WarBird69

Stupid question...

I've heard all about "drone" when exhausts are being discussed. What is it? Is it a "different" sound than normal? Does it sound like a semi using an air horn? What makes it so bad? Does it hurt performance? Ect...

And as a secondary question... what type of drone do SLP Loudmouths have? How do Corsca's (which have no drone) compare to Loudmouths in terms of sound, performance, ect?

Boomer

Drone is basically... reverberation
It's a point in which the exhaust hits a magical range... that its bass gets amplified through the car panels itself....

It can be bad depending on the exhaust volume...gear/rpm...seal on the car.
ie: its worse if your windows are up, than if they are down a crack or completely... or... if your stereo is on, it will somewhat mask the sound a bit, so its not as prounounced...

The deeper the gear 5th being worse... than say 4rth.... at 1800 while pushing up a hill and not downshifting... you are in that magical range where drone is going to be very noticable...

Think of a deep bass rumlbing through the walls or a car...
It's not direct, but a reverb through another object...which amplifies it and deepens it.

It's a sound...its not a performance killer...
theres ways around it.. ie: don't drive in that range (like slow down to 'x' mph in 5th, and not downshift to get back up to speed.

What makes it bad? Go to someone you know who has a good stereo with some driving bass ... get them to crank the bass.... and then keep adding volume till your ears bleed....
You probably won't like it...

Each exhaust will exhibit a bit of drone, but depending on how LOUD that system is, its design, and tip size... it will be more prevelant.
Those that 'don't have drone' aren't loud/low enough in frequencies to be alloying....
...or the people that have those systems are deaf to those frequencies...

Clear as mud

WarBird69

So drone literally shakes the car and is immensely loud?? That doesn't sound good at all....

Does anyone have sound clips of an aftermarket exhaust crusing along at normal then with drone?

detsgt696

I wouldn't know..... I have Corsa's

Tony Alonso

We need to meet up so you can hear the drone in my Mach's aftermarket exhaust. More than anything, it can be an annoying, resonating tone when driving for extended periods of time around the 2000 RPM range. There is no shaking of the car but rather a transmission of the noise into the passenger area through the body structure.

I looked at changing the stock exhaust on the '07 GT I have coming, but since it will be a daily driver, I am leaving it be. The stock system has a great sound already.

The Corsa exhaust looks like a nice system, despite being on the pricey side.

Are you looking to change the exhaust for performance gains or sound?

You might want to look at this thread too.

Boomer

Tone...
You'll want to change it

but yes there are other kits that don't drone ... or so little that its not even a drone...

The way the 05+ exhaust is... the mufflers are RIGHT at teh back with the tips... so drone is more prevelant than the previous gens, which had the mufflers farther up and a long ammount of pipe before it got to the tips....

Borla's drone (the S-Type) as they are basically just a resonator, not really a muffler. Straight throughs will do that...

Cowtown

I had some bad drone on my 86 GT with JBA shorty headers, offroad H-pipe and flowmasters. With my new flowmasters on the 06 though they don't drone anything even remotely close to what it was in my last car.

It was just more tiring/annoying than anything.

Reminisce

boomer,

That was the best... description... ever. Kudos for that.

Another way to visualize (or audiolize?) drone is, accelerate your GT moderately and listen to the tone. Listen to the tone where its at its loudest, most underdeveloped and possibly deepest tone, which is probably around 1200-2200 I would estimate, now just imagine that tone constantly... amplified x5.

Aftermarket exhausts open up the exhaust much more so they generally have a louder resonating sound, hence a more audible drone. My flowmasters have a very narrow drone range because they are not the loudest aftermarket mufflers. My friend's Borla's, however, drone out of this world, but they also sound significantly louder and more refined when going through the RPM range. Its one of the hits you take when you change out your mufflers/pipes/etc.

WarBird69

Does anyone have any audio clips of an exhaust with drone vs without drone? I'm honestly having a *very* hard time visualizing this in my mind. I've seen one video where it said there was some drone...but I honestly didn't hear anything.

Boomer

It's hard to hear drone through a recording...
You almost have to feel it

You can hear it, not have a sub or speakers that can push that frequency... and that drive.... so you can hear a recording of it...and think 'its not that bad' when its nowhere near what it sound like in real life...

mustangfan123

here is some mustang exhaust clips:MustangExhaust.com Forums - Members Exhaust Sound Clips - 2005-06 Mustang GT & V6

dustindu4

If you don't like drone, put your skirt back on and keep the stock exhaust'

My Flowmasters and offroad H sound AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BlackonBlack

Drone is a mind numbing loud hum around 2K. Reminds me of the rhetoric from our government. I just turn up the shaker1000 to drown it out

official_style

i had a lot of drone, with the bassani catted x and flows. now with the american racing 1 3/4" LTs and their own catted x, i have NO drone with the flows. i mean i can actually use my 5th gear now. i can accell from 40 in 5th and its not even really droning. too bad the headers cost me $1300

Every_Mn

Does American Racing have a website? I assume it's not the American Racing of 'Bullitt wheels' fame?

official_style

http://www.americanracingheaders.com/

bpmurr

I have a little bit of drone from 2000-2200 with my SLP LM's. Not enough to drive my nuts though.

Al Blue4.6l

yeah, the magnapacks on my 98 basically had no noticeable drone. unfortunately there is a bit on my 05 with the packs, I think due to the muffler location like you mentioned.
but it doesnt really bother me as its not that bad and i dont usually drive for any period of time at that RPM in 5th.