Capristo Headers, Stock Cats, Stock Muffler

I can't imagine headers alone, (while leaving all else stock) will make much a difference, let alone be unbearable in any way.
Good luck regardless!

 

+1;

A. Changing from MK1 or MK2 to any aftermarket header will have an impact on the exhaust volume and note over stock.

B. The specific aftermarket header will have minimal impact because most of the delta is the loss of the pre-cats and the increased diameter of the piping. There will be slight differences in HP and sound depending on the collector style, material, and tuning, but in general the rest of the exhaust (CAT->Muffler->to tips) will set the final sound.

C. Volume? (your question specifically) The volumes should be about the same unless there is harmonic resonance (constructive or destructive interference) by coincidence or intentional between the header and the rest of the system that artificially increases or decreases the volume. If this happens it would be at specific RPM ranges. Some call this droning, booming, resonating, etc.

I will note that some people are more audiophiles than others and will argue that the sound is different, which it is, but how much different in volume is the point in question, and I think it should be minimal.

 

I have exactly that set up on my F430 spider.

Aftermarket headers with stock cats and stock muffler.
Sound is just awesome especially with the top down.
The original character of the sound is there, just slightly louder which sounds fantastic!
I am sure you will love it!

Originally I went for headers and aftermarket 200 cell cats too!
Super loud very good power too!

BUT.....everyones worst nightmare was realised!
I had to live with the dreaded CEL light coming on all the time!

Personally I wasn't prepared to live with that and after 4 months to trial and error and different experiments i decided that the best thing was to go back to stock cats, loose 10bhp and have a slightly more civilised sound and most importantly NO CEL!

I would say, save your self the trouble and gain from our experience and go just for headers and you won't look back!
Let us know if you need any other help!

 

The muffler of course carries out most of the volume responsibilities. The catted headers and primary cats of course carry out some sound deadening but not anywhere near as significantly as the muffler.

The change in volume de catted headers and modified primary cats will create is largly effected by how hard the muffler works. A stock muffler does a great deal of muffling, therefore the change in cats will only have a small effect on volume.

Now, if you have a sport muffler from Capristo or Tubi for example...the sound is only partially muffled. Once you remove the muffling aid of pre cats and cats...the increase in volume will be much more noticeable. The sports mufflers just aren't working as hard to keep things quiet.

We battle this issue in Maseratis often. The mufflers are the m ost expensive component of the exhaust. Everyone wants more sound plus some "free" horsepower. Chanign out the secondary cats for high flows helps power but makes no change in volume. Replace the center resonator is claimed to help power but makes very little difference in sound.

Change the mufflers, and the volume increases significantly. Replace the secondary cats and resonator after the mufflers were done...now it sounds like an uncorked animal.

 

I have Capristo Headers only on my 430 Spider (without the pre Cats which the OEM Headers unfortunately have) with OEM main cats and OEM exhaust. The sound is simply awesome and changing the headers alone does the trick, my wife calls it the Dragon, no resonance between 2-4k Rpm. It just sounds "angry"

 

So true Richard!
No resonance at all!!!