounds good.
Anyone have this setup, or can help me decide what cat back will give a nice but not LOUD sound.
Thanks in advance!

[pete25r]

I've got stock headers, a 3" no name downpipe and borla hush catback. That's to the best of my knowledge, bought my bugeye used with those parts on there.
Anyway it's not that loud but still sounds aftermarket. I remember reading somewhere that someone tested the borla hush vs. the stock cat-back and there was only a couple of decibles more when the borla hush was installed.
Just my two cents.
I've got a turbo to downpipe exhaust leak, stud fell out, but I can take some video of how it sounds when the bad weather blows over. Let me know.

[EJ257]

ELH cars will generally sound the same, given the same catback.

The only thing you need to be concerned with is ELH + XXX catback. The downpipe and header brands won't really make much difference. That said, videos will not give an accurate representation of the sound, and are far better off with in-person experience, where available.

[Ruh Roh]

I've got stock headers, a 3" no name downpipe and borla hush catback. That's to the best of my knowledge, bought my bugeye used with those parts on there.
Anyway it's not that loud but still sounds aftermarket. I remember reading somewhere that someone tested the borla hush vs. the stock cat-back and there was only a couple of decibles more when the borla hush was installed.
Just my two cents.
I've got a turbo to downpipe exhaust leak, stud fell out, but I can take some video of how it sounds when the bad weather blows over. Let me know.

id like to hear that. i have that autospeed which is a similar twin tip style with a resonator in mid pipe and catted downpipe. is your DP catted?

[Matthew1125]

Some videos I have seen with difference DPs have a slight pitch difference. But maybe its me...

As far as hearing different exhausts in person, thats really limited in my area. There are very few WRX/STIs in my area, and when you do see one, people don't mod them. So I have to search youtube with the highest quality videos possible and use my big speakers to get an idea.

[Axex]

I think a problem with the ELH sound change is that a lot of the catbacks "designed" for WRXs are thought up with the UEL stock header in mind. I've read of people changing to EL headers with the same catbacks and having resonance and other issues that weren't present before ( I don't think it is too common though, just do your research). The EL header should in general be quieter and smoother, but there may be frequencies that aren't muffled enough.

With the EL header you should consider getting something maybe custom made or using mufflers made for other cars with a similar sound. Just a thought. Hopefully with that much power you won't be limited by the catback as that would be a shame.

I can't comment on what would sound good, because I haven't heard a turbo Subaru with ELH that I've liked the sound of

[EJ257]

Some videos I have seen with difference DPs have a slight pitch difference. But maybe its me...

Catted vs catless, maybe. Regardless, that "slight pitch" difference could be caused by a bunch of things from the recording equipment used to record the audio/video, the compression of the file format, the conversion to FLV (in the case of YouTube), etc.

[Matthew1125]

So I'm starting to lose hope with ELH haha. Maybe a good up pipe with EWG and boost controller instead... *sigh*

[J_Maher_WRX]

I think a problem with the ELH sound change is that a lot of the catbacks "designed" for WRXs are thought up with the UEL stock header in mind. I've read of people changing to EL headers with the same catbacks and having resonance and other issues that weren't present before ( I don't think it is too common though, just do your research). The EL header should in general be quieter and smoother, but there may be frequencies that aren't muffled enough.

With the EL header you should consider getting something maybe custom made or using mufflers made for other cars with a similar sound. Just a thought. Hopefully with that much power you won't be limited by the catback as that would be a shame.

I can't comment on what would sound good, because I haven't heard a turbo Subaru with ELH that I've liked the sound of

I felt the same way for the longest time until I heard KillerB Motorsports ELH. Sounds very 'Porsche-ish' to me, which is a sound I am in love with check them out!

So I'm starting to lose hope with ELH haha. Maybe a good up pipe with EWG and boost controller instead... *sigh*

The uppipe itself wont change the sound at all, though the EWG certainly will I have a Nameless Performance Catback (no mufflers, 3") and a catless downpipe with a 44mm EWG and it ROARS. You can hear it almost two miles away...

[Matthew1125]

Wow, I really am digging the sound of the killer b headers from YouTube videos. I would definately go that route with an EWG. you have any videos of this setup? I'd love to hear it!

[Sinister]

Mad dad whisper is the quietest catback on the market. High quality stuff too.

[Sinister]

are you planning on E85 or 91?

[MainFrame]

I have Perrin ELH with TurboXS Stealthback and OEM STi muffler and 44mm EWG. Perrin ELH should sound pretty similar to Tomei..


Using my phone to record cuts most of the bass out of the sound unfortunately.

[Matthew1125]

93 is the highest octane around here. E85 is kind of rare around here...

[Sinister]

Cool. I was just curious because my build was similar but on E85.

If you want to spend less on injectors, I've got a set of used Deatchwerks 1000cc injectors that were new at 580... have 5k miles on them, flow 1160, and come with a 200 dollar rebate for your stock injectors. I'm selling them at 360 shipped. That's like an injector upgrade for 160 bucks