Borla ATAK or S-Type...Any regrets?
 

Yes, I've read the various threads comparing the two exhausts. But I still can't make up my mind :mad0259: I'm looking at the axle back systems and don't plan to do any other mods to the exhaust. I keep my NPP suitcase muffler on "track" mode permanently. I would like the exhaust to be louder than stock and more aggressive, but not obnoxiously so. I've seen all the videos, but it's so hard to really tell the differences.

What makes me indecisive is that some people claim the S-type is really not much louder than the stock NPP on track mode. If that's true, I'm not sure I want to spend $1800 for a barely noticeable improvement. Which makes me look at the ATAK. But I've seen some posts saying it's basically like having a muffler delete. I don't mind loud outside, I just worry if it will be too loud in the cabin with windows up. So you see my dilemma. There is no way for me to listen to either system in person, never mind both at the same time. So if anyone has any experience with both or regrets their purchase and wishes they had gotten the other I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

I have S and it is louder, had a cop blurp me with his siren when I semi aggressively drove by him leaving the gas station (cop shop right across the street from the gas station) I was just getting up to speed limit, but apparently the sound made it like I was more aggressive on the throttle than I really was. I will say I have zero drone with this set up so I am quite happy with it and the carbon fibre tips look killer

I plan to mod my car and want headers/full exhaust but I have a while before my warranty is up. So I needed something to sooth my need for the time being. Louder aggressive exhaust of course. So I just put on a AWE track axleback. Love it. IMO car went from barely noticeable to bad ass sounding Camaro. I used to drive with the back seat down to hear the exhaust more. I put the seat up real quick after my first drive with the AWE. Yes, it's basically a muffler delete but I don't think it sounds bad. I'll tell you what though, letting off after WOT under an overpass sounded like shotguns going off because of the popping of the exhaust. The popping has been magnified BIGTIME. I plan on a full ARH system in the future so this AWE fit the bill for the time being. LOUD and cheap enough to sell later on when it's time for the full ARH system :happy0180:

The S-Type is louder in track mode vs the stock suitcase in track mode, the sound is WAY BETTER too. In Tour Mode the S-Type is also louder than the stock suitcase in Tour Mode. Tour mode with the S-Type is still pretty quiet though.

IMO the Borla S-Type is the best sounding exhaust(if you add the borla X pipe section too). for the LT motors. I clean and deep and sounds like a V8 should. I know there are louder exhausts but they just don't sound as good to me.

Borla S once broken in are definitely louder than NPP and thats with no headers and all cats in place. Check out my Borla S axle back in the members classified for cheap and in very nice condition.

S-Type Is Definitely Louder Than Stock. Do A Secondary "Cat" Delete, And You'll Gain The Additional Loudness That You'd Have With The ATAK. All While Keeping The Deeper Tone. Quiet Cabin Noise ZERO Drone, But You Hear It When You Stomp On The Pedal. Wouldn't Change It Other Than Headers.

As others have said, S is louder than stock but if you want a loud exhaust its not really the best choice. It does have a much better, deeper, and more aggressive tone though. Better still IMO is the AWE Touring exhaust. Its cheaper but lacks the NPP function.

ATAK is louder than S, obviously, but keeps an aggressive tone but not quiet as deep.
If you plan to do any header work in the future, go with the S type. If you want loud and don't plan to do headers, do ATAK.

AWE Touring is a good mix of both worlds as its very loud when you get on it but also keeps a super deep and aggressive note when idling or cruising. Cold starts are a bit loud but thats true with the ATAK and most other options as well without NPP in stealth mode.

Appreciate the advise so far, very helpful. I don't foresee doing any other exhaust work to the car. I would like to keep the NPP function, in case I needed to tone it down a little in the future. Otherwise I'd be seriously considering AWE.

Honestly, I'd be happy with a 25%-30% increase in sound from the stock NPP "track" mode. I was all set to order the S-Type, then saw posts from people claiming the ATAK axle back was not as loud as they were expecting. Claiming it was only about 25% louder than stock track mode. Still leaning towards the S-Type, just wish I could hear them in person.

I think there’s a few good comparison videos with proper microphones to record the differences

There is but its very hard to get a grasp on the actual volume, and even with a great mic and excellent headphones, its not the same as hearing it in real life. I know the struggle lol.

That is very true. Hearing a recording does not do the actual sound justice of any exhaust in my experience and that is VERY apparent to me after installing the AWE track axle back :cool:

If you have a laptop with a good external speaker hooked up, I can send you a video of my car with the Borla S axle back only doing a burn out at my local track and making a full pass down the 1/4 mile. Turn up the volumn you can hear the car idle, can hear the slightest touch of the throttle, can hear the WOT launch etc etc. If you have a good external speaker, you can hear everything and its the same as if you were standing right there next to the guy that did the video, true to life. My car has no headers, all 4 cats in place and no NPP. The sound is perfect, and can be loud at times even under light throttle conditions and never to loud for a daily driver which my car is.

I have never heard a Camaro owner so confident that speakers sound just as good as the real thing. I actually design custom sound systems and there are a million variables that go into the reproduction of sound and there is no way any regular person has a system hooked up to their laptop that can provide near lifelike sound from an average recording.

Don't take this the wrong way, because I get what you are saying, but hearing a nice exhaust clip on YouTube is nothing like feeling that same exhaust rumble in person. There is no way to compare a stock exhaust to an aftermarket exhaust fully over speakers and recordings. You can get a good idea of how they can sound though, and I think that is about as good as we are going to get unless you hear it in person.

So easy for me Bud, Its my car that I have been daily driving for 1.5 years and know exactly what it sounds like doing every possible types of moving the car and driving the car. I listen to my video which was taken standing with in 8 ft of the drivers side of the car and yes the car sounds just like it does in person standing next to the car.