In my neverending search for the perfect catback for my needs, I was wondering how each one ranked in terms of three criteria: dyno gains, volume at WOT, and depth of tone. I'm looking for opinions mainly since a lot of this is subjective. For instance, in my opinion...

Dyno gains (most to least)
Loudmouth (straight-through)
Magnaflow (same as above)
GMMG
Borla, Corsa
SLP dual dual
Hooker
bassani

Volume (loudest to quietest)
Loudmouth
GMMG
Borla
??
??
Hooker

Tone depth (deepest to highest pitch)
GMMG
Hooker
maganaflow
Bassani
Corsa
Borla

I am considering GMMG, Hooker, magnaflow, Corsa, Borla, loudmouth, SLP dual dual, and Bassani. Please include these in the ranking.

Thanks a lot guys, I appreciate it.

 

Loudmouth will have the most gain in horsepower and is the loudest. Since your stock still, I would buy the Loudmouth. If you plan on getting headers with an ory in the future I would get Magnaflow or Hooker. The Loudmouth will be unberiable with headers and ory. Also choose the one that sounds best to you, go to LS1Sounds.com and listen to the different systems.

 

This is pretty much an impossible comparison. Everyone has a different exhaust setup and if someone has LTs it completely changes the sound and will give you a different review.

 

The magnaflow is louder and has a deeper tone than the borla. It is louder on the LT1 cars that the LS1 cars. It also gets louder and deeper with age.

 

SLP Loudmouth is definitely the loudest (but loud doesn't always = good). A cheap $35 cutout will yield the same tone/gains... And headers give it a very high-pitched tone and anything short of highflow cats will yield SERIOUS rasp with it (same applies to the Borla, Flowmaster, Corsa, etc.).

Don't worry about flow too much since all will be within a few rear wheel horsepower of each on stock or bolt-on cars (same with many on higher-horsepower applications). It's not like you're going to feel the difference either...

Depth IMO would go to the GMMG, Mufflex, & Flowmaster (it may be the worst flowing, but it is very bassy sounding). To me personally, NOTHING sounds deeper than the GMMG combined with some LT headers/highflow cats at WOT. I even like the tone better than true duals, although this is strictly personal preference as is already been said. But I just can't get over how great of a "muscle car" sound the GMMG w/ headers creates...

I've had the Randon Tech, Borla, SLP Loudmouth, and GMMG on my two LS1's and have had the Hooker & GMMG on my LT1 and would never put anything else besides a GMMG on either motor unless I didn't want to spend that much $$$. And obviously, if you can't afford something $600+, look at the cheaper systems which provide some descent alternatives as well. Also pick one that has the kind of appearance you prefer too (I love the unique look of the chambered pipes of the GMMG under my cars and also think the Borla intercooled tips look badA$$).

Good luck,

Mike

 

GMMG is totally overpriced. i have ran a Bullet stainless crossflow and a Hooker 3" catback. i dont know what the bullet sounded like with headers but i know that the hooker with mid-length headers is mean. really has that muscle car tone to it. i hope to get some dyno results sometime next month.

 

I really liked the TSP Rumbler I had on my car before headers, which is basically a loudmouth with a bullet muffler instead of a resonator. It sounded way better than the loudmouth and was not nearly as raspy. Got loud when you jumped on it, but not unbearable. Seemed to flow pretty good as well.

I never got to hook up the Rumbler after I installed the LT's I went straight to the true duals. IMHO LT Headers and True duals is the only way to go, almost wish I never wasted the money and just did Headers first.

 

Dont forget about a cut-out, real cheap, real loud, and sounds awesome. Hard to say cause I did a lid at the same time, but I noticed a nice diffrence. Also if you dont like it youre only out 80ish dollars (installed).

 

This is 100% true. I have a great deal of exhaust experiance with LS1s, and one thing I've learned is that the exact same catback will take on a whole new sound when going from stock manifolds/cats to say an ORY with headers.

Personally, after installing and using many different systems on LS1s, my top favorites all-around (sound, power, install) are the SLP 2OTL and Bassani Street Competition systems.

 

Do you have any comparison dyno charts that support your claim of the Loudmouth being the most gain in horsepower?

It's not that the loudmouth is "unbearable", though to some it might be, it's that it has a lot of rasp if you go with longtubes and no cats. I agree with that you should go to LS1 sounds and listen to the various systems. Although, a video clip does not do some systems justice.

My vote is to go with duals.

 

Nope, but I cant count the number of times I have read on this board that the loudmouth is the most free flowing catback out there, I guess its not then. Also I didnt know that giving someone my opinion could be wrong .

 

They stated "Dyno gains". I don't believe that can be answered by an "opinion".

I did not say that the loudmouth wasn't the most freeflowing cat back available.

I am not bashing you, but if you have dyno comparisons then I would like to see them. That's all that I meant.

 

its all subjective. even dyno results arent absolute.

best thing to do is read the 50+ reviews in the sticky and check out ls1sounds.

 

I don't have much experience with catbacks but I have a corsa and an electric cutout. I like the sound of the open cutout much better. Its deeper, louder and just sounds mean. The only time I close it is if I see a cop. Also, a cutout has got to be the least restrictive flow you can get. I never got to hear the setup on stock manifolds and cats. I did my headers with high flow cats at the same time. Since then I have gutted my cats. Its a little more raspy now but I don't mind. The nice thing about a cutout is you can choose when you want it to be loud or not.

 

Yeah, your right. I dont have anything to back that up, it was just something that I always thought. Like jrp said even dyno numbers are subjective. No harm no faul

 

if you are looking for the ultimate balance between price, sound, and performance you can't beat the Hooker catback. There are others that may excel in one category, and if you consider price as well all the categories you listed, the Hooker becomes the obvious choice IMO.