[Boostedphil698]

Originally Posted by ozymandias435

I was not. Fabspeed Sport Cat + mid pipe + AWE Muffler was the setup

Hmmm, that's interesting. I've heard people with the same setup say it's not bad.

[ozymandias435]

Originally Posted by 435i_Phil

Hmmm, that's interesting. I've heard people with the same setup say it's not bad.

sound is highly subjective. I lost the day to day drivability enjoyment with it. Still a great system no doubt just not for me. My Borla S type + Fabspeed appears to be my sweet spot for sound

[f32ftw]

Originally Posted by ozymandias435

sound is highly subjective. I lost the day to day drivability enjoyment with it. Still a great system no doubt just not for me. My Borla S type + Fabspeed appears to be my sweet spot for sound

I think the bottom line is that this exhaust was engineered to be paired with a stock downpipe. I'm using it now with a stock downpipe and it sounds good but it's not that loud. Once you go catless or catted there will be drone, the tone will change (more raspy), and it will be much louder. If AWE can engineer a resonated midpipe that is meant to be used with a downpipe that would probably help but I doubt they would consider this.

[thejeremyman9]

Originally Posted by f32ftw

I think the bottom line is that this exhaust was engineered to be paired with a stock downpipe. I'm using it now with a stock downpipe and it sounds good but it's not that loud. Once you go catless or catted there will be drone, the tone will change (more raspy), and it will be much louder. If AWE can engineer a resonated midpipe that is meant to be used with a downpipe that would probably help but I doubt they would consider this.

The other option is to just buy your own OTS resonator from any company of your choice and have that added to your midpipe. Might be a little guess and check to get what you want but would make your exhaust unique. I know Ozy considered that, but ended up just going back to the Borla.

[Boostedphil698]

Originally Posted by thejeremyman9

The other option is to just buy your own OTS resonator from any company of your choice and have that added to your midpipe. Might be a little guess and check to get what you want but would make your exhaust unique. I know Ozy considered that, but ended up just going back to the Borla.

The best video I can say to watch, to see what a catted dp would sound like with the full AWE system is by Kies Motorsports.

[ozymandias435]

Originally Posted by 435i_Phil

The best video I can say to watch, to see what a catted dp would sound like with the full AWE system is by Kies Motorsports.

I had watched all of his exhaust videos before purchasing. Still do not provide a quality reference on what it will sound like in the cabin under different throttle conditions. Hey man give the Fabspeed a shot. You may like it and I genuinely hope that you do. Just trying to help out!

[Boostedphil698]

Originally Posted by ozymandias435

I had watched all of his exhaust videos before purchasing. Still do not provide a quality reference on what it will sound like in the cabin under different throttle conditions. Hey man give the Fabspeed a shot. You may like it and I genuinely hope that you do. Just trying to help out!

Personally, I'd like my AWE exhaust to be louder. It just seems to tame sometimes. The tone I like though.

[ozymandias435]

Originally Posted by 435i_Phil

Personally, I'd like my AWE exhaust to be louder. It just seems to tame sometimes. The tone I like though.

Sounds like the AWE + Fab will be perfect for you then!

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by 435i_Phil

Personally, I'd like my AWE exhaust to be louder. It just seems to tame sometimes. The tone I like though.

Originally Posted by ozymandias435

Sounds like the AWE + Fab will be perfect for you then!

+1 AWE + catted DP

[MAKH 5]

Originally Posted by ozymandias435

I had watched all of his exhaust videos before purchasing. Still do not provide a quality reference on what it will sound like in the cabin under different throttle conditions. Hey man give the Fabspeed a shot. You may like it and I genuinely hope that you do. Just trying to help out!

You think its possible you didn't let it set in long enough... the two paired. For me, Cold starts have gotten louder, WOT/Upshifts sound more aggressive. Thats about it. All other situations i'd say its pretty tame if not the same as AWE+Midpipe with stock downpipe.

I will agree that everyone has a different noise tolerance

[ozymandias435]

I was aware that it would mellow over time but I made a calculated decision to take off and send back while they would still accept the return. I was factoring and imagining it becoming a little quieter and still felt that it was going to be too much drone for me to handle long term. My Borla does have a nice refined sound and 0 drone so I will happily carry on with that system.

[Boostedphil698]

Originally Posted by ozymandias435

I was aware that it would mellow over time but I made a calculated decision to take off and send back while they would still accept the return. I was factoring and imagining it becoming a little quieter and still felt that it was going to be too much drone for me to handle long term. My Borla does have a nice refined sound and 0 drone so I will happily carry on with that system.

I have a lot of choppy straight piped muscle around me, and I'm so use to that I think my sense of loud has changed lol.

[ChrisFulton]

Jesus. The car in the video sounds horrible.
Like a Civic with a fart can and a 600cc sport bike with a pipe made a baby together.

[Boostedphil698]

Originally Posted by ChrisFulton

Jesus. The car in the video sounds horrible.
Like a Civic with a fart can and a 600cc sport bike with a pipe made a baby together.

It sounds like every other N55 out there with a catback exhaust and a downpipe.

[chinniciF32]

so it seems most think the full AWE system is too loud when paired with an after market dp (both catted and no cat). Has anyone had anyluck with the AWE midpipe only with the MPE axel back and an aftermarket DP? What are your thoughts?

I like the sound I have now it sounds refined and sporty but when my buddy drives by in his 440i mppsk I get jealous and want to add a little more sound (I know they are completely different engines).

[thejeremyman9]

Originally Posted by chinniciF32

so it seems most think the full AWE system is too loud when paired with an after market dp (both catted and no cat). Has anyone had anyluck with the AWE midpipe only with the MPE axel back and an aftermarket DP? What are your thoughts?

I like the sound I have now it sounds refined and sporty but when my buddy drives by in his 440i mppsk I get jealous and want to add a little more sound (I know they are completely different engines).

It seems like a waste of money to get a AWE or any other expensive aftermarket midpipe. Why wouldn't you just try a res delete if you currently have stock midpipe and MPE axleback? Deleting the res is going to increase volume and turbo noise a bit and make it more raspy. I have a res delete with fabspeed catted DP and stock axleback.

[chinniciF32]

Originally Posted by thejeremyman9

It seems like a waste of money to get a AWE or any other expensive aftermarket midpipe. Why wouldn't you just try a res delete if you currently have stock midpipe and MPE axleback? Deleting the res is going to increase volume and turbo noise a bit and make it more raspy. I have a res delete with fabspeed catted DP and stock axleback.

thats pretty much what someone said on the other exhaust thread I was looking at, a non-resonated stock mid pipe will sound pretty much the same as the after market options. Its pretty loud when I have it in sport because in the mhd settings I have set to keep the exhaust flap always open in sport. I wonder if I delete the res will it sound like the exhaust flap is always open in all modes? I'll have to find that out for my self

[thejeremyman9]

Originally Posted by chinniciF32

thats pretty much what someone said on the other exhaust thread I was looking at, a non-resonated stock mid pipe will sound pretty much the same as the after market options. Its pretty loud when I have it in sport because in the mhd settings I have set to keep the exhaust flap always open in sport. I wonder if I delete the res will it sound like the exhaust flap is always open in all modes? I'll have to find that out for my self

If its already borderline too loud for you right now, deleting the resonator might push it over the edge, so consider that. It is technically reversible though.

Here's my before and after video deleting resonator with aforementioned mods. Keep in mind the car sounds completely different from this angle but it gives you an idea of the change with a stock axleback. The car is way more tame inside the cabin than this video makes it sound.

[JWoody]

I have the AWE exhaust installed on my '14 335i, just did it about ~6mos ago. After reading all the Threads and watching Kies clips I came to the same conclusion. I kept the stock DP in.

With a Race DP, Hi-flo cat or none, its going to drone. For whatever reason AWE just didn't put a resonator in the mid-pipe like the OE.

A decent DP with Hi-flo cat, and if AWE had a mid-pipe res that would solve all the problems. Or as discussed, swap in the OE res on the AWE mid-pipe.

The drone is just barely there at speed in 8th, at ~85mph just touching -~2.3k RPM. The setup tho has a very nice burble in Sport+ mode using the paddles in my M-sport. In 7th at 80-85mph @ ~3k RPM is very noticeable but not to the point where it annoys me, YMMV.

-J

[snipagang]

Originally Posted by Nustle14

On our 320, we have an AWE cat back, catted downpipe and BM3-1. VERY loud on cold start and then quiets down after 15-20 seconds into a nice rumble. We installed the exhaust first, then the downpipe a few months later. The DP increased the volume and tone significantly. We experienced a little drone a couple times in Comfort mode at ~38-40 mph in very low RPMs. Nothing consistent and doesn't last but a second or two. No reports of drone Sport mode.

did you notice a power increase? Im catless stage 1 and it feels like the exhaust has some restriction to it still.

[n55david]

Originally Posted by snipagang

did you notice a power increase? Im catless stage 1 and it feels like the exhaust has some restriction to it still.

lol oh, it feels like a restriction? kk

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by snipagang

did you notice a power increase? Im catless stage 1 and it feels like the exhaust has some restriction to it still.

Per AWE's dyno numbers, there is some power to be gained by upgrading from the stock exhaust but its not much