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If you are or have been stage 2 ...

mattkosem

Ready to race!
Location
OH, US
Car(s)
'24 GTI
I haven't owned a gas-powered VW that hasn't been at least Stage II. It's such low hanging fruit for so much performance - a DP + a flash. Stage III is even more of a hoot ;)

I initially regretted going Stage 2 due to downpipe drone. I sold the downpipe and tried a downpipe that had a large inline resonator (ultimate racing) that also allowed me to keep the factory resonator, problem solved.

Really? Was your first DP catless or something? I've got an AWR downpipe and have no drone whatsoever, and drive with the exhaust in race 24x7x365. Stage II drone is generally more of a GTI problem. The R exhaust deals with that pretty well.
 

moarhorsepower

Ready to race!
Location
New Jersey
Car(s)
Mustang GT, Golf R
Drone is so subjective. Personally I hate the drone with AWE resonator/switchpath system running Stage 2. I'm trying to figure out if adding another resonator or replacing the AWE one is the best way to go.
 

Thurnis

Ready to race!
Location
Las Vegas
At last. Welcome OP...
I imagine that right now you're feeling a bit like Alice, tumbling down the rabbit hole? I can see it in your post. you have the look of a poster who accepts his lack of warranty because he is expecting to have fun. Ironically, this is not far from the truth.

Do you believe in OE?

No.

Why not?

Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my vehicle's life.

I know EXACTLY what you mean.
Let me tell you why you post. You post because you know something. What you know you can't explain. But you feel it. You've felt it since you bought the car. That there's something wrong with the car. You don't know what it is but it's there, like a splinter in your mind driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?

The Performance?

Do you want to know what IT is? The performance is everywhere. It is all around us, even now in this very message board. You can see it when you look at your speedometer or when you turn off your traction control. You can feel it when you go to turn, when you go to brake, when you get an oil change. It is the performance that has been detuned over your warranty to blind you from the truth.

What truth?

That you are a slave, OP. Like everyone else you were sold a stock car, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison for your speed.... Unfortunately, no one can be told what performance is. You have to drive it for yourself. This is your last chance. After this there is no TD1 un-flag. You take the Stage 1, the story ends, you wake up in your driveway and believe whatever you want to believe. You gap chargers and mustangs and surprise a few Porsches. You take the Stage 2, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the modding hole goes.... Remember, all I'm offering is the Tune, nothing more....
 

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
At last. Welcome OP...
I imagine that right now you're feeling a bit like Alice, tumbling down the rabbit hole? I can see it in your post. you have the look of a poster who accepts his lack of warranty because he is expecting to have fun. Ironically, this is not far from the truth.

Do you believe in OE?

No.

Why not?

Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my vehicle's life.

I know EXACTLY what you mean.
Let me tell you why you post. You post because you know something. What you know you can't explain. But you feel it. You've felt it since you bought the car. That there's something wrong with the car. You don't know what it is but it's there, like a splinter in your mind driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?

The Performance?

Do you want to know what IT is? The performance is everywhere. It is all around us, even now in this very message board. You can see it when you look at your speedometer or when you turn off your traction control. You can feel it when you go to turn, when you go to brake, when you get an oil change. It is the performance that has been detuned over your warranty to blind you from the truth.

What truth?

That you are a slave, OP. Like everyone else you were sold a stock car, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison for your speed.... Unfortunately, no one can be told what performance is. You have to drive it for yourself. This is your last chance. After this there is no TD1 un-flag. You take the Stage 1, the story ends, you wake up in your driveway and believe whatever you want to believe. You gap chargers and mustangs and surprise a few Porsches. You take the Stage 2, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the modding hole goes.... Remember, all I'm offering is the Tune, nothing more....

Are you high right now? ?
 

ATR

Drag Race Newbie
Location
Baltimore
Car(s)
'17 Golf R 6mt
I initially regretted going Stage 2 due to downpipe drone. I sold the downpipe and tried a downpipe that had a large inline resonator (ultimate racing) that also allowed me to keep the factory resonator, problem solved.
Wow, really? I have the stock catback (including the resonator). It's a bit bassy when you uncork the downpipe. Especially with the flaps open. But if you put it in comfort or normal it completely eliminates the humming bass note of the exhaust.

Honestly I would like a bit more/louder zoom zoom noises, but also would like to have the ability to shut things up in normal mode.

Drone is so subjective. Personally I hate the drone with AWE resonator/switchpath system running Stage 2. I'm trying to figure out if adding another resonator or replacing the AWE one is the best way to go.
Facts ?% ??


Are you high right now? ?
ROFLMAO ?
I was wondering the same thing ?
 

Thurnis

Ready to race!
Location
Las Vegas
Are you high right now? ?

 

moarhorsepower

Ready to race!
Location
New Jersey
Car(s)
Mustang GT, Golf R
At last. Welcome OP...
I imagine that right now you're feeling a bit like Alice, tumbling down the rabbit hole? I can see it in your post. you have the look of a poster who accepts his lack of warranty because he is expecting to have fun. Ironically, this is not far from the truth.

Do you believe in OE?

No.

Why not?

Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my vehicle's life.

I know EXACTLY what you mean.
Let me tell you why you post. You post because you know something. What you know you can't explain. But you feel it. You've felt it since you bought the car. That there's something wrong with the car. You don't know what it is but it's there, like a splinter in your mind driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?

The Performance?

Do you want to know what IT is? The performance is everywhere. It is all around us, even now in this very message board. You can see it when you look at your speedometer or when you turn off your traction control. You can feel it when you go to turn, when you go to brake, when you get an oil change. It is the performance that has been detuned over your warranty to blind you from the truth.

What truth?

That you are a slave, OP. Like everyone else you were sold a stock car, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison for your speed.... Unfortunately, no one can be told what performance is. You have to drive it for yourself. This is your last chance. After this there is no TD1 un-flag. You take the Stage 1, the story ends, you wake up in your driveway and believe whatever you want to believe. You gap chargers and mustangs and surprise a few Porsches. You take the Stage 2, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the modding hole goes.... Remember, all I'm offering is the Tune, nothing more....

Whatever you're smoking, can I have some? :ROFLMAO:
 

virpacalis

Go Kart Newbie
Location
near Philly
Car(s)
'17 R DSG
Thurnis: I'm a fan of logic, poetry, philosophy, and fun cars. Yo, you funny. After finally giving the VW the beans, I'm enjoying that too. And, while I value stealth, I'd be good with it being just a bit louder.
 

mattkosem

Ready to race!
Location
OH, US
Car(s)
'24 GTI
Drone is so subjective. Personally I hate the drone with AWE resonator/switchpath system running Stage 2. I'm trying to figure out if adding another resonator or replacing the AWE one is the best way to go.
Of course it is, but it's not a common issue with a DP and the full stock rear section on a Golf R with a downpipe. Any time the resonator, or any of the rest of the rear section, change the odds of dealing with it increase quite a bit. With the full rear section in-place, though, you should not have drone (particularly in comfort/normal) with the stock rear section.

--Matt
 

moarhorsepower

Ready to race!
Location
New Jersey
Car(s)
Mustang GT, Golf R
Of course it is, but it's not a common issue with a DP and the full stock rear section on a Golf R with a downpipe. Any time the resonator, or any of the rest of the rear section, change the odds of dealing with it increase quite a bit. With the full rear section in-place, though, you should not have drone (particularly in comfort/normal) with the stock rear section.

--Matt

It's there and there's enough people that notice it too. Valves stay closed 90% of the time using the switchpath remote. It happens during the cam changeover between 2800rpm and 3500rpm. Did some highway tests on a long trip to Ohio recently - 84db right at 80mph (measured from my phone). And the frequency it's hitting at gets old real quick.

One of the local shop performance mechanics took a look at the system and suggested adding another resonator to quiet it down - saying it's very common for the R owners to ask about. He also called the rear muffler "cute" because it's so tiny.

Also had terrible drone with the Armytrix exhaust (bought the car with it already installed). Some people say they love the sound of it but it was so loud I had a splitting headache after a long drive with it.
 

mattkosem

Ready to race!
Location
OH, US
Car(s)
'24 GTI
It's there and there's enough people that notice it too. Valves stay closed 90% of the time using the switchpath remote. It happens during the cam changeover between 2800rpm and 3500rpm. Did some highway tests on a long trip to Ohio recently - 84db right at 80mph (measured from my phone). And the frequency it's hitting at gets old real quick.

One of the local shop performance mechanics took a look at the system and suggested adding another resonator to quiet it down - saying it's very common for the R owners to ask about. He also called the rear muffler "cute" because it's so tiny.

Also had terrible drone with the Armytrix exhaust (bought the car with it already installed). Some people say they love the sound of it but it was so loud I had a splitting headache after a long drive with it.

You're talking about an aftermarket exhaust though, right, and comparing it to another (even louder) aftermarket exhaust? Have you ever driven it with the stock catback? It looks like you also have an intake. Exhausts that mitigate drone on GEN3 TSI cars do so not simply by increasing resonator size or count, but by using specifically tuned helmholtz chambers or specifically sized resonators to mitigate the unwanted frequencies.

I'll meet you halfway and agree that some folks complain of drone with the stock exhaust. Personally, my only complaint with drone has been at the stupidly low RPMs the automatic modes on the DSG choose when cruise is engaged at low speeds with the exhaust is in race mode. At highway speeds with an APR downpipe and the stock rear section, the cam phase changeover at 3100rpms is noticeable but nothing earth shattering.

--Matt
 
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moarhorsepower

Ready to race!
Location
New Jersey
Car(s)
Mustang GT, Golf R
You're talking about an aftermarket exhaust though, right, and comparing it to another (even louder) aftermarket exhaust? Have you ever driven it with the stock catback? It looks like you also have an intake. Exhausts that mitigate drone on GEN3 TSI cars do so not simply by increasing resonator size or count, but by using specifically tuned helmholtz chambers or specifically sized resonators to mitigate the unwanted frequencies.

I'll meet you halfway and agree that some folks complain of drone with the stock exhaust. Personally, my only complaint with drone has been at the stupidly low RPMs the automatic modes on the DSG choose when cruise is engaged at low speeds with the exhaust is in race mode. At highway speeds with an APR downpipe and the stock rear section, the cam phase changeover at 3100rpms is noticeable but nothing earth shattering.

--Matt
I realize I'm not making an apples to apples comparison. Just giving OP some idea of what to expect if he does go with aftermarket TBE (which many people end up doing when going Stage 2) and a warning about a specific TBE or CBE. I have been in the car with DP/Stage 2 w/ stock catback/resonator. Drone is definitely still there. The stock piece can't manage it (the drone) either, at least to me.

The cam changeover happens a few hundred RPM earlier (2800) which puts it right before 80mph on the highway. Short trips it isn't a huge issue but long trips it gets tiring.

Either way, OP shouldn't expect no drone at all especially if they have somewhat sensitive ears (stock catback or not).
 

Ssleepy

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Staten Island
Jumped right to stage 2 after 1000 miles. Thing is a whole new car and a lot of fun. Cant wait for Stage 3 software most likely developed in the distant future. You will not regret stage 2!
 
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