Exhaust debate - muffler or full cat-back?

I'm trying to decide what to do. In a month and a bit, I'm going to the States for a week, and have thought about calling in an order to a Toyota dealer, and ordering a TRD exhaust. It's almost half price in the States compared to Canada, so that's the reason for ordering there. I'd pick it up, on my way back home, and install it later. Another option is to get a muffler replacement for the stocker, but use the factory piping, and get a nice tip installed on the truck.

My reasons for wanting a new exhaust are really for the sound. I want a nice growl when I get on it. I'm trying to avoid a drone on the highways however, so maybe keeping the stock resonator is the way to go. I'm not expecting much, if any, performance gains, but more get some more aggressive sound out of my truck.

In my city, there is a new by-law against loud vehicles. The setting is 96db on the sound-snare they use, and if you go over, it's a $200 ticket. So glass-packs, and straight pipes are out. I just want a slightly aggressive sound.

Finally, around town, it's easier to find Dynomax Super Turbo, or Magnaflow mufflers, not so much Borla. But if Borla is a popular suggestion of muffler, I'll order online. I'm not sure on sizing either. I know from reading, the stock piping is 2.5", but sizing of mufflers in regards to length, or offset of in and outs, I'm a n00b. A little explaination would be great.

 

If you need to quiet it down use vibrant's ultra quiet resonators, I have 2 of them on mine and it eliminated ALL the popping, 6-cylinder rasp that will happen with longs tubes and a 2.5" to 3" exhaust. Makes the tone smoother and lower.

There is an exhaust sound thread here somewhere, I know it is either pinned or a link in a pinned thread.

 

Thanks. I've listened to the exhaust sound clips, but computer speakers reveal only so much. I guess my question boils down to, "For sound performance only, can I get away with just a muffler replacement, or is a catback the better way to go?"

 

I just put in a borla proxs for $100+$60 for installation. Sounds perfect. Here is a clip of the muffler on a Tacoma. Not mine but sounds the same. Zero drone and zero rasp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU-IlLA5i_w&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

Thanks! I heard that clip from the soundclip thread, and right away, I felt that was the sound for me. I even contacted that member through PM, very nice guy. I think that's what I'm going to do.

 

For sound only, save your money and drop in a muffler.

 

Yeah, it's mostly for sound. It's not like a cat-back adds 30hp on our trucks. I've got the factory cold-air box, with the secondary filter removed. If I get a MPG or two, than that's a bonus. Thanks.

 

I did the same and I am very happy with the results.

 

A cat back is just a shinny pipe with a new muffler. The muffler is the part you want!

To be honest, they all sound the same to me. TRD, borla, magnaflow and FM 50 have essentually the same tone (low and wont really be heard inside the truck). Drone comes from the sound resonating in the cab and wont happen unless it's chopped and the sound is being trapped under the truck. The rasp is from getting rid of the cats and/or having the out pipe too big.

Unless you change other things like headers, y-pipe etc. they're all the same.