How loud is Active Exhaust?

[NGOT8R]

So your running headers and x pipe with AE exhaust? That shits loud loud, mine was like that for a week before taking the x off and adding the tru x resonator.

Good stuff! I don’t think it’s nearly as loud as some cars I’ve heard.

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[sabtaj1]

Strange. Mine seemed way way louder. Sounds good.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Frankly, I don't know why you found it impossible to live with. I even find it too quiet.

Believe it or not, not everybody likes loud exhausts. Especially when they're loud just to be loud.

An exhaust system that has some 'voice' to it is one thing, like more than a whisper but way less than shouting.


NGOT8R's videos provide good examples of the kind of sound I could never live with. And it's not just about how loud they are, either. There's an annoying 'blatty' character to the sound that's a huge turn-off. Way too aggressive, where "aggressive" is to be taken as a strongly negative description.


Norm

 

[Vlad Soare]

Believe it or not, not everybody likes loud exhausts. Especially when they're loud just to be loud.

I do believe that. But the AE in Quiet mode is far from loud.

 

[cactus_kid]

I did not get a GT becaue too loud with or without AE and could not find a way to make it livable. Had I know about the euro config I would have assessed fitting that.

Probably for the best as Ecoboost non hpp saves few hundred lbs.

Not sure where your numbers are coming from. The weight difference is minimal at best. The valves don't weigh squat.

 

[Bikeman315]

Not sure where your numbers are coming from. The weight difference is minimal at best. The valves don't weigh squat.

I believe he was talking about the weight difference between a GT and EB.

 

[FinitePrimus]

AE Track Mode is plenty loud unless you're really trying to be noticed. It has a lot of pops and burbles when you let off the gas and remains fairly quiet and subdued in normal light throttle driving. Getting on the gas more than 1/4 in the 2500-3500 range will turn most heads to find out what car is making all the noise. Getting on WOT at 6500 and people will hear the car from quite a distance and it will definitely be in the "law enforcement" range for most places. In a tunnel or in a city environment surrounded by buildings it's very loud.

Key benefit is when the law pulls up, you can quick toggle into normal mode and it's a stock stound. You can also program to auto start in Quiet mode (which is more like a Toyota Camray) either on every start or between hours such as midnight to 6am. If you live in a subdivision and don't hate your neighbors, this is a good option.

Track mode can become drone'ish and fatiguing on long trips at a steady highway RPM so it's nice to have the option to flick it into Sport, Normal, or even Quiet mode.

 

[Silver Bullitt]

One of the best sounding stock exhaust systems you will find. Although, I added an H-pipe for just a bit more. To me, it’s the perfect sound in sport mode with the H-pipe.

 

[cactus_kid]

I do believe that. But the AE in Quiet mode is far from loud.

Thankfully so. Ford designed it that way for a reason. With the hearing issues I now must live with, loud exhausts are simply that. Knowing that the resonator is not restrictive, what has one accomplished in removing it ? Nothing. I want HP/TQ gains. I'd sooner put money into engine work.

 

[cactus_kid]

I believe he was talking about the weight difference between a GT and EB.

If he's that worried, he should stick to his electric bicycle. I'm beginning to believe that he resides in what we call "uptown" and utilizes the bike lanes to travel the distance into downtown Dallas proper. That or, in "deep ellum." Another trendy area adjacent to the city core.

 

[DougS550]

My observation is the active exhaust in sport mode or track is clearly louder than the stock non-active exhaust. I think it also has a nicer, less tinny tone. It's not as loud, however, as many aftermarket systems but it can be made louder by adding a resonator delete X or H-pipe.

Absolutely agree. It sounds even better with the Borla Switch fire I put in. Snaps load on start, but after a couple of minutes sounds really good in sport.Good Luck

 

[Norm Peterson]

I do believe that. But the AE in Quiet mode is far from loud.

The catch is that different people have different reference points for what constitutes "loud". And the same person's reference point may well change over time. There's what I think is a non-AE EB Mustang across the street from me that from the outside is entirely loud enough for me. I'm assuming that it's still got the full stock exhaust, but I'm not positive.

Over the years - starting in the late 1960s - I've re-fitted various cars of ours with a variety of less-restrictive-than-stock exhaust systems. But none were ever as loud as or sounded as obnoxious as NGOT8R's. Like not even close . . . more like closer to what a non-active exhaust GT puts out (volume-wise) even in the louder ones.

FWIW, all of these replacement "systems" were DIY-designed and fabricated, basically amounting to "cat-backs" where the mufflers were either free-flowing Corvair turbo-style or variations on the classic straight-through "gass-pack" design. Some of those cars had headers; some of which were equal-length while others were shorties. And there was an X-pipe inspired configuration in there as well.


Norm

 

[dx2]

IIRC it's so loud that you can't get it in Europe as it doesn't meet their noise standards.
Your idea of loud vs mine or anyone else's is different also.
There must be someone near you with the AE that could give you a ride.

Here the S550 Mustangs are equipped with Active Exhaust only, but indeed the valves have a customized setting that allows the Mustang to stay almost at the top end of the legal sound limit here. Also the values do close more in lower speed intervals to maintain the legal limit throughout the rpm and throttle band.

Generally it sounds sufficient enough, it could be a bit more pronounced but I cannot complain. Since it is varying the exhaust gap with speed the dynamic with different speeds and throttle positions is really nice.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Thankfully so. Ford designed it that way for a reason. With the hearing issues I now must live with, loud exhausts are simply that. Knowing that the resonator is not restrictive, what has one accomplished in removing it ? Nothing. I want HP/TQ gains. I'd sooner put money into engine work.

This ^^^

I'd much rather have my car be more on the stealthy side - more performance potential of one sort or another than its exhaust might be advertising. That said, I could stand for my '08 to have just a little more 'voice' above 4000 rpm for when I'm driving it on the track with a helmet on and trying to capture it on GoPro. But I'm not going to mess with that car's exhaust until it needs replacement. Not worth it for the sound alone (yet). Though I think I still have a pair of Hooker straight-thru's tucked away somewhere that might just do the trick . . . if I'm really lucky they might even emphasize the characteristic sound of the X-pipe I've already put in.

I hear you on "hearing issues" - I need to wear haring aids for some situations, such as watching TV or for extended conversations.


Norm

 

[NGOT8R]

@Norm Peterson, I can respect your opinion sir, however, I feel as if a I’ve accomplished exactly what I had hoped to accomplish with my car’s intake and exhaust system. I made it sound good to my ears, while more importantly, making it possible for the engine to inhale/exhale better than it did from the factory. This was especially important to me because of my power adder. I personally don’t think any factory Mustang exhaust sounds good (to my ears), either with or without active exhaust, but that’s just my opinion. I do understand that every car enthusiast’s taste or sound preference may vary from one to the next and that’s ok with me. With that being said, I say, to all Mustang owners: “set your car up the way you want and as long as you like it, that’s all that really matters.”

Lastly, I am curious to know though, whether a person who was looking to buy a new Mustang would purchase one with LTHs or the factory exhaust if there was no difference in price?

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