[M BROK3]

Originally Posted by Richurd

Eisenmann race.

+1 nothing says LOUD like eisenmann

p.s. I was selling mine for 1100 but heard all other exhaust in person i.e. vanguard, remus etc and changed my mind ... drone bothers me sometimes but nothing some loud music cant solve haha

only thing that will make me change the exhaust is when I decide to get dp's

[Dr. G]

Originally Posted by jetblackcoupe

I should add a few things to make the decision clearer:

- I want a quad setup. Apparently, this doesn't matter since any exhaust can be made quad via quad tips.

- I don't mind "drone" at ALL. If drone means the same thing I hear when I'm in my friend's shelby gt500 w/ borla exhaust during low rpm's, then that's more than fine with me.

- I'm planning on getting the following this summer: chip, intake, exhaust, and POSSIBLY downpipes. I've heard that some exhaust systems react differently with dp's than others, making some raspy and ricer-y (I don't want that). I want an exotic sound that is the loudest possible without sounding nasty like straight pipes. From youtube videos, bastuck sounds AMAAAAZING. I was set on getting that until I looked it up, and I heard remus/bastuck/ae, etc. were all pretty tame compared to vanguard/eisenmann. I've heard remus is person - much nicer than stock, but nothing really loud, which is what I want.

- Price plays a role. Remus and Vanguard are fine. Bastuck starts to get pricey, and Eisenmann I would have to buy used.

If anyone has owned any of the mentioned exhaust systems (with or without dp's), can you please give a list of pro's and con's? Right now,

AE - too tame, overhyped
Remus Race - tame but deep, sounds good in person, only one I've heard
Bastuck - really exotic sound, but apparently also tame
Vanguard - inexpensive and loud, but comes dual tips
Eisenmann Race - by far the loudest, very expensive

AE - very tame, and also sounds bad in my opinion, I prefer stock over AE
Remus Race - have not heard in person, but heard it is deep, but not very loud (a secondary cat delete or downpipes could change this since it's only a muffler)
Bastuck - I think the "exotic" part of this exhaust is overhyped. The youtube video with the camera right by the tips makes it sounds unreal and amazing, but look at any other video and it just sounds "ok"
Vanguard - Pretty loud, can be converted to quads, has a very deeeep sound
Eisenman - Has a deep sound down low, and a very exotic scream up top, drones a lot, but is the loudest option other than HPF, a LOT of them go on sale for $900-1200 on the classifieds section.

[jetblackcoupe]

Originally Posted by Dr. G

AE - very tame, and also sounds bad in my opinion, I prefer stock over AE
Remus Race - have not heard in person, but heard it is deep, but not very loud (a secondary cat delete or downpipes could change this since it's only a muffler)
Bastuck - I think the "exotic" part of this exhaust is overhyped. The youtube video with the camera right by the tips makes it sounds unreal and amazing, but look at any other video and it just sounds "ok"
Vanguard - Pretty loud, can be converted to quads, has a very deeeep sound
Eisenman - Has a deep sound down low, and a very exotic scream up top, drones a lot, but is the loudest option other than HPF, a LOT of them go on sale for $900-1200 on the classifieds section.

So based on that, used Eisenmann or new Vanguard?

[snosk8tr123]

I have the harmon motive exhaust(old vishnu exhaust) + catless downpipes and it is definitely loud, but it does not come in quads. you should check that out.

also, I think people say the bastuck is "tame" because it is only replacing the muffler section. Im sure that when combined with some catless midpipes and catless downpipes, it will be plenty loud. From the clips I've heard it seems like one of the best sounding + loud.

another one worth mentioning is the AMS exhaust. I'm not sure how loud it is in person but from the clips it seems pretty loud. + it is the lightest exhaust as far as I know, since it has just one pipe running down.

[Syndicategt]

Not sure why people are saying AE is overhyped, people buy it for a reason....it's good! It is one of the best performing exhaust made for the N54, in terms of hp gains and weight savings. Yes it's probably the most tame sounding exhausts made, but my mature ears prefer it that way. One doesn't need a loud booming exhaust screaming "here I am....please look at me" to enjoy their car and aftermarket mods. Just my $0.02, but 15-20 years ago I probably would have went for the louder pipes too.

[jetblackcoupe]

Originally Posted by Syndicategt

Not sure why people are saying AE is overhyped, people buy it for a reason....it's good! It is one of the best performing exhaust made for the N54, in terms of hp gains and weight savings. Yes it's probably the most tame sounding exhausts made, but my mature ears prefer it that way. One doesn't need a loud booming exhaust screaming "here I am....please look at me" to enjoy their car and aftermarket mods. Just my $0.02, but 15-20 years ago I probably would have went for the louder pipes too.

True. But from my perspective, an exhaust is pretty expensive. I don't wanna make a decision based on a few less pounds or a few more horses. If I'm gonna spend that much, I want to hear it as much as I can when I give gas.

[triggz]

Magnaflow Mufflers + Catless Downpipes + Cat Delete + Vibrant Resonators + Cyba Quad Tips = Amazing

[Island Road]

Originally Posted by Syndicategt

Not sure why people are saying AE is overhyped, people buy it for a reason....it's good! It is one of the best performing exhaust made for the N54, in terms of hp gains and weight savings. Yes it's probably the most tame sounding exhausts made, but my mature ears prefer it that way. One doesn't need a loud booming exhaust screaming "here I am....please look at me" to enjoy their car and aftermarket mods. Just my $0.02, but 15-20 years ago I probably would have went for the louder pipes too.

I would have to agree with this. I have a AE quad and its pretty loud from what everybody tells me. Also sounds exotic compared to other cars. I am not sure if there is a difference in sound compared to just single tip but i'm told its louder from AE. Then again i have never head any other exhaust in person so i cant comment on that but i get burble with my PLM catless DP installed and pretty much always drive with the windows down and music off so i can just listen to my exhaust haha.

If they had Vanguard quads i would love to try that though. I need to hear vanguard in person! I would never buy an exhaust that is only axle back also. As for gain the HP figures are so minimal I would not base my decision on that.

[jetblackcoupe]

^if you get downpipes, the difference between catback and axleback becomes less significant... and most of the loudest/best sounding exhausts are axleback

[ttbmer]

I had AMS before and it was loud really loud, AE great quality, good finish but I did not like it sound wise. I also heard HKS is really nice.

[M Tree]

im running vanguard + AR DP's and it's loud as hell, which i love. I've contacted vanguard before trying to see if they would release some quad tips because that would make my setup that much better, however they were reluctant to give me a good details and said they would keep me posted.

[Dr. G]

Originally Posted by Syndicategt

Not sure why people are saying AE is overhyped, people buy it for a reason....it's good! It is one of the best performing exhaust made for the N54, in terms of hp gains and weight savings. Yes it's probably the most tame sounding exhausts made, but my mature ears prefer it that way. One doesn't need a loud booming exhaust screaming "here I am....please look at me" to enjoy their car and aftermarket mods. Just my $0.02, but 15-20 years ago I probably would have went for the louder pipes too.

Well for me personally it's not about how loud AE is... it's about how it sounds... we heard it at our local meet and the whole gruop of us was shocked to hear that it actually sounds pretty bad if you stand back from a distance and hear the car go WOT... the stock mufflers with a catless setup sounded a LOT better to the whole group of us (over 20 people).

In terms of HP, the power comes from the cat deletes not really from the piping so it really doesn't make much of a difference.

Also OP asked for loudest, deepest.... so the AE doesn't fit the bill at all.

Take for example the PE... isn't the loudest/deepest, but if you hear it in person it sounds so much more refined and engineered in comparison to the AE.

Originally Posted by islandroad83

I would have to agree with this. I have a AE quad and its pretty loud from what everybody tells me. Also sounds exotic compared to other cars. I am not sure if there is a difference in sound compared to just single tip but i'm told its louder from AE. Then again i have never head any other exhaust in person so i cant comment on that but i get burble with my PLM catless DP installed and pretty much always drive with the windows down and music off so i can just listen to my exhaust haha.

If they had Vanguard quads i would love to try that though. I need to hear vanguard in person! I would never buy an exhaust that is only axle back also. As for gain the HP figures are so minimal I would not base my decision on that.

AE ddidnt sound exotic at all to me.... heard one that was completely catless it sounded ok close up, but when it took off down the road I was liek WTF?? and the whole gruop around me agreed that it didnt sound like what we were expecting from it.

Out of all the exhausts I heard at the meet (including stock) I would recommend AE last.

[woodga16]

^which do you recommend? Not a lot of modded BMWs here in SC, all I have is youtube...

[Bullet]

Vangaurd with quad tips! Love mine, and everyone always says it sounds so mean when i pass them and I'm running without kitties dp's right now
/thread.

[jetblackcoupe]

Originally Posted by Bullet

Vangaurd with quad tips! Love mine, and everyone always says it sounds so mean when i pass them and I'm running without kitties dp's right now
/thread.

How did you convert to quad? What tips did you use?

[jetblackcoupe]

some videos:

^best sounding by far

this is an impossible decision...

[ducati955]

i have a bastuck quad w ar dp's its nasty.. well it was really nasty after 3-4000 miles.. snaps crackles pops... everyone loves it....

i got rearended.. now i need another and im pissed about the break in period... i wouldn't get another exhaust..

this topic is tuff without hearing them in person!

[Island Road]

Originally Posted by Bullet

Vangaurd with quad tips! Love mine, and everyone always says it sounds so mean when i pass them and I'm running without kitties dp's right now
/thread.

Pic of your setup?

Originally Posted by Dr. G

AE ddidnt sound exotic at all to me.... heard one that was completely catless it sounded ok close up, but when it took off down the road I was liek WTF?? and the whole gruop around me agreed that it didnt sound like what we were expecting from it.

Really, maybe i just need to hear more exhaust in person. Personally i love the sound. Maybe this weekend Weather permitting i will make a video.

As for the OP def not one of the loudest though. I would do Vanguard with Quads!

[jetblackcoupe]

it's coming down to vanguard quad, bastuck quad, or (used) eisenmann race quad.. any videos or comments from owners (with out without catless dp's) would be appreciated!!

[tofu-]

Originally Posted by jetblackcoupe

it's coming down to vanguard quad, bastuck quad, or (used) eisenmann race quad.. any videos or comments from owners (with out without catless dp's) would be appreciated!!

hear them in person

i have heard all three in person and the youtube videos do not represent any of them accurately

if i had to sum them up in an adjective: vanguard generic, eisenmann thunderous, and bastuck symphonious

[Dr. G]

Originally Posted by jetblackcoupe

it's coming down to vanguard quad, bastuck quad, or (used) eisenmann race quad.. any videos or comments from owners (with out without catless dp's) would be appreciated!!

After hearing the exhausts in person and comparing them to the videos I can assure you that youtube is the worst source for judging how an exhaust will sound.

Although you can get an idea of the general tone, there's just too many other factors which can alter how an exhaust sounds on video.

I would do any of these 3 options:

1) Eisenman Race, with either downpipes or a second cat delete... total beast (if you can handle drone)
2) Vanguard if you want a really deep and beastly sound (very minor drone)
3) BMW PE completely catless with resonators - if you don't mind being completely catless and want a higher pitched scream (VERY quite in cabin, LOUD outside)

[hipnotic]

muffler delete with quad tips if you want loud and no problem with drone and cheapest. ROFL