Jono, I started off with just the backbox and didn't actually make that much difference. I got a much better throaty burble sound when I got their center section.

When you start decating, that's when you get a much louder and more racy sound.

This is on hawkeye if that makes any difference

Cheers

 

Okay cheers mate guess I will find out soon myself as almost got everything ready now as the resonated centre pipe arrived yesterday, yep appreciatte that although the backbox brings out the noise its not until you start decatting where it can get much louder.

what backbox did you have prior to changing to the vortex, must have been something aftermarket itself as am sure you would have noticed instantly the increase in noise with the vortex even with all the cats etc in place ??

as I say changing to the vortex / midpipe decat and keeping the resonated centre pipe plus both front cats I am really living in hope that the system will be fine and not excessive to the point I am forced to run it with a bung in place.as I say running a Blitz nur spec just now with the bung in place all the time and I am trying to get away from this method prior to getting the car mapped / midpipe decat fitted.

will let you know how I get on !! hopefully be okay in the end as so many folk like the Vortex it must be a good second best to the Blitz nur spec but no where near as noisy !!

again if its anything near the noise off the Blitz with bung in it will be more than happy plus always wanted an angled exit backbox !!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3mLHBJvQ1A

Full decat... To be expected.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmm2wTuTPQY

Cat-Back

 

Thanks ...really helpful We used to have a WRX with a Scoobyworld Racebox plus afterbuner centre section. We loved the sound this produced & would like that sound again. We were going to try just changing the Centre section to see if this would change the sound.......I'd like to change the back box at a later date though for one with more of a Jap look like the Afterburner Vortex but am worried the car will then be too noisey

 

Excellent thats great, so as far as you know the second one is just the vortex+ de-resonated centre pipe ?? mine will have a resonated centre pipe and decat midpipe so would imagine possibly around the same noise as this video ??

 

yes im runningf the cat back on my hawk and its just right although i have heard the 2.0 cars are a bit louder. I got mine as the scoobyworld cat-back package about £300 ish i had to pay extra for a straight exit though.

if it helps i got the bung aswell as i come home around 1 or 2 in the morning. My neighbour is 90 odd years old ans after speaking to her a few days ago she said she knows when im going out but doesnt hear me come home

 

Okay thanks yep wife says the same about my dog, although as I say the car has a bung fitted our border collie jumps up when I am getting near the house knowing I am on my way back !!

yes did here the 2.5 engines do not produce as much noise as the 2.0 , again am sure everything will be okay with leaving the front cats in place and running with a resonated centre pipe / midpipe decat.

 

OP, have you looked at the Ninja 2 back box scoobyworld do?
Little more tame than the vortex - both of which are excellent well made bits of kit. I have the ninja 2 on mine & had the vortex on my last.

Vortex - sounds awsome & can be a little ott if in a nice quiet area (depends how you get on with your neighbours etc!) but great performance/flow, really liked mine but now, for me a little too loud.

Now i have a resonated centre with a ninja 2 box & it sounds just right, nice burble but not intrusive especially good on motorways & when you give it beans it does let you know its a scooby coming! so a good balance of sound & volume levels.

not got a clip of my old vortex but heres a clip of the ninja2 i currently have (not a great sound clip btw)

3" open mouth japspeed decat downpipe (heat wrapped) cobra sport resonated centre pipe & ninja 2 back box

 

What did you have fitted when you actually had the Afterburner vortex backbox in place and found it too loud . any decat etc and is it a classic wrx you had it on ??

 

i had a HKS 3 " open mouth decat downpipe & a scoobyworld ninja resonated centre with the vortex angled back box. & yeh was a classic like my current

My current cobra res centre i would say looks like it has a larger baffle than the ninja res so i think it calms the ninja 2 back box down a little more than the ninja res centre would.

The vortex back box i found very deep burble (which is great) but was also intrusive at motorway speeds an cruising, but by eckkers sounded the dog's :-)

current ninja 2 still sounds good, just toned down a little but still makes a good roar when you give it some & especially better when warmed up - seems to add to the tone a little. wehter thats due to the res centre being warmed up &/or the back box i do not know. There are still days where i want the vortex back box, but then theres the early starts for work where i try to creep down the road as i do not want to pee the nice neighbours off that puts me off getting another

 

I have recommended a ninja 2 backbox to 2 member on this site and both are extremely happy with it. As said above is a good compromise between a vortex & a prodrive system. A nice bassy rumble but not ott. I found I never had to use the bung once with the ninja 2 and it still sounded great when you give it some.
Personally if my vortex became to loud for me , then I would change back to a ninja 2.

 

Hi there yep have to say the Ninja 2 certainly has a very good following here on scoobynet and have like you say been recommended it many times before on here, the main reason I wanted the AB vortex was for the angled backbox option which I belive is not available with the ninja ??

 

i give up.i decided to buy one so i rang them up.Only to be told it was only free postage if i order online.A Cobra backbox is looking favourite.

 

Cobra will be alot quieter than an afrerburner. Its similar to a prodrive BB. Why not order on line?

 

Hi guys, I've got an afterburner back box and centre section at the moment. im planning on going decat and I know I can't live with any extra noise. I would like a little noise but after the decat it must be able to go on track (95 db was the limit on my last track day bbut different car) should I look at just swapping the back box or the centre section swell. is ninja 2 too loud on a decat and will I lose any flow by going to a stock or prodrive back box. The car is an 03 Jjdm sti. thanks

 

Any idea on the db off the AB vortex and centre section on your car just now ?? and how do you personally find it ?? will have the same as yourself but with the addition off the midpipe decat, your jdm sti not decatted midpipe anyway ??

 

I don't know about the midpipe cat, whether the jdm sti had one or not. car beingas serviced now so can't look but either someone else on here will know or I can look. no idea of noise as db levels but going from a standard UK to this is quite strange. At first I thought it was too much but after a week or so I've grown to love it. its a shame that with the decat it will get even louder. mine will also sound different as it has equal length headers which mean I lose the traditional bubble. in short, too loud for my wife, just ok by me.

 

Will be keeping an eye on this thread. I currently have a resonated vortex centre section and a prodrive back box. Looking to change the downpipe to a prodrive sportscat and then potentially decat the uppipe, then will be considering what to do with the backbox, but dont really want it too loud so will probably stick with the Prodrive.

 

Just received my new exhaust bung in the post for my yet to be fitted Afterburner Vortex, went for the cheaper ebay version and its looks spot on !! as advertsed on Scoobyworld the bung is a tight fit just fits in and not that easy to get back out but hopefully it wont be a permanant feature and will only be put in now and again !!

the bung itself due to the tight fit just sits flush with the end off the tailpipe, does not look as good with it in place but my idea is to paint the end off it with matt black high temp paint and I would think with it in place it will be hard to notice.

anyone else painted there AB vortex bung ??!!

 

i am going to try and order one over the weekend,unless a "mint" secondhand one appears.

 

went and bought one earlier arrives this week fitting next weekend.Watch this space as they say.

 

Great exhaust system if you like it loud! Had a catback fitted to my previous Bugeye and it had a very pronounced Scooby burble. Not boy racer loud but a quality deep grunt. It even made my neighbours kids cry! Great! lol

 

I never considered painting the bung as they are a tight fit on there own. & I always keep a pair of pliers in my boot. To be fair they do look s***e with the bung in,not like the blitz which sits further down the tailpipe so you still see the 4.5' tailpipe. The vortex bung makes it look like a pea shooter imho ,but being as I only use it for 20 seconds in the morning when I start my car up ,I can put up with it.

 

Yep no probs was only talking about painting the very end bit ie. the visable part as would think that with this painted matt black it would look 100 times better when in place.

can I ask you where / what is the easiest method for drilling the two securing holes for the bung ??

 

Put the bung in the exhaust with the 2 holes facing down,then using a black marker, mark the holes on the inside of the tailpipe. Jack the rear of the car up and drill your 1st hole. When this is done secure bung in tailpipe by the drilled hole . Then line up 2nd hole and drill simple .

 

Hello mate i've got the afterburner back box only, after replacing the std prodrive backbox, its not overly loud when idling, however when driving around and when you put your foot down its sounds nice and the burble sounds good, when i'll be remapping i'll change it to having the full system. i've got it on my STI and would recommend it definately if your looking just at initial stage to see how loud it is and get it de-catted if you want it louder, but you won't be disappointed.

regards

VJ

 

This time next week i will know if its what i want,i ordered an angled one not sure if that was the right choice time will tell.

 

highly recommended haywood and scott 4 1/2" with de-cat sounds pukka mate

 

Dave ,the angled one flows better than the straight exit ,so why would you want the straight one unless it's purely for looks.
Imho,i never look at my exhaust,as i am normally to busy looking at the rev counter ready to change up a gear lol

Time will say you've made the right choice,keep us posted when its fitted

 

today is the day it gets fitted,will put some pics up tonight.I will try and record the sounds aswell.Prodrive then afterburner dont hold your breath on that it could be too technical for me.