[SRCD3AD]

Picture is a reference on an idea. (I'm wanting more of a rumble and although I know the Unequal length headers are the best way to get it, I don't necessarily want to go that route yet)

The idea in a nutshell would be to get a second OE style resonator pipe then cut the original resonator out and replace it with 2 Y pipes and either an X pipe or H pipe in between the Y pipes. Ideally I'm thinking it should give it a bit more of a unique sound as well as keep it a hair quieter than the traditional resonator delete. (Yes it would be welded by a specialty shop) . On one hand I'm content with the nameless delete I have now as it does have a little grumble at lower RPMs granted it's not the traditional Subaru rumble we know and love (side note, I did have an 06 Impreza wagon with UELs I ran the Tsudo UELs on that going back to a black widow muffler and would've loved to use a similar setup on the new Impreza but tsudo doesn't have any I seen.)
Overall, I'm just looking for a hair more uniqueness than what I have now... I know it's an FB so it's never gonna have the identical EJ rumble but something even halfway would be nice without going the header route yet (partly because of it being as new as it is and partly so if there's an issue with this idea I could in theory unbolt said piece and bolt the factory one back on relatively soon) honestly just looking for opinions on it as it'll be something that I may get around to at some point but getting all pieces would be the start.

2023 sedan for reference as well.

 

[SRCD3AD]

This is the said picture (my idiot self put up the wrong one)

 

[evoheyax]

Interesting idea... The headers and front pipe are the biggest changer of sound towards the sound you want. The stock resonator is defiantly restrictive in airflow. It will go up in sound quite a bit. if you want to hear my best attempt of a full exhuast: http://instagr.am/p/Cnk0SyzKXyz/

 

[SRCD3AD]

It sounds pretty decent, I'm not necessarily trying to go for the traditional rumble with the headers (which I had on the 06 wagon before my sedan) which is partly why I've been debating this idea heavily.

Cost isn't the biggest factor but at the same time the resonator for my sedan (California emission fun stuff 🙃) is around $270 if I'm remembering right where as the pipes should be around $80 worst case scenario. Even tossing $100 for the cut of the old resonator and welding of the pipe still would have me at around $450 give or take, which looking at the header sets you're looking around $1000+ (albeit you know what to expect)

Ideally with the X/H pipes in more muscle cars (charger/mustang/Camaro) they'll toss on Y/X/H pipes for a more distinct rumble albeit a little more under the radar than headers.

 

[evoheyax]

Everything kinda of depends where you live in cali. Up here in the bay area, cops don't really care for the most part, at least not as a primary offense. And you now get 8 years of exception for smog tests (it used to be 6 years), so if you like me and do 15k miles a year, you'll get to 130k miles before you need to smog it. If it weren't for these 2 facts, I wouldn't have done headers.

All be it though, a full exhaust is not cheap on these cars. headers and front pipe was $1700, muffler was $1500, and the mid pipe was like $600. Then I had to fix nameless poor mid pipe, which cost me another $400. So all in all, over $4000.

 

[SRCD3AD]

I understand that, I'm in Pennsylvania in a county without emissions so the only restrictions is a sound dampening device, which a Catalytic converter, Resonator or muffler all traditionally count as... However if you want to get into technicalities you could fight a turbo as a sound dampening device (I had a straight piped fiesta st before the impreza and my Impreza wagon with headers was still louder than the ST with no restrictions.

Ultimately the headers is a farther out goal, but I'm wanting to wait until it's closer to the end of warranty as I have been looking into supercharging an FB engine for a few years now (I had a 2014 Crosstrek 3 years ago as well) and know what I'm looking at in terms of what I need and all, I'd rather just wait to do all the expensive stuff at once instead of do it in pieces because I can honestly say if the Baja would ever come back I'm not sure I wouldn't trade the Impreza in (if it came standard, I'm keeping that in the back of my mind as it's been rumoured Toyota may hop into the small truck market but not much other than a rumour... If Toyota hops in I could see Subaru hopping in or helping Toyota with a unibody frame in a BRZ/86/FRS like way but that's all a big maybe)

 

[Alex_Rochester]

..... you could fight a turbo as a sound dampening device (I had a straight piped fiesta st before the impreza and my Impreza wagon with headers was still louder than the ST with no restrictions.
......

Not exactly sure what you are expecting; my experience with racing a car which had a turbo and a straight pipe was that any muffling the turbo did was offset by the incredibly loud backfires I'd get on an over-run. I'm talking about a backfire that sounded like a cannon! It used to set off the gunshot finder that the local police used! My local SCCA banned me from doing autocrosses with that car until I got a muffler for it! That and the 3' long backfire flames....

 

[SRCD3AD]

By no means am I saying it's quiet, but considering how loud the prior Subaru wagon with headers I had was compared to the fiesta ST it wasn't comparable.

Now the Impreza sedan I have is running a muffler delete and in theory this would be a resonator delete with extra steps (hoping the extra steps gives it some more character). I know it's not gonna be quiet but to say it'd be loud may be a stretch considering what I'm used to in my area. (A lot of Diesels/ SRT4 Neon's and muscle cars with deletes here and that's just the start). Again this being more of an idea at the second is just trying to feel it out