I made the mistake of using AWE's cats with Porsche's mufflers quite some time ago. The combination isn't a happy one. The stock cats do almost as much silencing of the exhaust as the mufflers - take this away by using 200-cell cats and they induce a huge resonance in the Porsche mufflers at WOT. Sounds very raspy and 'rice racer' (as you described it elsewhere). It also puts you off trying/using WOT and appreciating the performance benefits.

Trust me on this one - lose the Porsche mufflers and use the correct, matching ones from AWE. Then you'll have a system that not only sounds good but you'll also want to use WOT all the time for the sound and the enjoyment of the extra pull all the way up the rpm band.

All that's then required is the matching AWE headers. These make a difference at the top of the rev band. Above 5500 rpm the engine really starts to attack the red line. If you swap out your air filter panel for a BMC-F1, this effect is even more noticeable - an incremental gain but it all adds to the party! The sound also further improves as the equal-length design of the header evens out the exhaust pulses and gives you a more exotic and 'tuned' sound.

I'm going to go with the Softronic remap some time soon and will report back on the results.

So don't give up, the problem's not the cats, it's just that you're only part-way to where you need to go with the mods.

 

Michael, don't give up hope yet!

I installed full AWE system, and I am very happy with the results! At first, I wasn't so fond of the exhaust either, but as time passed the exhaust sounded better and got throatier. Now I really like it! Would I prefer it to the OEM exhaust tone? No, but still it is great. The performance benefit was worth the tone

Like Ian said, if you upgrade your exhaust to full AWE system it will probably sound much better and you will get better performance out of them. I saved 20 lbs. from changing my PSE set up to full AWE! I also vote for a BMC filter, the car breathes a lot better than stock.

My car feels amazing over 4,000 RPMs!!! It's like a whole new car!

 

First video is cold start and car at idle. The second is after warm revving with PSE button off at first and then on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZta0Bn8kUY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqlOKquVZCc

 

Michael I think it sounds great..not quite as aggressive as the Borlas with 200cpi cats but pretty darn good with the PSE is sport mode.

Dave

 

That doesn't sound bad at all dude...

 

Sounds a whole lot better than the AWE cats with the non-PSE mufflers

 

I love that sound, isn´t enough loud and make a good sound for the car.

I' m thinking to put it on mine, i have PSE and i need more sound but i like to travel and use the car frequently, so i can't put enough loud...

Which one is loud and make better sound FABSPEED X-PIPE CATS or this AWE CATS???

 

If you after LOUD - get fabspeed xpipe with fabspeed maxflo mufflers.
I run on xpipe with stock mufflers now and it is significantly quieter than with maxflos - very close to stock at idle and a bit louder and rasp at full throttle and I have no drone at all at 2-3K.

with maxflo muflers it was roaring. some may like it, I got used to it eventually but I notice that with maxflos gone I run faster now as I am not afraid anymore to open up throttle 100% any time I see fit.

 

Eric, I am in the process of upgrading all of my exhaust and intake system for my 996. What I have learned is that after you have "opened up" your engine to more air intake with an air induction system like EVO makes, and relieved the backpressure in the stock system with sport headers, exhausts, and sport cats, you will not really experience any significant power and torque changes until you get your ECU reprogrammed to "see" the non-stock changes to your car, to essentially retune the car to take advantage of these add-ons. I will add a Unichip upgrade to my ECU based on these add-ons or if you have a later model from mine, you can get something like Softronic software to upgrade your ECU over your laptop via the internet. THEN you will really feel and experience the added power and torque of all of the intake and exhaust bolt-ons!! Good luck!

 

I want more loud but i don't want to change my PSE, like to control the valve sound. So i'm looking for loud with my PSE, which is loud AWE CATS or FABSPEED X-PIPE CATS?
I will probably add a carbon air intake then...

 

Are you going on to "Gundo Hack"? If so please post a sound clip. I'm thinking on having either AWE cats or Fabspeed X-pipe cats (I like the design).

By now I have "Gundo Hack" 1.75 in bypass (awfully welded), Evom intake and Softronic. You can feel a huge difference with this set-up. It has really good sound on WOT, no droning and you can talk on your mobile at cruising speeds.

 

It took me a few days to really get used to my new exhaust, but I think it's a very good sound. It growls even at idle when you hit the PSE button and it's very civil when you don't. I took this video the day after I had them put on. I actually think they sound better now and also better in person. Video cameras don't seem to accurately replicate the exhaust note. I took my car to BR Racing to have this done and the owner even told me he "loves the sound" of my car. Keep in mind, this is a guy that has raced Porsches for 16 years with multiple wins. If he likes the sound, I take that as a great compliment. He didn't sell me the CATs either, he just put them on for me, so he had no reason to tell me he liked the sound.

 

Yes, thanxs you so much for your answer.

I don't know where, but i've read that AWE CATS sound loud than Fabspeed x-pipe cats, so i'll probably add AWE cats like you.

 

Has this been Dynoed to be proven? I've yet to see one post any. One guy on Rennlist was supposed to do before/after, but never posted it so we're not sure.

Anyone has seen a dyno? I am very surprised if there's none!

 

Problem is most people wouldn't bother dyno'ing for just one simple mod as this. The point I think we were all trying to make is that you don't buy the headers for the gains but rather for the shift in the torque band and/or for deeper sound (any gains won't be noticeable from headers alone). I do plan to dyno my car at some point in the future. Only mods I currently have are the headers and the BMC filter. I will post the results when I do.