Hey everyone, I’m looking into getting the SP1-R exhaust and wanted to hear from people who have it. I’ll be running it with a stock downpipe and have a few questions:Does it make pops or burbles when driving in normal mode?Is the drone bad, or is it manageable?Anyone know how loud it gets in decibels, or what the average sound level is?Any downsides to this exhaust besides having to cut/trim for install?I love the way it sounds but want to be sure before I buy. Appreciate any advice!
You won’t have normal/comfort mode anymore since this exhaust doesn’t have a valve.There is some drone, but nothing unbearable.It’s loud, but I have a high-flow cat too, so that might add to it.Honestly, no regrets here. It looks amazing if you’re into that old-school JDM vibe.
It has a little burble, but not much more than stock. No crazy pops or gunshots 
Since there’s no valve, sport mode just gives you a bit more burble, but that’s it. It sounds deep and clean, not raspy like some dual exits.If you have a manual, the drone isn’t bad unless you sit around 2700 RPMs. But you HAVE to remove the Active Sound Design (ASD) system, or you’re going to hate it—it made a huge difference. Inside the car, it was way too loud with ASD on.Not sure about exact decibels, but it’s definitely not a quiet exhaust. Cold starts shake the house a little.Only downside for me is sometimes missing the valve. The cutting part was annoying, but once I saw how good it looked and sounded, I didn’t care anymore. Getting the tip to sit right took some patience though.
I’ll answer these in order:1. Does it pop/burble in normal mode? – A little when the engine is hot, mostly low burbles.2. Is there drone? – I have a manual, so it’s not bad in 6th gear cruising. People with autos say 8th gear can be annoying. Turning off fake engine noise helps.3. Loudest decibel reading? – No idea, but it’s not quiet.4. Any cons? – Getting it to fit right took forever. Spent two Saturdays under the car adjusting over and over. Best advice: loosen everything, get it where you want it, hold it in place with jack stands, then tighten.Here’s a video of mine with the OEM downpipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxg7T6zRofI
If it’s steel and costs over $500, it’s overpriced.