Before I get on to the review of this product (which I bought after the price reduction and redesign), I would like to state that I actually forgot to snap any pictures of this TBE.

But I would say that this TBE does not look like the picture that they posted up for this product on their website. The TBE comes in three parts, the down pipe, the resonator and the mid pipe.

Important things that would be of interest to future prospect buyers:

1. The cat is positioned at the bottom of the down pipe at the joint to the resonator
2. The resonator is a bullet shaped expansion resonator. If I had to guess, it's probably 4" in diameter
3. There is no flex built into the exhaust

Now as marketed by TurboXS, this TBE was meant to easily hook up to stock WRX and STI mufflers. I had a 06 STI muffler that was to go onto this TBE. However, Mao had a hard time trying to get it to fit. He had to heat up and bend the pipe of the STI muffler upwards near the flange to fit it up properly. I am unsure if my STI muffler had some sort of modifications to the pipes before but I highly doubt it. And he also noted that this TBE was designed to be a 3" straight through and all they did to make it "Stealthback" was to just drill additional holds on the flange to accomodate the smaller diameters of stock exhausts. Fitment of the TBE on my car seems to be pretty snug, no low hanging bits beneath my car at all.



Now to the bit that most people would care about, power and noise. I would like to say it's good news on both fronts. A foreword on noise impressions, most of my impressions are done when inside of the car. I've yet to find someone I trust to drive my car around while I'm standing outside to hear it.



There is absolutely no drone at all in the car at 110kph or lower. This is not to say that there would be droning at higher speeds it's just that I've not tested it. Driving around like you normally would (shift at 3k rpm or lower), one would not even notice the difference. I had my other half sit in the car even she remarked that she can't tell that I've done some changes to the exhaust. You will however hear a very slight turbo whine which will automatically be drowned out if you turn the radio on or wind the windows down.



There is barely any increase in noise upon a cold start of the engine as well (both inside or outside the car). Those of you wishing for the boxer rumble would be dissapointed as under normal driving conditions, you wouldn't hear it. However if you give it abit of gas (say half pedal or more) you will start to hear the rumble at around 2800rpm - 3500rpm. After 3500 rpm the engine roar just drowns the rumble sound out. It might sound different from the outside but with my back windows down all the way, the engine sound was just way louder than what I can hear from the back. At WOT, it is the same deal, the engine roar (which is much louder now) just overpowers what other noise is coming out of the exhaust that to date I've yet to hear what comes out of my exhaust.


Power wise, I've gained over 30 hp and 50nm from Mao's tuning with this setting. Mao has mentioned that I am missing probably about 10-15hp compared to a full 3" TBE. I will post my dyno chart later when I get home. Haven't really experienced anything more powerful than my car, I can't complain about the power gains I've gotten with this TBE. As of course, I chose the stock STI muffler knowingly that I'll lose out on some power as I don't want the massive increase in noise and I'm assuming most of you who are interested in this product would be doing the same.



Those of you who are interested in this TBE, feel free to ask me any questions that you might have prior to your purchase and also I'll be more than happy to let you have a ride in my passenger seat as well to let you experience the noise (or lack of!) in person. Feel free to request any pics and I'll see to it with my iPhone.

I think you'll find most people just go for the Varex because when tuning for power, people don't want a restrictive stock muffler being the bottleneck....

Varex offers something in the way of noise reduction without compromising gains...

Good writeup though.

You lost me when you said there were no pictures.

__________________
Funny looking German Subaru

It was more a personal preference really. All I wanted was a slight increase in sound and this clearly achived it (at least I hope it's a tad bit, have yet to stand outside and hear it drive by). Through out my research on the Varex, I've heard both good and bad things about it and I finally concluded to do away with it since TurboXS is cheaper and achives what I want.

My bad, should've thought of it in the first place