Currently running Apexi resonated midpipe with a Borla axleback. Love the sound but that midrange rpm range is a little too much for my long commute and the cabin noise is no longer making my drive enjoyable. Looking to revert either component back to stock. Appreciate any feedback if you’re running either set up. Sounds clips would also be great.

Apexi Resonated midpipe with OEM axleback

or

Borla Alxebaxk with OEM midpipe

 

Apexi

 

10x easier & faster to just reinstall your OEM axleback than it would be to reinstall the OEM midpipe so might as well try that first.

Video clip of OEM axleback with just Apexi resonated midpipe (stock midpipe 1st half of video, Apexi midpipe 2nd half)

 

If you're looking for performance with minimal to no drone, then the best will be midpipe + OEM axleback.

 

Is this your setup? If so how have you liked it?

 

Was my initial setup for over a year. Very much liked it and would’ve kept it that way for the long term until my wife mistakenly said it could be louder, so now I have Apexi midpipe with an Invidia Q300 axleback. Much louder but only drones above ~80mph or under load on the highway.

 

Not sure how much it's actually different on our cars (X midpipe vs H midpipe) but I have an X midpipe paired with the Borla axleback. The only drone I've noticed is in the 2k - 2.5k rpm range in 1st - 6th gear at about 40% throttle. But once you get into 7th or 8th gear into crusing speeds on both street and highway, I personally would call it silent considering the setup.

 

I get this loud boomy sound in that 2-3k rpm range and just driving me crazy! It kind of vibrates the whole cabin and things start rattling. Spoke to a few others and they had the same experience with this set up. So trying to cut my losses and swap out one of the components back to OEM. Just not sure which one yet.

 

Exhaust notes are so hard to explain online, haha. When you say boomy, what do you mean?

I did notice in general, the car does have rattles here and there before my exhaust install. so an aftermarket market exhaust can def exaggerate the rattles.

From ive read, if you want the most aggressive exhaust notes without drone, it's gonna be the non resonated midpipes with stock mufflers. Also keeps the stock look.

you're in that goldilocks hunt for the right exhaust. The other thing you could consider is a valved axleback. It'll only sound like party when you want it to.

 

So here is my experience, when I purchased my IS500 it had a Apexi axle back installed. To be honest it sounded awesome, unfortunately the more I drove the car the more I noticed the drone, loudness etc. what ever you want to call it at the 2k-3k RPM range and it drove me crazy. So before I put the car away for winter last year I put the car back to a stock, drove it a few times but cannot give my full experience with it as I had not driven very much. What I can say going back to stock I noticed more motor/intake noise vs exhaust note and with my short time with it I kind of liked it. Now I am not sure what will happen when spring comes along I may change my mind and based on my research and what I have read from other people on this topic, for me I believe I have two options that will suit me best for what appears that I will like/tolerate.

1. Keep stock (current form)
2. Install Apexi resonated mid-pipe (from videos and research this would be the best option for me if I would choose to change.)