Here is my 2011 XKR with Mina Gallery exhaust. The video allows a little too much atmosphere noise that takes away from the exhaust. But I think the takeaway is that the exhaust sounds powerful without being out of character with the car. I had originally removed both resonators and just had the Mina rear muffler system. While it sounded raw it also had too much drone. After months I put the stock resonators back on. So this is what the Mina sounds like.

Sometimes I want a louder sound but then I realize I really DON'T necessarily want louder with THIS car. It is a gentleman's weapon after all; not a dragster. I would describe this exhaust as mellifluous. I suppose on something more like a Vantage, Ferrari, GT3, Viper etc much louder would be suitable for me.

What are your thoughts?

 

I personally would go louder. The newer Vantage is even louder than the XKR both cars being stock. I think the XKR is not as high pitch winding to high RPM sound, its more of a muscle car sound. If you want alittle more sound go with highflow cats or possibly long tube headers (not sure if anyoe makes headers for the X150s). I have Milltek exhaust with Nameless Performance 200 cell cats. Still much quieter than my buddy's Viper with straight pipes. You can hear the sound with exhaust and cats in my friend's vid in my sig (with my buddy's viper at the end revving). If that's too loud you can always go with 400 cell cats (quieter). At first, I thought it was too loud but after a few months I wish it was alittle louder now.

Here's a sound test video between the XKRS vs F458:

 

What do hi-flow cats or long-tube headers run. Wouldn't I be better served selling the Mina and going for Miltek for a bit more noise yet? I figure unless I can get cats or headers for cheap I would just go with a louder full exhaust no?

 

Milltek is a mild exhaust and so I don't think you'll see much difference in sound unless you go with the Spires or KKS exhaust. My NP cats were cheaper than the Milltek exhaust as you can give Jason at Nameless Performance a call as I'm not sure if he's still making hiflo cats for the X150s. If not, I know Milltek also carries hiflo cats for the XKR.

If you want to just switch exhausts....google Spires XKR and KKS XKR and you'll see youtube vids of their exhausts.

 

Nameless performance does not sell hiflow cats for x150 anymore... I know, I called... And Miltek hiflow cats are WAYYY too expensive... Just get some custom made, that's what I'm doing and it's MUCH cheaper...

 

I think the Miltek is notably louder because it is a full exhaust whereas the Mina is just the rear muffler.

How does one go about getting custom cats made? Do muffler shops do it? How much?

 

Here's what mine sounds like with the stock exhaust and only Milltek cats:



Yes the Milltek cats alone were very expensive but I get the sound and HP gains without changing anything else. Also I can keep the active exhaust function this way but for now I've pulled fuse 19.

 

Mike V, that sounds nice. Does it have any drone?

 

At first I thought it did but it was actually the passenger side cats to manifold gasket hadn't been tightened down enough or as I was told it sat farther down upon installation leaving it loose.

Once that cats was re-tightened to the manifold all the drone went away. So NO drone and the videos actually did a really good job of capturing the actual sound.

 

Ok. So no drone. What about how to get custom Cats made?

 

I can't get mine done because it's sleeping in my garage for the winter but I talked about it with my muffler guy and he said it would be a breeze to make. Just measure the size (length and thickness) of the oem piece and then use a corresponding (similar size) universal high flow cat. Cut, bend and voila... I'll be doing mine in spring...

 

THIS is a sweet sound. Not sure how much I like the super musclecar-ish sound on the XK. But this Paramount sounds about perfect. Also note how the car is lowered and there seems to be wider than stock tires on the Nevis wheels.


Apparently the exhaust is right at $2k. A bit less than Miltek and Quicksilver. Anybody have any feedback on Paramount or this exhaust and how it compares?

 

Miltek sounds like perfection as well.