Borla Atak vs FR500s axle backs and drone

Riptide said:

I tried Borla S and Outlaws. Both were just too raspy for me and the latter was particularly god awful though it was loud.

Borla has some nice craftsmanship and I loved the rolled tips. Low on volume and non-rolled tips are my biggest complaint with the GT500 axle backs but so far it's about the only one I can stand that I've tried.

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I agree that Borla has very nice craftsmanship/materials which are also backed by their one-million-mile warranty. However, prior to the 2011 redesign which applies for only the 2011-14 5.0 Coyote and 2015-current S550 models, the Borla exhaust systems made for the previous generation 2005-10 cars, especially the Borla S-type are well known for their god awful drone. This I know thru personal experience lol.

I have the Borla ATAK Axle-back paired with a Corsa X-pipe. Only exhaust mods right now. They are loud but the combo has an excellent tone-deep and rich, not high pitched and raspy. Although they are a bit loud I get compliments all the time about how great my car sounds. The Borla were a great decision and I’m not one bit sorry I put them on my 2007 GT Vert. I have a comparison video of stock vs what exhaust I have now. Let me now if you would like to hear.

Are you running cats paired with the ATAKs and Corsa X-pipe or without cats? Also, how bad is the interior resonance drone? And yes, I'd definitely be very interested in viewing your comparison video between your current Borla ATAK setup vs stock as well.

Until recently I had two '09 GTs (coupe & convertible). Sold the Convertible and got a 2014 5.0 GT. I put FR500 axlebacks on both '09s and enjoy them, especially when I get on it. NO drone, nice at idle and music @ WOT, I wish I could get something similar for my '14. I also was a Chevy SB guy since 1970 but GM really pissed me off in 2008-09. I am 66 yrs old and having a ball with these cars. Good Luck, enjoy.

Ron said:

My current axle back mufflers are Borla Ataks. The rest of the exhaust is stock. I am getting some drone with these in 5th gear between 55-60 mph.

Curious to know if the FR500s do the same? Also, do these sound similar than the Borlas? They seem to be slightly larger.

I'd honestly like to quiet it down a tad but think going to the Bullitt muffler may be too quiet.

Trying to listen to exhaust videos on my crappy laptop isn't working too well.

Thanks for any help!!

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install a helmholtz resonator. It cures the drone, you will have to experiment some to get it right to make the sound waves cancel. hope this helps...it cured mine on my GT500, good luck. Kevin

https://www.google.com/search?q=hel....69i57j0l5.16121j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

06 T-RED S/C GT said:

Are you running cats paired with the ATAKs and Corsa X-pipe or without cats? Also, how bad is the interior resonance drone? And yes, I'd definitely be very interested in viewing your comparison video between your current Borla ATAK setup vs stock as well.

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I am currently running the stock cats. There is some drone while driving but it doesn’t bother me. It’s not loud enough to be annoying. I find myself driving with the radio off because I like to listen to the car. Both videos are too long to upload here so I’ll see if I can load them to my YouTube channel and post the link for you. I have 3, one stock, one with just the Borla, and one after the Corsa was added.

redsnake said:

install a helmholtz resonator. It cures the drone, you will have to experiment some to get it right to make the sound waves cancel. hope this helps...it cured mine on my GT500, good luck. Kevin

https://www.google.com/search?q=hel....69i57j0l5.16121j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

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Thank you for the info and links, Kevin. The Helmholtz resonator design looks very interesting. I'm also very curious about finding some info from a company known as "Synapse Engineering Inc" who both designs and retails their products known as "NoDrone" resonators. As mentioned below in response to "my66bug's post" I'll be contacting the folks over at "Synapse" in an attempt to gather further info about how well their resonators actually work as advertised for getting rid of interior resonance drone. Hopefully, I'll have some positive feedback to submit following my conversation with them?

-Rocky

http://synapseengineering.com/synapseusa/products/nodrone.html

my66bug said:

I am currently running the stock cats. There is some drone while driving but it doesn’t bother me. It’s not loud enough to be annoying. I find myself driving with the radio off because I like to listen to the car. Both videos are too long to upload here so I’ll see if I can load them to my YouTube channel and post the link for you. I have 3, one stock, one with just the Borla, and one after the Corsa was added.

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Thanks for posting your comparison videos, as I found them very helpful. After listening to the Borla ATAK with Corsa X-pipe and stock cats video. IMHO your Borla ATAK setup sort of sounds similar to the Roush Extreme cat-back exhaust that I'm looking to pull the trigger on. However, by comparison, the Roush system does appear to have a deeper exhaust tone whereas your Borla ATAK/Corsa X setup appears to have somewhat more of a higher exhaust note. More than likely this is due that the Borla ATAK by design produces a slightly higher exhaust tone when compared to the Borla S-type muffler. Also, the design of an X crossover is a contributing factor as well. In the meantime, I'm going to take a serious look at redsnake's post regarding Helmholtz resonators as a possible solution for curing resonance drone as a last-ditch effort for keeping my current Borla S-type exhaust setup intact. I came across this company "Synapse Engineering Inc" that designs and retails Helmholtz resonators known as NoDrone resonators which supposedly are designed to cancel out the frequencies that produce interior resonance drone. At any rate, I'm going to be giving the folks over at Synapse Engineering a phone call tomorrow to inquire info about their resonator design and hopefully get some feedback about how effective their products actually work as advertised. If in the event I happen to have any doubts following my conversation with them? I will then follow thru with my plans for pulling the trigger on getting the Roush Extreme Cat-back exhaust. At any rate, if interested? I've provided some links below for "Synapse Engineering Inc"

http://synapseengineering.com/synapseusa/products/nodrone.html

06 T-RED S/C GT said:

Wasn't trying to be a dbag about it. I'm just really pissed off in regards to the droning issues I've had with the Borla S-types. Therefore my apologies if I came across that way as that really wasn't my intention. Perhaps with a Magnaflow catted X pipe as you mentioned with the Borla S type, might dampen the drone and sound better than with the stock midpipe? But I honestly don't know, as I didn't really consider it for thinking that by making the switch to a catted X pipe probably wouldn't have made any significant difference anyhow. However, I can surely understand where you're coming from when comparing the differences between Flowmaster 40 series vs Borla S types as far as drone is concerned lol.

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All good sir. I just honestly don't remember having any drone issues on either my 04 or 07 with the Borla S types. But that was 8 years ago haha

For sure, 8 years is definitely a long time lol. However what I can tell you is when I first started out with the Borla S-types, they were paired with the stock catted mid-pipe which had the H crossover section cut off and then had the Magnaflow Tru-X crossover welded in its place. Needless to say, the Tru-X crossover made very little difference if any at all concerning the drone issues. Then I tried running the S-types with the Mac off-road ProChamber setup. The only difference the off-road ProChamber setup accomplished was by amplifying the drone frequencies produced by the Borla S-types that much louder inside the cabin. Finally, just recently within the last 5 days, I had a muffler shop install the Mac ProChamber to the stock catted mid-pipe as the ProChamber cut n clamp version. Once again, no change whatsoever. At any rate, my conclusion following 3 different mid-pipe setups are the drone issues I've been having are from the Borla S-type mufflers

That is so odd or at least that is what my memory is telling me haha. Maybe the Flowmasters just really amped up what my definition of drone is lol.

When I had those Flows paired with an MRT catted H pipe, the drone was so bad it literally vibrated change in my cup holders.

From what you described how the Flowmasters literally vibrated change in your cupholders, I can honestly say that by comparison, my Borla S-types aren't nearly quite that severe as far as drone is concerned. The drone I experience from the Borla S-types is when I'm cruising at speed on the highway at 50-65MPH in 5th gear between 1500-2200 RPM. The best way I can describe the drone, is that it sounds like an ultra-low-bass hum resonating from a 12" sub-woofer. It's also very noticeable when the car is under load as well.

I have the fr500s and they make me drool. I must of listen to sound clips for 2 months straight before I went with these and I am so glad I did. No drone and subtle when off the throttle in the neighborhood, when when hit the skinny pedal it sounds f'ing awesome!

Shaffe said:

That is so odd or at least that is what my memory is telling me haha. Maybe the Flowmasters just really amped up what my definition of drone is lol.

When I had those Flows paired with an MRT catted H pipe, the drone was so bad it literally vibrated change in my cup holders.

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That is the reason I sold my Flowmasters, cheap. I like the sound out the back but the drone was unbearable at highway speed at around 2000rpm.

06 T-RED S/C GT said:

From what you described how the Flowmasters literally vibrated change in your cupholders, I can honestly say that by comparison, my Borla S-types aren't nearly quite that severe as far as drone is concerned. The drone I experience from the Borla S-types is when I'm cruising at speed on the highway at 50-65MPH in 5th gear between 1500-2200 RPM. The best way I can describe the drone, is that it sounds like an ultra-low-bass hum resonating from a 12" sub-woofer. It's also very noticeable when the car is under load as well.

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Still sounds like the Roush Extream is the way to go or the FR500S axle-backs.

06JET said:

That is the reason I sold my Flowmasters, cheap. I like the sound out the back but the drone was unbearable at highway speed at around 2000rpm.


Still sounds like the Roush Extream is the way to go or the FR500S axle-backs.

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Exactly the reason for referring to Flowmasters as Dronemasters lol. I'm still waiting to hear back from Synapse Engineering about their NoDrone, J-pipe/branch resonators. If I don't hear back from them by the end of this week? I will proceed with my original plans of placing an order for the Roush Extreme cat-back exhaust.

Beardown said:

I have the fr500s and they make me drool. I must of listen to sound clips for 2 months straight before I went with these and I am so glad I did. No drone and subtle when off the throttle in the neighborhood, when when hit the skinny pedal it sounds f'ing awesome!

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I did the same. Haven't installed them yet, but can't wait! They sounded awesome in all the videos.

Ended up ordering a set of the FR500s!

Congrats, Ron. I'm sure that you won't be disappointed

-Rocky