Rogue Engineering Diablo Exhaust Z4M - Different Experience

[Finnegan]

I'm wondering why my experience with the RE Diablos is different from Aestheticstorm, Hoa, and Mousitch. Several with this exhaust report the drone is an issue, especially at freeway speeds. I do not dispute their experiences. On the other hand, it's not my experience. And I'm wondering why that is.

The thing is, I can't even hear my cans at freeway cruising speeds on level ground. They do drone under heavy throttle, or such as driving up a decent hill. They are loud under load and when winding out the RPMs At 2K - 2.3K, and at 3.5K there definitely is drone.

But they do not drone at cruising speeds in my case. It's easy to carry on a conversation, it's almost indistinguishable from stock for highway/freeway driving. So, what the hell is going on here [hear]?

Are mine somehow different build/design or some other slight diffs in my set vs. others? Are others stock or running headers/x-pipe, etc., mine is all stock except for the REs (thanks tikamak). Are they "broken in" enough that they've quieted down?

There's no way to really tell if there's a difference in builds. Unless we do a sit in the car comparison, which would be fun to do at some point. Perception of drone is subjective, but a comparison would tell us "same or different" as well.

Edit: Swapped exhaust hangers with Krissi's (she's on the jury rigged set for now). No difference in sound. I guess I'll need to do a meet up at some point, as I did a lot of freeway driving on Sunday, and unless I'm heavy into the throttle or at 3.5K RPM on the freeway mine are quiet.

[tikamak]

Do you have EURO headers?

More importantly, does storm, moustich and hoa have EURO headers? because that is some big factor.

[RADRACR]

Originally Posted by tikamak

Do you have EURO headers?

My system is stock.

[Finnegan]

US headers, stock parts headers to axle-back. Edited first post. Good catch Tikamak!

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by aestheticstorm

My system is stock.

One variable excluded then.

I think the acceleration and various RPM experience is up for a lot of subjective perception differences. But if the drone is notable as you all say at cruising speeds, to the point of affecting conversation or the stereo, that's not as likely to be simply a difference in perception.

Like I said above, guess the new hanger test will be step 1, then we'll have to do a meet up to compare. Which would be fun to do for Norcal anyway something this spring, assuming there's interest.

[mousitch]

I had AA aftermarket headers and the stock mounting system. The drone was bad around 2200-2500 but the hum or sound of the actual exhaust was affecting my convo, not necessarily a drone. Sorry if I represented that wrong. Regardless I know I have some hearing loss from the late eighties. A big block illegally modified(no emissions)1986 IROC and subwoofers the size of a large pizza. Yes I'm that damn old.

Warranty is about up and I really do miss the sound AND smell of those headers. Nothing like unadulterated fumes of burnt, partially uncatalysed 93 octane to destroy the fragile ecosystem we live in. Worth it.

[tikamak]

I think you should all shut the fuck up. you don't get a Z4M to chat with your friends, you get a Z4M to strap yourself to it and go to work with a little bit of rush to start your day.
That's what i do and i ain't wanting a wimpy gay sound from this kind of beast, i want a hardcore exotic sound.

Just kidding and fooling around here ... :P

[mousitch]

Originally Posted by tikamak

I think you should all shut the fuck up. you don't get a Z4M to chat with your friends, you get a Z4M to strap yourself to it and go to work with a little bit of rush to start your day.
That's what i do and i ain't wanting a wimpy gay sound from this kind of beast, i want a hardcore exotic sound.

Just kidding and fooling around here ... :P

This is true. But there are times you pick your boss up at the airport. And yes I took the Z cause my DD was in the shop.

[RADRACR]

Originally Posted by tikamak

I think you should all shut the fuck up. you don't get a Z4M to chat with your friends, you get a Z4M to strap yourself to it and go to work with a little bit of rush to start your day.
That's what i do and i ain't wanting a wimpy gay sound from this kind of beast, i want a hardcore exotic sound.

Just kidding and fooling around here ... :P

It's a valid argument! I guess we can't have it all. Drone is the price we pay for town and track bliss.

But might I add that it seems louder on certain days than others?

I've also heard accounts that the longer you have Diablos/Eisenmanns installed, the quieter they get because carbon particles fill up the microscopic holes in the assembly. But I've also heard the contrary that when exhaust is "broken in" it gets deeper/louder.

[ZStig]

Originally Posted by tikamak

I think you should all shut the fuck up. you don't get a Z4M to chat with your friends, you get a Z4M to strap yourself to it and go to work with a little bit of rush to start your day.
That's what i do and i ain't wanting a wimpy gay sound from this kind of beast, i want a hardcore exotic sound.

Just kidding and fooling around here ... :P

How many miles a year do you drive your car?

[cmichaelo]

I had the RE Diablos for 50miles before ditching them due to droning. And I have a stock exhaust system.

I found the droning way too intruding for my taste. I ended up with the Remus instead.

---M

[Finnegan]

Edited OP: swapped exhaust hangers with Krissi's car. No difference in results.

[zubydafa]

yea i heard similar accounts for the diablos when i was researching exhausts. i knew i was going to go the headers route so i couldn't go for something that was that loud.

arqray ftw. amazing sound out of these cans and zero drone. (with RE x-pipe)

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by zubydafa

yea i heard similar accounts for the diablos when i was researching exhausts. i knew i was going to go the headers route so i couldn't go for something that was that loud.

arqray ftw. amazing sound out of these cans and zero drone. (with RE x-pipe)

Good to know. These are loud. And they do have drone, thankfully in my case not cruising along under light load.

If you don't mind, what's a price range one might expect to pay for the Arqray? The only exhaust I've heard personally that sounds good and doesn't drone is the Eisenmann Sport, but at 2K or more, it's a pretty expensive setup (then again, the stock mufflers are around 750 each to replace).

[esqu1re]

Finnegan:
I had Diablos and I live in an area where there are a lot of elevation changes, and I probably had more droning because of having to go uphill more often. Possibly people living in flatter areas do not have to experience as much drone as their engines are not experiencing as much load going uphill on the highway? Maybe it was just that much more evident to me that there was no droning when I would be going downhill and...and then all of a sudden as I started climbing again, the drone would be back and I would notice it. It got to me. Perhaps if I had more "flat" highways, the sound would be constant and would blend into the background, instead of being ON/OFF.

[zubydafa]

i got them last month from EAS at their holiday price for 1800. i suspect they'll still honor that price if they're trying to get rid of their batch.

i have vids with just the arqray installed...and then with the x-pipe if you want to hear - in the 'arqray install' thread.

expect more vids when my gopro motorsports comes in (for now just iphone)

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by esqu1re

Finnegan:
I had Diablos and I live in an area where there are a lot of elevation changes, and I probably had more droning because of having to go uphill more often. Possibly people living in flatter areas do not have to experience as much drone as their engines are not experiencing as much load going uphill on the highway? Maybe it was just that much more evident to me that there was no droning when I would be going downhill and...and then all of a sudden as I started climbing again, the drone would be back and I would notice it. It got to me. Perhaps if I had more "flat" highways, the sound would be constant and would blend into the background, instead of being ON/OFF.

I think you've put your finger on it! I do live in an area that's pretty flat. If I get on the throttle on the freeway at a decent level I get drone (as noted in the OP). If I were going up and down hills it would be another story indeed.

[SCHMOUPE]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

I think you've put your finger on it! I do live in an area that's pretty flat. If I get on the throttle on the freeway at a decent level I get drone (as noted in the OP). If I were going up and down hills it would be another story indeed.

my experience with RE was the opposite of yours. First day I put them on, it was a complete neck snapper for pedestrians. As the system broke in, it got more civilized but you can def tell there is an exhaust there. I am very surprised by your experience

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by shakib

my experience with RE was the opposite of yours. First day I put them on, it was a complete neck snapper for pedestrians. As the system broke in, it got more civilized but you can def tell there is an exhaust there. I am very surprised by your experience

That makes two of us. Maybe I need to get my hearing checked.

[tikamak]

I bought the Diablos NEW just so that i can experience the snap effect :P as i am sick and tired of that crap BMW calls as a sports exhaust, add that the fact that i'm young and into motorsports and you get the urge for something loud and beastial.

In my head, the point of buying an exhaust called diablo goes along with accepting the nature of the beast: drone.

[esqu1re]

Originally Posted by tikamak

I bought the Diablos NEW just so that i can experience the snap effect :P as i am sick and tired of that crap BMW calls as a sports exhaust, add that the fact that i'm young and into motorsports and you get the urge for something loud and beastial.

In my head, the point of buying an exhaust called diablo goes along with accepting the nature of the beast: drone.

Yeah, but when the product website advertises no drone, it can be misleading. Below is an excerpt taken from rogue's website. Not having heard the exhaust in person before I bought them, and not understanding the sound typical of a straight-through muffler design, I believed that it would not have much drone--something like my stromung. Kind of misleading when a majority of owners here agree that the Diablos do have somewhat of a strong drone.



MZ4 Diablo Features
The RE MZ4 Diablo is made to fit exactly like factory. Features of MZ4 Diablo include:

Weighs only 14.5 lbs. per side, 7.5 lbs. less than the factory muffler! (total savings of 15 lbs.)

***
Deep, throaty tone, without the drone.

[tikamak]

I didn't think about it that way.
I haven't tried the diablos so far, when i install them in a couple months time, i will let you know my experience.

But i think i'm the kind of guys that would attribute drone to loudness instead of calling it drone.