Anyone running an HKS Spec L? Anyone??

[SpinRush]

Honestly speaking guys, the L-Spec is the best sounding and best looking of all the exhaust systems I looked at. There’s one thing I want to add because some posters haven’t mentioned it and that’s driver’s assistance.

In the world of battery-operated vehicles, society has forgotten that we used to drive by sound. Motorcyclists have never forgotten this. Only a dead motorcyclist is looking down to see his shift point.

As some of you know this is my first manual car but I used to ride motorcycles. This HKS L-Spec exhaust is keeping my eyes up and on the road. I hear my shift points more definitively now. The sound also tells me how I’m driving, how much pressure I want to put on the accel pedal.

So yeah, it’s a win-win. You get performance and sharp looks, but you also get a necessary ingredient when driving a manual, sound.

Not sure when automakers forgot that our ears are located near the back of our heads where the exhaust is.

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[SpinRush]

I can find a thing anywhere on anyone reporting on this exhaust?

Thanks

( Interior )
( Exterior )

Enjoy!

 

[turboR]

I have had this exhaust for over 6 months now and I absolutely LOVE it. ZERO drone, nice deep tone with a little nice rasp. I have stock DP currently. I may add either a catted DP or catless DP in the future, I was wondering if anyone on here has this exhaust installed with an aftermarket DP and could comment on how much louder it got (both in a catted and catless version). I would not mind it getting a bit louder, however I would not want to introduce any drone at all. Thanks!

 

[123sillyboy123]

I have had this exhaust for over 6 months now and I absolutely LOVE it. ZERO drone, nice deep tone with a little nice rasp. I have stock DP currently. I may add either a catted DP or catless DP in the future, I was wondering if anyone on here has this exhaust installed with an aftermarket DP and could comment on how much louder it got (both in a catted and catless version). I would not mind it getting a bit louder, however I would not want to introduce any drone at all. Thanks!

My friend has it and he paired with ktuner catless dp.. it has some drone after swap with catless dp

 

[turboR]

My friend has it and he paired with ktuner catless dp.. it has some drone after swap with catless dp

thanks for the input....this is what I was afraid of. I am wondering if doing an aftermarket Catted DP would then just make it slightly louder without any annoying drone, or if it would make zero sound difference at all.

 

[123sillyboy123]

thanks for the input....this is what I was afraid of. I am wondering if doing an aftermarket Catted DP would then just make it slightly louder without any annoying drone, or if it would make zero sound difference at all.

High flow cat should make slight different as compare to oem cat.
At least that is what my experience is with my exhaust here.
And should have no additional drone switching to catted.

I like hks exhaust but it is abit too quiet.

 

[turboR]

High flow cat should make slight different as compare to oem cat.
At least that is what my experience is with my exhaust here.
And should have no additional drone switching to catted.

I like hks exhaust but it is abit too quiet.

I would agree its a tad quieter than I wished, thus is why I am trying to decide how to make it a bit louder but not dealing with drone...so it seems doing an aftermarket DP with HFC may be the best option. Im curious as to how bad was the drone you heard in the catless set up?

 

[bbdave]

My spec L is paired to the PRL Catless DP & FP combo. Drone honestly is the same as the factory exhaust (paired to my setup) to minimal depending on RPM. I’m very pleased with it
Cruising around town and highway is almost no different. I’m also running the 62a rear motor mount. Catted would definitely be quieter, but even my setup is very tame. I’m pretty sure the borla exhaust (paired to factory downpipe)I’ve heard sounds louder than mine.

 

[turboR]

My spec L is paired to the PRL Catless DP & FP combo. Drone honestly is the same as the factory exhaust (paired to my setup) to minimal depending on RPM. I’m very pleased with it
Cruising around town and highway is almost no different. I’m also running the 62a rear motor mount. Catted would definitely be quieter, but even my setup is very tame. I’m pretty sure the borla exhaust (paired to factory downpipe)I’ve heard sounds louder than mine.

Thanks for the first hand experience perspective. I had the Greddy Tri Tip initially and it droned so bad (with stock DP/FP) that I dynamatted the whole rear of the car before I ultimately decided to sell it. So I’m a little scarred from that experience haha, thus wanting to make the right decision when choosing a DP to mat up to the HKS Spec-L. If it doesn’t drone when crushing on the freeway under load going uphill at say 3.5k RPMs then I’d be good with it. I go up a lot of grades daily and that senario is most likely to induce drone. I don’t mind the noise, it’s just when it creates that bad resonance in the cabin. It sounds like I may be able to get away with going catlesss possibly hmm.

 

[bbdave]

Thanks for the first hand experience perspective. I had the Greddy Tri Tip initially and it droned so bad (with stock DP/FP) that I dynamatted the whole rear of the car before I ultimately decided to sell it. So I’m a little scarred from that experience haha, thus wanting to make the right decision when choosing a DP to mat up to the HKS Spec-L. If it doesn’t drone when crushing on the freeway under load going uphill at say 3.5k RPMs then I’d be good with it. I go up a lot of grades daily and that senario is most likely to induce drone. I don’t mind the noise, it’s just when it creates that bad resonance in the cabin. It sounds like I may be able to get away with going catlesss possibly hmm.

6th cruising around 2.5k to 3.5K in the highway through different grades didn’t seem to add any annoying resonance (I was impressed). It was very tolerable; even the factory exhaust had drone.
Keep in mind I do have a front pipe as well, which changes how the exhaust flows.
Later on I’ll probably dampen my trunk, which was on my to do list before, to help with the subwoofer performance.

I was personally waiting on 27won, but I got the spec L at a great deal. The dual tips look great on black.

 

[123sillyboy123]

I would agree its a tad quieter than I wished, thus is why I am trying to decide how to make it a bit louder but not dealing with drone...so it seems doing an aftermarket DP with HFC may be the best option. Im curious as to how bad was the drone you heard in the catless set up?

My friend car isnt that bad.. just slightly.. he can has coins in his car and I don't hear the coin dancing around... way better than invidia r400 with catted...

 

[123sillyboy123]

6th cruising around 2.5k to 3.5K in the highway through different grades didn’t seem to add any annoying resonance (I was impressed). It was very tolerable; even the factory exhaust had drone.
Keep in mind I do have a front pipe as well, which changes how the exhaust flows.
Later on I’ll probably dampen my trunk, which was on my to do list before, to help with the subwoofer performance.

I was personally waiting on 27won, but I got the spec L at a great deal. The dual tips look great on black.

Thanks for the first hand experience perspective. I had the Greddy Tri Tip initially and it droned so bad (with stock DP/FP) that I dynamatted the whole rear of the car before I ultimately decided to sell it. So I’m a little scarred from that experience haha, thus wanting to make the right decision when choosing a DP to mat up to the HKS Spec-L. If it doesn’t drone when crushing on the freeway under load going uphill at say 3.5k RPMs then I’d be good with it. I go up a lot of grades daily and that senario is most likely to induce drone. I don’t mind the noise, it’s just when it creates that bad resonance in the cabin. It sounds like I may be able to get away with going catlesss possibly hmm.

does dynamat help with drone at all?
I have ARK dt-s paired with aFe catted dp and fp, it drones at 2k, then 4k ... my coin dance around when I rev match downshifting too...

 

[turboR]

does dynamat help with drone at all?
I have ARK dt-s paired with aFe catted dp and fp, it drones at 2k, then 4k ... my coin dance around when I rev match downshifting too...

Yes the Dynamat did help with the drone and overall road noise, the interior ride quality was improved by about 15-20% I would say. I have not done the doors yet, but may do so in the future if I do some sort of stereo. You can also hear the subwoofer try to do something lol, still is garbage through.

Now specifically speaking for the drone....I would describe it as dampening the drone, it will not nor ever eliminate it. The only way to do that is swap exhaust, I leaned that lesson the hard way. I put in the Dynamat as a last attempt to be able to live with the Greddy Tri Tip drone, and once I drove the car after the Dynamat install I still decided to sell that exhaust. It made it more tolerable, but it was not gone by any means and if a coin was ratting before, it most likely will after just a bit less. I do not regret selling that exhaust or installing the Dynamat. I love the Spec L.

 

[bbdave]

does dynamat help with drone at all?
I have ARK dt-s paired with aFe catted dp and fp, it drones at 2k, then 4k ... my coin dance around when I rev match downshifting too...

It should reduce vibrations coming from the mufflers/road noise which in turn quiet down the cabin. The drone will still be present, but it should be less than before.
Back in the day I used to pack pillow stuffing into car doors to remove any vibration caused from audio systems (or to quiet the cabin). There are plenty of ways to reduce vibrations, just gotta be willing to do them... eventually I’ll get to it

 

[123sillyboy123]

Yes the Dynamat did help with the drone and overall road noise, the interior ride quality was improved by about 15-20% I would say. I have not done the doors yet, but may do so in the future if I do some sort of stereo. You can also hear the subwoofer try to do something lol, still is garbage through.

Now specifically speaking for the drone....I would describe it as dampening the drone, it will not nor ever eliminate it. The only way to do that is swap exhaust, I leaned that lesson the hard way. I put in the Dynamat as a last attempt to be able to live with the Greddy Tri Tip drone, and once I drove the car after the Dynamat install I still decided to sell that exhaust. It made it more tolerable, but it was not gone by any means and if a coin was ratting before, it most likely will after just a bit less. I do not regret selling that exhaust or installing the Dynamat. I love the Spec L.

I really like ARK exhaust tune.. it is exactly the note that i am looking for... deep and throaty... it just sucks that the drone at 4k is annoying. I can live with it but my kids are complaining.

Spec L is nice.. i love it light weight and zero drone but it sounds not aggressive enough.

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