Generation III External Engine LS1 | LS6 | Bolt-Ons | Intakes | Exhaust | Ignition | Accessories
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Which is louder Flowmaster or Aerochamber?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 18, 2004 | 05:31 PM
  #1  
Camaro99SS's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
20 Year Member
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 879
Likes: 0
From: Nashville, TN
Default Which is louder Flowmaster or Aerochamber?

I'll be doing LT's and exhaust here in the next month or so and was wanting to know which muffler was louder. I will either get the Hooker catbak with the Aerochamber or the American Thunder. I know the Flowmaster doesn't flow as well and all that, but I really like the way they sound on my friend's LT1. Is the Hooker about as loud as the Flowmaster or alot quieter? Everyone has a different opinon of "loud", but I am wanting a back to back comparison from someone who has had both or heard them in person. thanks


Jason
Reply
Old Nov 18, 2004 | 07:04 PM
  #2  
Kyle C's Avatar
Staging Lane
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
From: Sanford NC
Default

The flowmaster is louder especially inside the car
Reply
Old Nov 18, 2004 | 08:19 PM
  #3  
2000LS1Z28's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 0
From: I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S
Default

Well I've heard both many times on the LS1, so take it from someone who knows...The Flowmaster muffler is definitely louder at idle and cruise as compared to the Hooker muffler (FM is also deeper/droanier)...The Hooker cat-back that my friend (black_knight) on this board used to have on his otherwise stock LS1 Formula was nearly stock quiet while idling and barely noticeable inside the car at cruise. And it wasn't all that loud at WOT either. Although I do think the Aerochamber has a better tone with LT headers (and FM sounds better behind manifolds). But don't pull the cats off or it'll get raspy and sound like $hit though IMO (especially with the Flowmaster).

I guess it all just depends upon what you want to do with your car (i.e. performance, cats/offroad pipes, street/strip set-up, tone/volume levels, etc.).

I love the tone of the Hooker cat-back on my LT1, but I'm actually ditching it for a Flowmaster or Borla since it's just way too quiet at idle/cruise for me...

Mike
Reply
Old Nov 18, 2004 | 08:33 PM
  #4  
Tranzaman00's Avatar
TECH Resident
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 813
Likes: 0
From: It's hard work to look this good
Default

Originally Posted by 2000LS1Z28
Well I've heard both many times on the LS1, so take it from someone who knows...The Flowmaster muffler is definitely louder at idle and cruise as compared to the Hooker muffler (FM is also deeper/droanier)...The Hooker cat-back that my friend (black_knight) on this board used to have on his otherwise stock LS1 Formula was nearly stock quiet while idling and barely noticeable inside the car at cruise. And it wasn't all that loud at WOT either. Although I do think the Aerochamber has a better tone with LT headers (and FM sounds better behind manifolds). But don't pull the cats off or it'll get raspy and sound like $hit though IMO (especially with the Flowmaster).

I guess it all just depends upon what you want to do with your car (i.e. performance, cats/offroad pipes, street/strip set-up, tone/volume levels, etc.).

I love the tone of the Hooker cat-back on my LT1, but I'm actually ditching it for a Flowmaster or Borla since it's just way too quiet at idle/cruise for me...

Mike

I have to disagree with the flowmaster sounding shitty with out cats. It is probably one of the loudest sounding catbacks for the money. I had it on for three years, w/and w/out cats. There is not a huge difference w/out cats although it did sound a bit better to me. Very loud and hallow medium deep sound. You might try what I did. Look at (anyone ever tried this) thread. The flowmaster is def. not the master of flow and does take quite a bit away from the car compared to my new set up.
Reply
Old Nov 18, 2004 | 11:33 PM
  #5  
GT Griller's Avatar
12 Second Club
20 Year Member
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,689
Likes: 0
From: Hereford,Lubbock
Default

I like the way my flowmaster sounded when i got it. All i have is the 80 series muffler and i loved the way it sounded. I hollowed out my cats and i like it even more. It defiantely loud enough. Its not over doing it but its sounds even better with hollowed out cats.
Reply
Old Nov 18, 2004 | 11:57 PM
  #6  
Camaro99SS's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
20 Year Member
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 879
Likes: 0
From: Nashville, TN
Default

I really like how my friend's 94 T/A sounds with shorties and no cat with his flowmaster, so I'm not worried at all about the car sounding bad after LT's. I will be switching to true duals after engine work, but that's at least 1.5 years away.

I do have another question though. My friend who has the 94 T/A used to have a 97Z28 and he put a Flowmaster on it. It was barely louder than stock and only moderately louder at WOT and cruising. But his T/A has always been alot louder than stock, even before headers and no cat. What other mufflers from Flowmaster are available for our cars? I always thought the 80 series were quiet, but that's what comes on the American Thunder kits. Did he just get ripped off when he had the Z28 by getting some off-brand turbo muffler? Sorry to beat a dead horse, but I've been curious about this for awhile now.

Jason
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 12:00 AM
  #7  
Z28Venom's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (13)
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,900
Likes: 1
From: USN, Haze Grey and Underway
Default

The Flowmaster is louder hands down..

Most people don't like it because it doesn't flow well, but you can't deny the fact that it sounds awesome.

I say get the Flowmaster and throw on a cutout.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 12:12 AM
  #8  
67SS&99SS's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,260
Likes: 4
From: Georgia
Default

I had the American Thunder on my car for almost a year(stock manifolds, cats, slp ypipe), and I liked it but I knew it was holding me back. I put that catback on a my uncle's stock lt1 and it sounded a lot better than it did on my car. A LOT! I think that the 80 series muffler was designed for the lt1 rather than the ls1. The setup is a lot louder on the lt1 and it has a more defined sound. On my car it was too quiet, and only screamed at WOT. Headers do make this catback sound better. Here is a clip I saved a good while ago of a LS1 SS that had lt's, a cam, and this catback. It sounds unreal. Right click and save target as please.
http://people.clemson.edu/~jaander/V...ercatback2.mpa
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-1

Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-5

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-7

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-8

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 12:19 AM
  #9  
GT Griller's Avatar
12 Second Club
20 Year Member
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,689
Likes: 0
From: Hereford,Lubbock
Default

The 80 series is actually the loudest from flowmaster. I have the flowmaster catalog and they say that the 80 series is the loudest and that it is designed for applications where the muffler has to be placed side ways like our F-bodies.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 12:27 AM
  #10  
2000LS1Z28's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 0
From: I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S
Default

Originally Posted by Camaro99SS
I really like how my friend's 94 T/A sounds with shorties and no cat with his flowmaster, so I'm not worried at all about the car sounding bad after LT's. I will be switching to true duals after engine work, but that's at least 1.5 years away.

I do have another question though. My friend who has the 94 T/A used to have a 97Z28 and he put a Flowmaster on it. It was barely louder than stock and only moderately louder at WOT and cruising. But his T/A has always been alot louder than stock, even before headers and no cat. What other mufflers from Flowmaster are available for our cars? I always thought the 80 series were quiet, but that's what comes on the American Thunder kits. Did he just get ripped off when he had the Z28 by getting some off-brand turbo muffler? Sorry to beat a dead horse, but I've been curious about this for awhile now.

Jason
Did your friend run the same Flowmaster muffler on both of his LT1's? If so, what probably caused his old '97 to be a lot quieter is the dual cat set-up as compared to the single cat on his '94. At least to me and others, the single cat set-up seems to be noticeably louder...
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 12:40 AM
  #11  
LSUxBlake's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 0
From: Baton Rouge, LA
Default

Hooker flows much better than Flowmaster mufflers, IMO that should be of greater concern than its volume.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 01:08 AM
  #12  
Z28Venom's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (13)
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,900
Likes: 1
From: USN, Haze Grey and Underway
Default

Originally Posted by GT Griller
The 80 series is actually the loudest from flowmaster. I have the flowmaster catalog and they say that the 80 series is the loudest and that it is designed for applications where the muffler has to be placed side ways like our F-bodies.
The 80 series may be the loudest stock replacement Flowmaster, but it is in no way, the Loudest Flowmaster muffler..

Flowmaster Delta Force mufflers are ungodly loud.. Sound sweet though.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 09:18 AM
  #13  
67SS&99SS's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,260
Likes: 4
From: Georgia
Default

Yeah, I would have to say that my 10 series are a little louder than the 80 series
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 09:20 AM
  #14  
nddragon01's Avatar
TECH Apprentice
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 380
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by Z28Venom
The Flowmaster is louder hands down..

Most people don't like it because it doesn't flow well, but you can't deny the fact that it sounds awesome.

I say get the Flowmaster and throw on a cutout.

Amen to that. It's exactly what I did.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 09:22 AM
  #15  
nddragon01's Avatar
TECH Apprentice
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 380
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by GT Griller
The 80 series is actually the loudest from flowmaster. I have the flowmaster catalog and they say that the 80 series is the loudest and that it is designed for applications where the muffler has to be placed side ways like our F-bodies.

Yeah, true. I went with the 40 series though anyway. The 40 series is a deeper tone, if not louder than the 80 series. Besides, I have a cutout that I leave open if I want to drown someone else out...oh, say, like a ricer with his Sanka coffee can muffler.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 12:28 PM
  #16  
Camaro99SS's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
20 Year Member
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 879
Likes: 0
From: Nashville, TN
Default

Originally Posted by 2000LS1Z28
Did your friend run the same Flowmaster muffler on both of his LT1's? If so, what probably caused his old '97 to be a lot quieter is the dual cat set-up as compared to the single cat on his '94. At least to me and others, the single cat set-up seems to be noticeably louder...
No the T/A already had the Flowmaster on it when he bought it, but it was stock otherwise. The T/A was alot louder than the Z was even before headers and no cat, so I don't think an extra cat would make that much of a difference. I do remember though the one on his Z was painted black though. Perhaps it wasn't a real Flowmaster but just a fake?

Jason
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 12:39 PM
  #17  
Casper9T9's Avatar
11 Second Club
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 441
Likes: 0
From: Anchorage, AK
Default

The Flowmaster with LTs and ORY sounds horrible. I couldn't replace that exhaust soon enough! The Hooker sounds (not volume wise) much better than the tin can sounding Flowmaster. If you can't tell, I really hate that muffler.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 03:41 PM
  #18  
ls1_doc's Avatar
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (6)
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 699
Likes: 0
From: redding ca
Default

Originally Posted by Camaro99SS
No the T/A already had the Flowmaster on it when he bought it, but it was stock otherwise. The T/A was alot louder than the Z was even before headers and no cat, so I don't think an extra cat would make that much of a difference. I do remember though the one on his Z was painted black though. Perhaps it wasn't a real Flowmaster but just a fake?

Jason
Painted black Flowmasters is just the new design they started when they started the super 40's line of muffler. Its probaly real.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 04:50 PM
  #19  
MeentSS02's Avatar
Kleeborp the Moderator™
20 Year Member
iTrader: (11)
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 10,316
Likes: 6
From: Dayton, OH
Default

Hmmmmmmmm...I personally have a Hooker behind Kook's with a catted-y, and it is quiet inside of the car. That's right...*inside* the car. Outside the car is a whole 'nother story. I let my gf drive the car down the street, and it is fairly loud on the outside.

My buddy has a Flowmaster, and to me, I think it is the best sounding exhaust you can have on an LS1 with stock manifolds and cats. He just put on QTP LTs with their catted-y, and I personally didn't like it as much anymore. It just didn't have that great sound that it had with the manifolds.

FWIW, I really don't like my Hooker either. It isn't exactly what I'm looking for, which is why I'm doing over the axle true duals in the near future. Hopefully that gives me what I'm after. Hell, if I could make my car sound like a Flowmaster with stock manifolds/cats, but keep the flow of my LTs and current catback, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Steve
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2004 | 08:08 PM
  #20  
BriancWS6's Avatar
10 Second Club
iTrader: (18)
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 3,910
Likes: 1
From: The Garage
Default

Im VERY picky on the sound of my exhaust on my car and truck. I'll swap out this and change that until I get it just the way I want it. I had the Flowmaster 80 on my car for a little over a year. The first 10 months was without cats and the stock manifolds. The next 3-4 months was with longtubes and ORY. I then swapped to the Hooker catback and couldn't be happier. Everyone that heard my car before and after liked the Hooker better. Anybody that has a cam and headers, ORY setup and the Hooker catback and thinks it's not loud enough needs their hearing checked. At idle with the stock cam it was comparable to the flowmaster, maybe slightly quieter, at cruising it was a bit quieter, but at WOT it screamed. Now with the cam it's a whole different story, I wouldn't want the car to be any louder than it is. It is super sweet sounding at idle, good tone at slow to medium acceleration, good crusing volume,(no doubt it's there, even inside the car) and it really wakes up as the pedal goes to the floor. I've had phone calls at least twice where someone called me and said "Did u just go down whatever road?" They were in one case a mile away, another instance more than that, probably 2 miles. I was of course WOT, but it is not going to dissapoint you as far as being too quiet. My opinion, get the Hooker, for sound, looks, performance, and price, and don't look back.
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:50 AM.

story-0
Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?

Slideshow: We take a close look at the ONE and Artidiag 800BT2 diagnostic tools from Topdon and the reasons to buy one over the other.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 11:05:11


VIEW MORE
story-1
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine

Slideshow: The controversial Ferrari F6 swaps its original flat-12 for a Corvette Z06-derived LT4 V8 and sends power to four rear wheels through a custom-built drivetrain.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-26 18:23:54


VIEW MORE
story-2
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built

Slideshow:These GM engines didn't just make huge power, they survived abuse, boost, track days, and six-digit mileage with a reputation for refusing to quit.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-21 16:45:27


VIEW MORE
story-3
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-4
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-5
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-8
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-9
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE