Do different 4-1 header designs sound different?

[daves8]

Which header would work the best between Rex and DPE needs dyno testing at various RPM points to determine, but if a 4 into 1 doesn't terminate into a merge collector (pictured below), it'll never work optimally. Note wise, it depends on what your ears prefer, but sometimes mid-range, a V8 can sound the best on stock cast iron manifolds. The exhaust has the greater note impact than the headers in most cases until reaching high RPM.

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I have always been told a 4-1 produces a more beaty note due to the scavenging.

In real life my old pacemaker 4-1 on my VY LS1 had this note and characteristic.

My Rex headers have it at some rev ranges, not at others.

I am more concerned with note than performance

 

[Skylarking]

Getting exhaust systems to sound sonorous can be a rather costly bit of R&D and what is sonorous for one can be ear piecing for another.

Lexus on the other hand commissioned Yamaha‘s music division to design the intake and exhaust of the sonorous LFA’s V10 so it sounded great (a subjective thing no doubt). From what I’ve read it was rather a complex bit of engineering including air chambers and channels and dash design to ensure the driver heard a nice soundtrack from front and back…

What’s spectacular is that the engine can go from idle to 9200 RPM redline in 6/10 of a second

Due to the cost of R&D, for the most part, acceptable or good enough is what we end up with from most manufacturers. Maybe we end up with even less from cheap after market kits.

Guess we should consider ourselves lucky that Holden bothered with the Bailey Tip exhaust and and the MSE to pump intake nosies into the cabin.

Really, is there any after market exhaust place that does true R&D around a good exhaust sound or is it just one mob copying another within the limits of what is allowed by design patents and chasing max dyno HP?

Exhaust sounds can be interesting as to what can be achieved so I’ll drop the following vid.

 

[RevNev]

I have always been told a 4-1 produces a more beaty note due to the scavenging.

I'm not sure what a "beaty note" is referring to or what RPM you'd likely hear it?

 

[RevNev]

Getting exhaust systems to sound sonorous can be a rather costly bit of R&D and what is sonorous for one can be ear piecing for another.

Sounding great to a lot of people means loud or louder than stock but often, the actual note to me is awful. Note and noise level are two different exhaust variables.

 

[daves8]

I'm not sure what a "beaty note" is referring to or what RPM you'd likely hear it?

Hearing full note seperation, a constant thump if you will particualy at low to mid rpm.

 

[Skylarking]

Sounding great to a lot of people means loud or louder than stock but often, the actual note to me is awful. Note and noise level are two different exhaust variables.

What sounds nice is rather subjective and in part depends on whether the listener’s ears are trained or not but I definitely agree that note and loudness are indeed different things.

Me, I’m not a fan of loud for loudness sake

At least Lexus chose to get the experts in sound involved during their design. Doubt any exhaust manufacturer has ever gotten a music specialist involved in their designs else such would be all over their ads, something like “Manta enhanced by Yamaha” as a fictitious example….

 

[RevNev]

Hearing full note seperation, a constant thump if you will particualy at low to mid rpm.

Full dual or H-pipe exhausts best maximise the V8 thump down low and mid-range more so than header design. I fitted 4 into 1's to a VE that had a 2.5" cat back a few years ago and the exhaust was louder with the addition of headers and 100 cell cats, but the actual note wasn't much different.

I remember back in the day (1978) we lived in the middle of a fairly long straight street with a slight incline, and we could hear cars cruising up the street sitting on the lounge inside. There was a guy who lived right up the other end of the street with an HG V8 wagon and had a magic cruising note, the best I'd heard past our place. Needing to know what engine/exhaust this car had, I went up to his place and knocked on the door to ask him, and it was a stock 253, stock cast iron manifolds, with 24" Lukey mufflers on a twin 2" full dual exhaust. I still remember the old Lukey part# 880 for these mufflers today.

I get the "note chasing" thing getting addicted to it myself as a little kid hearing an XT GT Falcon roar up the street the first time, the best music ever!!

 

[lmfvf2ssredlineute]

my and my wifes 2017 redlines both have walkinshaw full exhaust systems, dpe 4 into 1 long tubes, 3inch catback, 2 1/2 inch pipe after diff into mufflers, no drone, luxury quiet cruising, mash the load pedal and hear the roar,
i tried a few systems, hsv factory, xforce, and the walky with the smaller 2 1/2 rear pipes gives best note with no drone

 

[RevNev]

my and my wifes 2017 redlines both have walkinshaw full exhaust systems, dpe 4 into 1 long tubes, 3inch catback, 2 1/2 inch pipe after diff into mufflers, no drone, luxury quiet cruising, mash the load pedal and hear the roar,
i tried a few systems, hsv factory, xforce, and the walky with the smaller 2 1/2 rear pipes gives best note with no drone

Which system droned the most?

 

[daves8]

my and my wifes 2017 redlines both have walkinshaw full exhaust systems, dpe 4 into 1 long tubes, 3inch catback, 2 1/2 inch pipe after diff into mufflers, no drone, luxury quiet cruising, mash the load pedal and hear the roar,
i tried a few systems, hsv factory, xforce, and the walky with the smaller 2 1/2 rear pipes gives best note with no drone

I had the Walkinshaw system on before my current DPE 3 inch.

I only upgraded as the centre section got crushed when my mate drove too quickly through a drain / dip in Road and completely bottomed out.

For some strange reason I still feel the short 4-1 headers are not helping my auditory cause vs proper DPE 4-1 headers