What's the rest of your set-up look like (headers, midpipe, off-road/catted)? How do you like the sound?

I've listened to a few MAC cat-backs on youtube and they sound amazing. This seems like the exhaust for me, I just want to know what the rest of you are running with this.

 

I'm running completely stock ahead of my Macs. I couldn't be happier with the sound. I will warn you that you will get drone around 1500-2000 rpm though. I'm running an auto with stock gears and I have drone on the highway until about 68 MPH. Thats all cool where I live as once I get out of town the highways are all 70.


Thanks for the service and stay safe over there.

 

Running stock mid pipe and manifolds as well and I love the MAC's. There is a slight drone as mentioned but it's not that bad. The drone actually mellowed down a little bit once my 4.10's went in. The complete MAC setup with axle back, prochamber mid-pipe and headers sounds awesome!!!

 

Love the MACS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think they are one of the best sounding exhaust systems out there. Also the tips look great, and it is all stainless for less than $375.00. There is a slight drone, but doesn't bother me a bit, I am all stock otherwise, but would'nt change a thing. Want to get headers eventually. That should be intresting. Sometimes I turn the radio off just to listen to the exhaust...............I KNOW WIERD, but what can i say. You will love them, and if you have a stick you can really control the sound.....

 

+1 on the MAC & Stock setup. I get compliments all the time and that they sound better outside the car than inside.

Self To Wife: "What do you mean you can't talk on the phone over the drone...I don't hear any drone..."

Actually, it is there but not that bad. Cold start it is louder and as it warms, the drone mellows some anyway. Good trade off for all the compliments IMO...

 

Got Mac axlebacks, Bassani catted xpipe and BBK shorty headers. Clips:

First installed the Macs: MAC Axleback Video
Then the midpipe: Added midpipe video
Then headers: Added headers video
Now some cams for added flavor: Listen to those cams!

John

 

Thanks for the comments guys. Sounds like I've made up my mind.

John: Thanks for the clips, I've listened to all of those already and it's the main reason I decided to go MAC. (after listening to Bassani's, Flow's, GTAs, Borla's, etc.).

I will be going with a set of Hooker LTs and some sort of catted mid-pipe. If anyone hasn't heard these above soundclips and haven't made a decision on exhaust, they should definitely listen to them!

edit: Cams sound great! Love the lope!

 

Post your clips after the Hooker's get installed.

Be safe over there, soldier...

John

 

Very nice sounding combination!!!! Pretty surprised how well that Bassani sounds with the MACs.

 

Thanks John, I will on both accounts.

I'm a bit confused now... I saw a picture of the MAC set-up, and I thought it was a cat-back... Do they have both, or is only a axle-back they sell? I could of swore I saw an over the axle system that smoothed out the tight bends in the stock system...

 

Mac sells both for our cars, and I missed the "catback" part of your post. Sorry, my Mac setup is with the axleback. While I wouldn't order ANYTHING from this company, www.rpmoutlet.com has pictures of both for our S197s.

John

 

It took a bit of time and break in before the sound mellowed and the tone got deeper. There was a rasp there in the beginning, especially without the cats. Plus the drone diminished over time and while the car is mostly a weekend cruise and track car, I went to Myrtle Beach up and back from Maryland, and never noticed the drone--neither did my passenger.

I'd like to get longtubes for the bit of additional torque, but I'm so worried the signature sound would be gone I'm just not going to worry about it for a while. Longtubes, ported heads, nitrous, some more suspension work. Too many more mods...

John

 

Actually, I don't think it's weird at all. I think we all do it from time to time!

 

Yeah, I even removed the amps and subs in the trunk--just never use them. Plus I lightened up by 45 lbs....

 

John those cams are amazing! Nice ride!

 

Love the sound, especially on the outside. Drone is only bothersome at about 60-65mph in 5th, but it's easy enough to just drive over or under that speed.

 

I had the catted Mac prochamber & axlebacks. Sounded nice outside, but WOW were they loud in the car.

I sold the Macs and went to a Magnaflow hiflow catted x and Corsa. Much better for my tastes.

 

For those of you mentioning highway drone at certain speeds... what gearing do you have (if it's stock specify 3.31s or 3.55s) and what speed does this occur?

Is the prochamber a mix between an x and h-pipe? What's the sound difference between the three?

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

Along with a fantastic sound, the Macs are one of several mufflers that are FAMOUS for having a drone around 1800-2000 rpm, and the muffler alone on a stock system can take some getting used to. In fact, some just couldn't tolerate the drone in their daily drivers. I think Corsa came along at that time and found followers in some ex-Mac users. The sound of the Macs was so dead on though and I didn't want to abandon them just yet.

I started experimenting with various x pipes, and a few of us in my club found the Bassani catted x helped eliminate some of that drone, although a raspy sound got in there at WOT from time to time. An acceptable trade off for me. Further experiementing in my club revealed headers (this was back in 2005 so shorties were plentiful) would nearly eliminate the drone and got rid of most of the raspy crap. I haven't heard any clips with Mac mufflers and long tubes, and don't know how it affects the drone if at all. There are several S197 users on several forums that now have Mac mufflers, Bassani catted xpipes and various shorties (JBA, BBK, etc) that are now very happy with the sound and slight performance improvement (I'll have to look up the dynos but I think we got 10-12 hp max from the entire exhaust swap).

I started with 3.55s but switched to 4.10. With my driving habits and routes, this rarely leaves the vehicle at 2000 rpms when cruising in any gear. To me it's "drone, what drone?". Around town is often around 3000rpm in 4th, and it now sits at 2300rpm while cruising the highway on the way to the track.

The Mac Prochamber is a box like compartment that's probably closest to an H pipe in function. Personally I like the unique sound and have an offroad version and Magnaflow muffler on my '97 Mustang GT. I can take a short video if you're interested but don't know if that would be similar to the sound on an S197.

If I decide to go with a supercharger next year (my son and I are sticking non-aspirated on our cars this year due to a bet), I'll reluctantly have to reconsider my exhaust header/midpipe combo and start researching long tubes. but I'll keep the Mac muffler for sure.

John

 

'Preciate the help once again John. I'll definitely get a sound clip of the long-tubes/MAC set-up. Now all I have to do is research a midpipe... I like the idea of the prochamber. I'll have to check that out.

I don't think the drone will bother me too much... I'll probably just think it sounds cool. I like the sound of the MAC too much to care anyway.