Stock BBB with 2.5 dual exhaust with x-pipe. Magnaflow or Flowmaster mufflers? Looking for a non tinny deep sound at idle and a bark when stepped on. Is just straight pipe with no X or H a better choice?
Flowmasters are too raspy for my taste. I like my Magnaflows. You should go to your local cruise night, listen to cars, and talk to the owners about what they are running. That's how I decided on the Magnaflows. For a 2 1/2" system, it's hard to beat the Walker 17749 mufflers.
Sound is subjective....What you like i may not. That being said, i have a set of Flowmaster 2.5 system but that was installed in the late 1980 when that was the go to sound. I'll take Larry's advice and head over to your local cruise night and have a listen.
I have gone to shows and asked questions. Problem is that nobody has the same style exhaust resulting in a very different sound from the same mufflers. That's the reason I was looking for a general opinion. Best way to describe my desire is that I am looking for that grunt sound at idle/ opened up without that tinny metal sound on acceleration /de-acceleration.
Is this the same muffler Larry? https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/wlk-17749/reviews?filters=&page=2 I installed flow master 40 series mufflers last summer on my '72 350. Although I like the sound, the drone has got to go!! Thinking I might go with these Dynomax mufflers.
That's just it Steve, everybody's exhaust is a bit different. Even the type of engine, compression and cam have a bearing on sound. I think you will find a lot of guys run the 17749 walker long case mufflers and LOVE them. I did back when I had a 2 1/2" system. They were quiet at cruise but screamed when you nailed it. Nice rumble at idle. That is the way my Magnaflows are and what I was looking for. I have the 470 with the small roller cam, MT headers, dual 3" with X pipe, and N25 exhaust out of the bumper (that changes sound as well). This is me leaving a cruise night.
TA 2.5" Dynomax ultra flow, very low in person, video (without headphones) picks up the high frequencies 430 bottom end, big port heads, mild cam, stg 1 springs, oil pump mods
I have used the 17749 Walker and now use the Walker Ultra flows. Love them both. Ultra flow is a little louder, but maintains mellow sound at any speed. My friend has Flowmasters and I would never tolerate them! Hit the throttle and aleart cops all over town...!
Here’s mine, 462 with a fat cam. 3 inch mandrel bent system with T/A headers. 40 series Flowmaster’s with 3 inch tail pipes and no crossover.
Don't worry about the X or H pipe. No real horsepower gain for the money spent. You're much better off putting that money elsewhere.
As others have said, it's such a personal preference thing, and even then pipe arrangement, muffler position, and a ton of other variables can change the sound. I had magnaflows on my car for a few hundred miles, and was impressed with how quiet they we're at cruising rpm but turned up to 11 when smashing the loud pedal. That said, the tone just wasn't what I wanted. Flowmasters have a nostalgic place in my heart, so that's what I went with. Not right wrong or indifferent, just my preference. Just for reference.... With magnaflows: Flowmasters (summit copies actually) :
I know on my 440 mopars with a h-pipe they would have some drone. on the other hand there not loud and flow great.
No real power gain but they do change the sound. H-pipe gives you a deeper tone, X-pipe gives you that raspy V6 UPS truck sound (twice as many exh pulses per side doubles the frequency)
Here's my Riv don't mind the blurry video, I'm pretty sure the mufflers are flowmasters (possibly magnaflow??) the PO put them on. The pipes are side exit and dump out right in front of the rear tires.
