Best sounding best performing exhaust - flowmaster or magnaflow?

[Boise69]

I'm making a list of everything i need for stage 1 re-store this winter, exhaust is on my short list. would like to know peoples opinions on exhaust but only between these two unless there is another that really stands above.

Flowmaster -

Magnaflow -

[QKENUF4U]

i already loved FLOWS but this is the vid that made me know 100% for sure i had to have flows. mine doesnt sound as good as this one since i actually have tailpipes on it but it still sounds nice w/ my BB. i think he has the 40 series where the set i have may be the super 40's which are a bit quieter. FYI i have no RESONANCE at any speed inside my truck.
had a MAG on my z71 but didnt like it all that much.

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/3...0023085992.htm

[stacerbob]

Magnaflow makes an exhaust system for these trucks, does flowmaster?

[Boise69]

when you say Flows you mean flowmaster? and 40's are the way to go? That sound clip is awsome and thats how i want mine to sound. I have a 350 and i may be switching out to a 383 stroker i just want it to sound just like that clip!! with either engine i'm running but now i have to figure out what headers

[hotrod 80]

I have these on a hot 355 .


Here is a sound bite.

[Werewolf]

Lots of guys like the Flowmaster, and that's personal choice. But I've heard a few people say that the Flowmaster is a lot more restrictive than many other performance systems. I've looked at the internals, and in some cases, I believe it. The initial and final angled "baffles" are about 2.5" in diameter. Plenty for most engines, unless you're running a 3" single inlet muffler.

The standard 40 is more restrictive than the Super 40. The Super 40 has a thicker case, which does kill a lot of resonance, but keeps the sound outside the truck about the same, although I think Flowmaster has advertised that it has "more of that Flowmaster sound," which I personally find very tinny, and way too common. You always know when a Flowmaster is coming down the road.

I've only got experience with one Magnaflow exhaust, the one on my Trans Am. You can see straight through the muffler, so it's every bit as LOUD as you would expect. No tinniness to it, just deep throatiness. I don't like it for as loud as it is, but I do like the sounds.

Here's a clip of my T/A with the Magnaflow stainless system. It came with 3.5" tips. Since that video, I've removed those tips, stuck in dual out 3" resonated tips to level out the noise on the highway, and the car's picked up a set of headers and a cam, so it sounds a *lot* deeper.

http://www.drakkolupen.com/cars/transam/burnout.MOV

I had a different kind of muffler, the Hooker Aerochamber, on my '01 Silverado. I actually *loved* that muffler. Deep sound, not common, and it didn't have the problem that a lot of the newer Chev engines have. Most of them seem to lack that typical "blub blub" hear-each-cylinder-firing sound that the older SBC's all have. It often makes them sound kind of droney with some exhausts. Not with the Aerochamber. It had a straight-through design, but was surprisingly quiet. And I noticed a significant increase in torque *over* the Flowmaster 40 series I had on the truck before it.

The negatives to that setup was that the muffler's exterior wasn't aluminized, just painted, and all the welds rusted significantly within a year. No holes, but this is one of those mufflers that will fall right off a truck after a few years of use. The inside of the muffler was stainless, I believe.

EDIT: Found a clip of the car after the cam, etcetera. BE WARNED, keep your volume down. And if you've got good bass on your PC speakers, you should love this clip.

http://www.kaerwyn.com/bowtie/transam.wav

[underdog8704]

im running flowmaster super 40s on my 383 stroker. sounds great, real throaty. Not as raspy as the original 40s. The supers sound really good while decelerating too. just my opinion.

[see ten]

I'm still diggin my old flowmasters!

http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b4...t=MOV00542.flv

[Palf70Step]

I have flowmaster 40's (I think) on my 70. I'll let you know the sounds when she fires. On my DD. I have had Flowmaster (50) and now magnaflows at the recommendation of my muffler shop. I personally like the Flowmaster 50s better than the magnaflow, but both sound good. I think the Flowmasters sound just a bit more aggressive than what the magnaflows do. But until the magnaflows rott away (hopefully not anytime soon) they will remain on the DD.

[QKENUF4U]

SEE TEN's truck sounds AWESOME and LOOKS AWESOME !!!!
WEREWOLF - cam sounds great !!!

[b&a72]

I have always had flows on my trucks and love them. Tried a magnaflow on my Tahoe and did not like it at all tossed it. IMO Flowmasters sound way better then magna. I am running the original 40 series 2 1/2 on my 383 and love em! But it just depends on the sound you are looking for.

[HeavyD]

For those who have tried Flow 50's and Magnaflows, was resonance a problem at all?

[b&a72]

I have Delta Flows on my Tahoe and it does from about 50-65mph but after and before that it is fine, but that is a Tahoe and it is all enclosed. On my truck I have the original 40 series and have them dumped under my bed and it is not bad at all. No matter what you are going to have some sound but that is the price for a bad a$% sounding truck.

[TooT]

Originally Posted by QKENUF4U

i already loved FLOWS but this is the vid that made me know 100% for sure i had to have flows. mine doesnt sound as good as this one since i actually have tailpipes on it but it still sounds nice w/ my BB. i think he has the 40 series where the set i have may be the super 40's which are a bit quieter. FYI i have no RESONANCE at any speed inside my truck.
had a MAG on my z71 but didnt like it all that much.

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/3...0023085992.htm

Yeah it's the regular 40 series. i'm glad you like it! i have a couple more clips uploaded but i'm waiting on streetfire to approve them...

Edit: here is what it sounds like comin at ya
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/3...6f01834df1.htm

[68Stepbed]

I have 50 series Delta Flows on my 86, which is a base model truck with NO carpet or sound insulation, and I get alot of resonance in the cab, but I love the low rumble i get from the back. My brother just got 40 series installed on his 83 today, which has carpet and insulation all through his cab, and it sounds really good in the cab. I don't know if the carpet makes that big of a difference or not. I also have my tips tucked back under the bumper so I can change to a sport bumper later. My brother had his exit behind the bumper. that may make a difference.
Personally, I've just always liked Flowmasters.

[Werewolf]

Okay. The Magnaflow on the T/A seems to be pretty much loud despite what you do. It's not bad on the highway, but it's hard to listen to good tunes over the exhaust. The car *is* a ragtop, so that's not too surprising. They make different versions, though. I got the loud one. No idea About the quieter ones. The resonance gets rough at about 2500 RPM, but below that it's definitely a tune I like to listen to.

I have a Flowmaster 50 going through a 3" single exhaust on my Caprice. There's a rumble, always, however, there's no resonance increase at any RPM. It's not objectionable at all, in my opinion. The Caprice is the quietest car I own next to the '04 Avalanche with stock exhaust, and considering the fact that the Caprice is a wagon, I think the 50 is doing quite well on it. Not TOO much. Just enough. The 50 is the next-quietest muffler over the 70 series, which is actually quite large and hard to fit under a car. The 50 SUV, which I had, was louder than the standard 50 series delta-flow. I'm actually pretty happy with the 50 series in my Caprice.

Keep in mind that cats also muffle exhaust, and that you guys won't be running cats, so you're going to get more noise.

[Jim_PA]

I think Magnaflows have a much deeper tone, and so do the Hooker Aerochambers. I have had flowmaster, hooker, and magnaflows on some vehicle at some point in time, and my favorite is probably the magnflow.

The hookers are the loudest I've ever had, magnaflows sound good, but weren't quite as loud. The flowmasters have a unique sound to them, not quite as deep in tone, but they were just getting too common.

[hotrod 80]

The last set of flowmasters I had were on a 80 camaro . They sounded tinnie , or had a tin rattle to them . They stll sounded good . The Luv has 10.4 to 1 compression so the magnaflows are loud when you step on it . I like them both so I didn't vote in the poll.

[TooT]

Originally Posted by 68Stepbed

I have 50 series Delta Flows on my 86, which is a base model truck with NO carpet or sound insulation, and I get alot of resonance in the cab, but I love the low rumble i get from the back. My brother just got 40 series installed on his 83 today, which has carpet and insulation all through his cab, and it sounds really good in the cab. I don't know if the carpet makes that big of a difference or not. I also have my tips tucked back under the bumper so I can change to a sport bumper later. My brother had his exit behind the bumper. that may make a difference.
Personally, I've just always liked Flowmasters.

We finally put carpet in mine and it made a HUGE difference. i can actually hear myself think now

[Draggn66]

I've got Flowmasters on my 05 and are very happy with em but on the 71 I'm kickin with CherryBombs! Old School & Love the sound.

[JameslovesJammie]

I voted Magnaflow. I used to think that Flowmasters were the way to go, but in the last year or two I have become a Magnaflow fan. Flowmasters sound higher pitched and tinnier to me. Magnaflows have more of a deep rumble...more like a growl. I plan on getting the stainless Magnaflow kit for my '72.

[classicchev]

I think its a little mopre than just mufflers. Pipe size, length, and the funny tips everyone put on the ends. Deuce and I have pretty much the same exhaust systems, his is on a short box, mine on a long, BUT they have a totally different sound. The only difference is the tips, I have the 4 " tips ,and Corie has the small "pee shooters" . Mine has this deep tone, and is very recognizable and many peoiple have commented on how they like the sound.

I have know since changed to 2 1/2 " out of the headers into a single 3" single Flow, and out behind the wheel. Hopefully I like this sound, or I may be changing back to the other setup I had..

Darren

[jimmydean]

I like the sound of Magnaflows over Flowmaters myself, but the best muffler (and cheapest too) for performance and sound has been the Summit Racing fully welded. Have a few different friends running them and that are sweet.

[crazy longhorn]

Hands down, for the bucks....I think the old Dynomax super turbos are hard to beat for performance. they flow dam good for cheap mufflers. That said, I got 1 he!! of a deal on a used set of 50's flows (they were rescued from the junk pile at the muffler shop). The price was right, & the wifey tells me that the old truck has a very distintive sound......trust me, the boys wont run off with it.....unless they push it 1/2 way down the block before they crank it up! I run hooker comps, 1 5/8" tube/2 1/2" collector. 2 1/2" in & out of the Flows, & exit through the rear drop step bumper . There is a 2 1/4" H pipe in the system, just behind the trans crossmember, & the rear is finished off with a set of 2 1/2 " stainless pencil tips. L

[manimal]

I have Magnaflows on my 72 with a 468 and sounds awesome!! Had flowmasters on my 65 chevelle and that sounded good too! But my vote is for MAGNAFLOW!!!