# Best sounding (not loudest) exhaust for GTR?



## Caveman (Apr 28, 2004)

Hi guys,

After over a year's worth of deliberation, I've finally settled on a GTR for my next money pit, and left a deposit on a new GTR which I pick up in September.

In the meantime, I am busy shopping for 'bit's for her, one of which is a new exhaust. The noise, or lack of is one of the only things that I've found the car wanting, especially coming from a series of saucy sounding V8s. I'm keen to change this, and want to find a system that releases some of the more exotic high pitch wailing that I've heard on some GTR systems (JDM Password), but without too much volume and certainly no drone. I'd also like to allow for a certain amount of future proofing as and when I start upping the power, so it should have a miniimum of 90mm diameter.

Does such a system exist? I'm considering the Meister R, but again am worried that it might be too loud for a car that frequently will transport me and the young family away for weekends.

Thought so far have been:

- HKS Legamax in steel

- GTC titanium

- Meister R

Any advice for a newbie? Ideally I'd love to hear a range of system and make a call, but YouTube vids are next to usefless for gauging volume to be honest.

Cheers,

Mart.


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## alloy (Apr 29, 2005)

Just change the y-pipe first, see how you get on with that


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## ViolenceBoy (Sep 9, 2012)

My Russ Fellows system is 90mm, minimal drone, lovely on full throttle and has just done Le Mans and back without any headaches (or more importantly, complaints) for me or the mrs.

Also it's a priced well. 

The titanium exhausts I've heard (although awesome sounding) do seem to have that rasp, which doesn't lend itself to relaxed cruising. Just my 2p.


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## AdamOGTR (Oct 23, 2011)

Im getting the russ fellows y pipe fitted on friday. I can take a vid if you like and you can see what you think?


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## Caveman (Apr 28, 2004)

THanks for the offer, but I really need to hear stuff in person. Is anyone down near Herts that has a system I can listen to?

Cheers!

M.


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## Ja5on (Nov 18, 2009)

Ive gone for a full Russ fellows system with DPs



couple of resonators on Y pipe to stop the drone, and a silencer to keep car legal for track


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## Grimson (Aug 30, 2011)

Since you don't get your car until September, you could always head over to the SVM open day when it happens and listen to all the different systems that people have in person.

Should be a lot of cars turn up with almost every different exhaust setup you could think of!


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## Takamo (Oct 18, 2005)

If it's new then remember Nissan are very funny when it comes to warranty if it's had any modifications


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## AdamOGTR (Oct 23, 2011)

Grimson said:


> Since you don't get your car until September, you could always head over to the SVM open day when it happens and listen to all the different systems that people have in person.
> 
> Should be a lot of cars turn up with almost every different exhaust setup you could think of!


when is this??


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## Grimson (Aug 30, 2011)

AdamOGTR said:


> when is this??


When it happens!

Seriously though, just look at the SVM workshop thread and you will see they are crazy busy, so I would guess July/August time to give people enough notice?

Kev/Amar?


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## barry P. (May 9, 2010)

Caveman said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> After over a year's worth of deliberation, I've finally settled on a GTR for my next money pit, and left a deposit on a new GTR which I pick up in September.
> 
> ...


I've got a full Russ Fellows system on my car and it sounds awesome. If you fancy a ride out in it I will probably be at the next Pistonheads Clophill Supercar meet in July, The Flying Horse, Clophill, Beds, 3rd Sunday of the month, 10am start. Clophill is not too far away from Tring and you would be more than welcome to come along and meet everybody, there are normally a few GTRs present so you can compare the different systems.


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## isub (Mar 18, 2013)

Grimson said:


> When it happens!
> 
> Kev/Amar?


Yeah Kev/Amar....whens it gonna be!

I'd have one at my garage, though can only fit one car on the drive, and my neighbours are not keen on excessive noise


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## chrisneeves (Apr 7, 2010)

Caveman said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> After over a year's worth of deliberation, I've finally settled on a GTR for my next money pit, and left a deposit on a new GTR which I pick up in September.
> 
> ...


90mm milltek with resonator on y pipe would be a good place to start. I'd just do the y pipe to start with though and to be honest they are all pretty much the same. Then it depends what you want and whats important. For me having a TUV approved BS compliant and tested solution was important. Having a system where I could swap back to the standard y pipe with cats for mot time was important. Ability to reuse standard tail exit is a consideration, as Is ability to bolt on track day resonator to tail pipes for track events. The 90mm solutions are good for the wrong side of 800, and yes a 102 will flow better unless you are going balls out for really big power there are to many downsides for what I wanted. All the solutions mentioned are good but do sound different so worth getting down to a meet and hearing a few. ACE cafe this Saturday would be a good place to start or a trip to Litchfields or SVM or Jmimports if you are up north


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## dominic1 (Feb 16, 2012)

another plug for Russ fellows from me pal , nice guy to deal with and he will custom make the exhaust to how you want it to sound , will put the factory tips on if you want and installs it him self !!!! , not a lot of company's can make a claim like that, my system sounds FAB !


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## charles charlie (May 3, 2008)

Big thumbs up from me too for Russ Fellows.

Awesome build quality, hand made by a genuine artisan who takes great care making these zorsts to your particular spec.

And as has been said, what a lovely, lovely bloke to boot.


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## ASH-R35 (Jun 7, 2013)

How much is the Russ fellows system....?


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## Ja5on (Nov 18, 2009)

With the DPs and P&P I paid £1900


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## Glennyboy (Nov 24, 2012)

Ja5on said:


> With the DPs and P&P I paid £1900


Does that include Russ fitting it too? As I see he also fits them.


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## ASH-R35 (Jun 7, 2013)

I've got the GTC Titan system on mine which sounds pretty fab to me....zero drone, nice throaty sound and mega blips on downshifts!!......,gives flames too I'm told lol but don't know if this can be attributed to the zorst.....oh and have downpipe s too!


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## Johnny G (Aug 10, 2012)

Milltek downpipes and Whifbitz 102mm sound great for me


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## MeisterR (Jul 19, 2008)

There are quite a few different option here so I'll give my 2p for consideration.
I have talk with Martin about his requirement, and that why I was concerned with offering the MeisterR exhaust.

The unique and "punchy" tone of the MeisterR exhaust comes from its 1 to 4 design and also there are no silencer to soak up any of the frequency.
As soon as you put in a resonator in the Y-pipe, that "punchy" tone disappear.

The VQ in the GTR is actually a very quiet engine, which is why you can run a completely un-silenced exhaust system and do not end up with something that are over the top.
However, not over the top does not mean quiet (which is why we are buying the exhaust to begin with).
That noise normally have to concentrate somewhere, and in the case of the MeisterR exhaust, somewhere around the back seat area.

For many of us (myself included), it isn't a real problem as it is rare to have any passenger in the rear seat.
However, Martin said that he will want to travel long distance on weekend with kids in the back. 

Therefore, I suggest to Martin to start with a MeisterR 70mm non-resonated Y-pipe as that mean he could get an increase in volume without the motorway drone.
That will give him the best increase in noise and tone of the exhaust while keeping a quiet motorway cruise that can be use with kids in the back for long journey.

I think Martin may meet up with one of our members with a MeisterR exhaust to have a listen first.
Afterall, noise volume is subjective, so you really need to listen in person to decide what sound nice and what is too loud or not.

Of course, anyone have any questions, I am more than happy to answer them.

Jerrick


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## Ian Godney (Jun 23, 2004)

Another thumbs up for the Russ Fellow exhaust , fitted mine a few weeks ago and its sounds really nice without being too noisy , zero drone on the motorway , I'm umming and arring about downpipes now , but russ did say it might make it too noisy for trackday DB limits
Cheers Ian


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## Ja5on (Nov 18, 2009)

Ian Godney said:


> Another thumbs up for the Russ Fellow exhaust , fitted mine a few weeks ago and its sounds really nice without being too noisy , zero drone on the motorway , I'm umming and arring about downpipes now , but russ did say it might make it too noisy for trackday DB limits
> Cheers Ian


Hence a wee silencer on Y pipe. George (GTaaaaaar). Has DPs on his and if iirc he was 99dbs on track with the silencer


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## Ian Godney (Jun 23, 2004)

Ja5on said:


> Hence a wee silencer on Y pipe. George (GTaaaaaar). Has DPs on his and if iirc he was 99dbs on track with the silencer


I text Russ on the weekend about downpipes and it was him that told me it would be over noise , if its been proven otherwise then there is no excuse to not fit them !


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## Buzby (May 15, 2013)

I was in the same position as you looking for what would be the best option. 

I went to see most of the systems on the cars in person to get the true impression of what the sound would be like, as opposed to listening to them over YouTube or similar time and time again.

I went for the Meister R full system, not only is it a master piece in terms of quality and engineering, it sounds amazing :smokin:

Where are you based?


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## Ja5on (Nov 18, 2009)

from my chats with george

"Russ has quietened mine down as I couldn't get on track at certain places. I got tested on Saturday at Snetterton and registered 99db @ 5k RPM

" running SVM 900/950 turbos. It made 854 at the hubs at 1.6 bar on pump gas."


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## Donbona (Apr 18, 2013)

Anyone heard the sound from an Akrapovic?


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## Sinth (Sep 26, 2010)

Another thumbs up for the Russ Fellow exhaust


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

I had akrapovic.

Sound was nice, especially with stock downpipes. With aftermarket downpoes was too loud for me.

Titanium introduce a higher pitch resonance, makes it scream rather than roar. More jet fighter like.


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## Caveman (Apr 28, 2004)

Thanks for all the advice so far chaps. :thumbsup:

I am looking for an exotic sounding exhaust that lives up to the performance and price tag of the GTR (lots of money to me!). I love the shriek and high pitch wail of Lamborarris and have heard a few GTR systems on YouTube which don't half sound bad either.

A bit of volume is fine, but it has to be a nice noise, not just amplified drone. 

I'm based in tring Herts, so would love to hear anyone's car that doesn't live too far away. 

Thanks,

Mart.


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## Tin (Aug 15, 2010)

Come along to the next clophill meet, normally a few diff gtrs there, BarryP has the full russ fellows system (inc d/ps), I've got the akra system (std d/ps), tweaked has millteks I believe.


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## Robbie J (Jan 8, 2005)

cheap option is change the down pipes and add and y pipe and leave the back box

it will have lots noise, need a remap of course

R


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## Stevie76 (Dec 17, 2009)

Robbie J said:


> cheap option is change the down pipes and add and y pipe and leave the back box
> 
> it will have lots noise, need a remap of course
> 
> R


Yeah ran that option myself for a while and it sounded great. Now using the whiffbitz 102mm and the noise on wot is glorious but near silent cruising....love it!


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## Stevie76 (Dec 17, 2009)

Robbie J said:


> cheap option is change the down pipes and add and y pipe and leave the back box
> 
> it will have lots noise, need a remap of course
> 
> R


Yeah ran that option myself for a while and it sounded great. Now using the whiffbitz 102mm and the noise on wot is glorious but near silent cruising....love it!


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## Neanderthal (Apr 5, 2013)

Anyone have the Akrapovic Titanium Exhaust System & Akrapovic Titanium/Carbon Tail Pipe Set with the Litchfield 76mm Silenced Y-Pipe?
Gonna hear it for myself later but anyone's experience of it from a longer term ownership and living with it point of view?


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## grahamc (Oct 1, 2006)

personally, I started off with the ypipe, then got the down pipes which I loved rather loud and had the booming effects at 70mph. Changed the ypipe to a silenced one whichwastoo quiet at first, but now I love the sound. Starts off stock, then gets a little growl and finally ends up screaming thanks to the down pipes.


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## Neanderthal (Apr 5, 2013)

That's what I'd like Graham, something which is close to stock sounding when pootling along with the wife and kiddie but when you give it the beans you get the aural delight.


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## grahamc (Oct 1, 2006)

also, nowhere near as pricey as the Akrapovic


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## Caveman (Apr 28, 2004)

Well, I have an update! 

Was luckily enough to get a listen to one of MeisterR's customer exhausts tonight. Massive respect to Jon for volunteering to take me for a spin in his lovely silver machine. :thumbsup:

The MeisterR system is refreshingly very much as it is claimed. Despite the complete absence of silencers and a main pipe diameter of 90mm, somehow it is still quiet when you want it to be (apart from initial start up when it does rumble a bit until the idle speed settles down)...

...that is until you mash the pedal to the floor, then it turns into a complete animal.  Much like the JDM Password system that it was based on, the exhaust literally sings a high pitch song, not unlike an Italian exotic. Loud yes, but not amplified drone loud, more like an deliberate acoustically tuned instrumemt. 

There was also a surprising absence of drone at most revs, only a bit of boom at 2k revs and a vibration (possibly cabin vibration - probably due to the higher frequencies) at a certain point in the higher rev range.

At 70-80mph there is a complete absence of drone, in fact no noise at all. Quite surprising actually.

Can't comment on the build quality as it was on the car, although in all honesty I did notice that the tips sat higher on one side of the car than the other, but I would hope that this could be rectified.

All in all I liked it, definitely on my shortlist. I think if the price was more sensible they would probably sell a lot more.

Need to hear a GTC 102 Titanium or Akrapovic next - anyone have one local to Tring? 

Mart.


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## safcjo (Jul 22, 2006)

how much is the russ fellows 90mm system


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