i was planning on getting the invidia headers...but a friend of mine said that it will make my car sound like one of them hondas. is that true? if so, what kind of headers is the best one out there...price doesn't matter to me..

 

anything that is not equal length will give you that rumble

 

one side is about 3/4 the length of the other...not an equal length header but closer than most...it changed the sound of my exhaust dramatically...It still has a little of the Subaru rumble, but gone is the Harley Chop...I'm sure the equal length will get rid of even this...

I can't get back the low/deep sounding exhaust sound with the header...

04 STI
XX Tuning Header
PDE Downpipe
B&B Cat-back

I also ran the HKS Carbon TI...had to sell it because it did not sound good with the header (tone was much higher). It sounds much better on my friends car with an Invidia Downpipe and stock manifold...low and mean...

The B&B without the header was low, loud, and mean...now...at idle it still has the mean V8 type of sound...get on the throttle and it sounds more like the WRC car...kind of cool...raspy but not at all annoying...I like the change...



If you look closely, you can see that it is not equal length...

 

GT Spec II are good (though, I thought they were equal length). The Cusco ones are also supposed to be good. I've also heard the Gruppe-S headers are pretty nice. A friend of mine (who I trust did a lot of research) ordered some Tomei headers from Japan for his 05. I don't think he has them on yet, but hopefully soon we can post some results.

 

I read a review in the review section on the greddy manifold...alex said it was really nice and the price is insanley good...im gettin that to complete my system.

 

The Gruppe-S headers are dirt cheap and high quality; only $399 and they actually make power. There should be a dyno graph somewhere on their site. Those headers do retain your boxer rumble. Almost all headers are designed to be quarter or 3/4 length so that the exhaust pulses can be evened (thus decreasing back pressure).