I'm looking for a nice mellow exhaust note for my 2001 SS. The stock exhaust is just way too quiet. Removing the resonator and leaving the stock mufflers in place or replacing the stock mufflers w/ turbos? I've searched you tube and I can't find these combos. Don't want loud and I don't want a cat back system (too much money for 5 hp). Please - opinions welcome!

 

you should get some magnaflow mufflers with a magnaflow resonator, im sure that'll give you a really nice mellow note

 

If your looking for a mellow sound why not go cheap and just throw some cherry bomb glasspacks on it? I guess I've never heard them after they're burnt out but my mechanic son has an 03 grand prix gt 3800 n/a with 2 cherry bomb glasspacks and stock cat and its got a nice little rumble but nothing annoyingly loud and its not stock quite.

 

my suggestion is do not touch the catback at all... get headers. the sound will improve and you will gain power. i got a set of Speed daddy headers for under $200 shipped.

 

x2 ^

Headers are probably cheaper than getting the mufflers and getting them welded lol

 

My Monte has the ZZP front Power Log, ZZP 2.5" Down Pipe with high flow cat and NO resonator. I'm personally happy with it's sound. Add a CAI and you can REALLY here the intake suck in too!!

 

So, just removing the resonator won't have much affect on the sound?

 

No - instead try replacing it with a shorter one -- get a glasspack from Magnaflow - it'll deepen it up a bit.

 

^^ This ^^

I replaced my resonator with a Magnaflow glasspack the same time I replaced my downpipe and it has a nice low and mellow tone to it at idle and during acceleration. It's louder than stock but not so obnoxiously loud that it can be heard for blocks around when you exercise the throttle. No drone during cruise either.

 

I removed my res because I kept blowing the baffles in the one the muffler shop was putting on (and I had finally had enough). The butt dyno felt a little more HP and the sound only changed slightly.
BUT, I am much happier. Some have complained about the sound with no res, but I am fine with it (part of that may be the other changes I made to have an overall effect on the sound.