If you were to get one or the other in search of a gruntier sound, which would you do: a new sport exhaust or a upgraded X-pipe?

 

Neither.


Get cat-delete (aka straight or test pipes) or high-flow sport cats.

 

this.

 

Sorry...kind of a newbie. Can you guys tell me why?

 

Same as above.

The cats act as small mufflers. Swapping them for high-flow cats or straight pipes essentially acts as a smaller (or deleted) muffler, plus gives you some extra power. Best bang for your buck.

An x-pipe will actually smooth out the exhaust and make it a tad quieter. Before switching out your muffler, try pulling the exhaust valve fuse to leave the valves open at all times - you'll get a more more sound out of it for no cost, and it's a 1-min process that's reversible by putting the fuse back in.

 

Thanks....what about catbypass x-pipes like the one from Fabspeed?

 

it's as telum just said, that will actually smooth out the exhaust note a bit, so if deeper and throatier is what you're going for, then it's still not as good of an option compared to straight pipe or sport cats.

 

If you have a 2011-on V8V, these:
http://www.velocityap.com/Aston-Mart...8decatpipe.htm

Or on any V12 Gaydon Era car These: http://www.velocityap.com/Aston-Mart...vdecatpipe.htm

 

What car do you have? Options vary based on your year and model.

 

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I have a 2012 V8V.

 

Get some high flow converters from Stuart and you will smile every time you hit the gas!

 

Nittany, different model year cars have different set-ups. You say "Exhaust vs. X-Pipe" as if that's a choice, but anything after the combustion chamber is exhaust, of which headers (aka manifolds), X-Pipe, straight pipe, and primary and/or secondary catalytic converters are all a part.

Your 2012 has two sets of catalytic converters, unlike those earlier cars. Be sure you know who you are taking advice from. From what I've read above I see a lot of confusing info.

The later cars, such as yours, have headers, primary cats, secondary cats, and mufflers. For your car there are VelocityAP and Fabspeed X-Pipes, as well as straight pipes. These replace the secondary set of cats. Straight pipes, for your car, elimate the secondary set of catalytic converters. X-Pipes for your car, also eliminate the secondary set of catalytic converters. The difference, on your car, is that the X-Pipe does a more efficient job of exhaust gas scavenging, which will actually provide more power than straight secondary cat-delete pipes, and to some ears, provide a more exotic sound.

I'll be posting videos shortly. But beware that some who have posted above are owners of cars which only have 1 set of cats. Yours, as mine, have both a primary pair as well as a secondary pair.
CATTMAN

 

^^^All of that. That's why I was asking what year/model

 

On a 2012 car it seems to me a cat bypass xpipe is the single best thing you can do. I don't know if you've seen this thread https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...***-xpipe.html
but it does cover the rather substantial HP gains and the sound is so nice.

 

Fab speed X-pipe is by far the best option for the later 2011+ model year V8s.

Straight pipes will be too loud and unrefined in my opinion. In retrospect I did not like normal high flow cats bc it just made the car too loud between 2500-4000rpm.

Although X-pipe by itself does make a car quieter (Like on the earlier v8s with the X mid Pipes), for the later cars that is untrue. The car will still be louder than stock but just not nearly as loud as straight pipes.

My vote is get the Fabspeed X-pipe, it will give the car the most exotic & refined sound, and also give it the most power gains, Nothing beats and X-pipe for power.... Even straight pipes