With an x-pipe I disagree with you Craig Mack...I switched from a catted h-pipe and Flowmasters to my longtubes and o/r x-pipe with flowmasters and I think it sounds blah...I loved the sound before, but with the x-pipe the flowmasters sound like a can of rocks...
I'll be switching to the Bassani BX catback in the near future...
With an x-pipe I disagree with you Craig Mack...I switched from a catted h-pipe and Flowmasters to my longtubes and o/r x-pipe with flowmasters and I think it sounds blah...I loved the sound before, but with the x-pipe the flowmasters sound like a can of rocks...
I'll be switching to the Bassani BX catback in the near future...
To be honest, I have never heard a 4.6 with an aftermarket H-pipe in person. I test drove a '95 5.0 Cobra with flows american thunder catback and an o/r H-pipe, and it sounded nice, but too boring IMO. It sounded deep and muscular and all, but sounded like your "typical V8".
I will agree with you somewhat, about the rocks sound. Between 2300-3000rpm when I punch the gas while cruising, there is a rocky rasp sound. Other then that though, it sounds really bad@ss. It sounds deep and stirred with a "lisp" sound to it at low rpm that makes me want to wet myself, and simply sings above 3200rpm. Even with the rocky mid RPM sound, it still sounds VERY intimidating. In fact, I kinda like that mid rpm rasp, it gives it charactor, and makes it sound REALLY p!ss3d off.
My conclusion is that I will gladly (for now at least) trade off the mid rpm rasp for the overall awesome sound and great performance. I can feel it pulling me back in the seat noticeably more past 4000rpm, and the overall tone of it is just soo much more exotic and appealing to me then an H-pipe.
H-pipe = tried and true classic muscular sound, deep and mellowed.
X-pipe = exotic, newer sound with more of a p!ss3d off edgy note, and the same/if not more echo.