[comp]

Originally Posted by L3G0TS

Not sure if you guys heard the sound of the video clip from the other post? Berk performance EL sounds clean as well if not cleaner. Both are better than AA EL in my opinion.
Link:
https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=31851247

Thanks for sharing, yeah that sounds really good. I wonder what these other companies were doing with their EL designs? I get that it's complicated but it's not like its some revolutionary new concept.

[L3G0TS]

Originally Posted by JTO24

That sounds just like my set up, IMO. They have just recorded it with better equipment haha that system looks well made, though. I'm very happy with mine... it was also $650 shipped which is nice.

Yeah the other set up with shipping is about 2200 Euro so…not cheap at all. They seem to have curv on the other side, but using the OE crossover pipe.

[L3G0TS]

Originally Posted by comp

Thanks for sharing, yeah that sounds really good. I wonder what these other companies were doing with their EL designs? I get that it's complicated but it's not like its some revolutionary new concept.

At this point I think whoever gets the nearest equal length measured from outlet of turbo all the way to the muffler with minimu curvatures would win the game. Like Burk and CSZ. I tried to see if AA even the gen2 is really that raspy or just recorded wrong…because they are the big names how could they mess up right? Btw I have never heard them in person.

[JTO24]

Originally Posted by L3G0TS

Yeah the other set up with shipping is about 2200 Euro so…not cheap at all. They seem to have curv on the other side, but using the OE crossover pipe.

Yes, their design is interesting where they still maintain the crossover pipe. Seems like they did their homework! I do like that with this design it seems there is more room for resonators.

With the CSZ pipe, the original request put in to them was to adapt the AA X3M EL design to the G80. It ended up working out but I'm still curious as to why AA didn't just do this themselves... because their G80 EL pipe sounds nothing like an EL system.

[L3G0TS]

Originally Posted by JTO24

Yes, their design is interesting where they still maintain the crossover pipe. Seems like they did their homework! I do like that with this design it seems there is more room for resonators.

With the CSZ pipe, the original request put in to them was to adapt the AA X3M EL design to the G80. It ended up working out but I'm still curious as to why AA didn't just do this themselves... because their G80 EL pipe sounds nothing like an EL system.

I know right? None of the video I found online from them (and gen2 that finally resolved the flap rattle on cold start) sounds like anything resembles a EL sound signature. There must be a reason but really not sure. That’s why I’ve been procrastinating the midpipe mod later and later and later lol. I was dead set on Miltek single + X pipe outlet (seems to be the best of both world) until I saw the post I pasted and then heard your car. The cycle continues lol

[BradMX5]

I appreciate all the CSZ insight as it's now in high running for what I want.

Would love to hear their single midpipe with stock everything else just to see if theirs sounds different from the rest for whatever reason. After that I'd pull the trigger on what one sounds best to me from them.

JTO24 How was it dealing with the supplier? How long did it take to receive it and what was the packaging like?

[dancing__narwhal]

Originally Posted by L3G0TS

Yeah the other set up with shipping is about 2200 Euro so…not cheap at all. They seem to have curv on the other side, but using the OE crossover pipe.

The OE crossover pipe is probably part of the problem. That requires them to do a bunch of extra stuff to try and make it equal length. Plus it makes the total exhaust length longer by incorporating that crossover. Seems the best solutions delete the OE crossover, whether via single mid or EL.

[JTO24]

Originally Posted by BradMX5

I appreciate all the CSZ insight as it's now in high running for what I want.

Would love to hear their single midpipe with stock everything else just to see if theirs sounds different from the rest for whatever reason. After that I'd pull the trigger on what one sounds best to me from them.

JTO24 How was it dealing with the supplier? How long did it take to receive it and what was the packaging like?

Supplier is great! Communicative, friendly and shipped relatively quickly. They said 15 days for production and 5-7 days express shipping. It arrived in about a month. The parts were very well packaged, too. Overall I was very impressed with the experience.

[comp]

Originally Posted by L3G0TS

At this point I think whoever gets the nearest equal length measured from outlet of turbo all the way to the muffler with minimu curvatures would win the game. Like Burk and CSZ. I tried to see if AA even the gen2 is really that raspy or just recorded wrong…because they are the big names how could they mess up right? Btw I have never heard them in person.

In the video he seems to suggest that the other exhausts on the market that claim to be EL seem to be based on making the exhaust the same length as the factory (which isnt equal length to begin with) so they are already basing their design on this untrue fact.

The fluid volume trick is how I've seen other EL exhausts and headers made, and obviously requires lots of time and R&D but this how Berk have gotten it right.

No idea why AA actually had the right design on X3M and came up with some other design for the G8X. I'm sure they are different underneath but one sounds like an actual EL exhaust (the X3M design) and the others just sound like a raspy mess.

One thing we have learned is that there are lots of companies out there throwing EL around and probably aren't. I bet the S55 guys have been experiencing the same, because not many of those EL midpipes sound great either.

[L3G0TS]

Originally Posted by JTO24

Supplier is great! Communicative, friendly and shipped relatively quickly. They said 15 days for production and 5-7 days express shipping. It arrived in about a month. The parts were very well packaged, too. Overall I was very impressed with the experience.

Can you remind me if you got the none resonated version or the resonated one (the one with 2 small resonators)? I’m trying to avoid exhaust flap rattle on cold start and wondering if you have any of that with your version. Thanks!

[comp]

Changing the title of this thread so we can capture further research about these designs and maybe some industry players will chime in to tell us what is going on.

[L3G0TS]

Originally Posted by comp

In the video he seems to suggest that the other exhausts on the market that claim to be EL seem to be based on making the exhaust the same length as the factory (which isnt equal length to begin with) so they are already basing their design on this untrue fact.

The fluid volume trick is how I've seen other EL exhausts and headers made, and obviously requires lots of time and R&D but this how Berk have gotten it right.

No idea why AA actually had the right design on X3M and came up with some other design for the G8X. I'm sure they are different underneath but one sounds like an actual EL exhaust (the X3M design) and the others just sound like a raspy mess.

One thing we have learned is that there are lots of companies out there throwing EL around and probably aren't. I bet the S55 guys have been experiencing the same, because not many of those EL midpipes sound great either.

Yeah I’m scratching the back of my head as well why AA did not continue to use the nowadays-CSZ design but go with even more cured piping design. Packaging? Cause they are pretty much the same powertrain etc. CSZ one sounds like a near EL with G8X platform and I heard plenty of sound clips from one post in G80 forum. Really high pitched (in a good way) and minimum rasp.

[comp]

Originally Posted by L3G0TS

Yeah I’m scratching the back of my head as well why AA did not continue to use the nowadays-CSZ design but go with even more cured piping design. Packaging? Cause they are pretty much the same powertrain etc. CSZ one sounds like a near EL with G8X platform and I heard plenty of sound clips from one post in G80 forum. Really high pitched (in a good way) and minimum rasp.

In this video they do mention how different the undercarriage of the X3M is to the G8X platform so I assume there is some logic going on as to why, but it still hasn't stopped CSZ fitting the design underneath the G8X cars so I'm not sure.

[JTO24]

Originally Posted by L3G0TS

Can you remind me if you got the none resonated version or the resonated one (the one with 2 small resonators)? I’m trying to avoid exhaust flap rattle on cold start and wondering if you have any of that with your version. Thanks!

I have the 76mm non-resonated version. At the time, CSZ told me I could either have the x-pipe or resonators but not both. Seems like they can add small resonators before the X now but with those you might need an extended clearance brace.

I will get a video of cold start. It's definitely louder - more so than my previous Dinan x-pipe but that also kept the secondary cats in place. I don't notice any rattle, but what I do now is get in the car, get my stuff all situated, start the car and immediately shift into reverse and out of my garage which keeps the cold start volume down a bit.

[afk84]

Does this setup cause any CEL?