Wondering if anyone has been able to compare an R50 Milltek catback vs. the JCW catback sound.

I've had a Milltek on mine for a little over three years now. I like it a lot - well-made and a very nice sporty sound.

My one complaint is on longer highway drives, there is just enough low frequency sound/boominess to bug me. (I work in sound and music, so I'm particular about sound issues.) I'm thinking of trying to find something quieter for highway driving, but ideally still more sporty than the stock exhaust, although that is still an option.

I've found one post here mentioning the R50 JCW gets quiet in the 3k-4k rpm range, which sounds like it would be the perfect solution. But I've also read that the Milltek and JCW sound very similar.

Has anyone driven both?

 

Why not install some sound damping material? I bet the drone is from body panels versus the actual exhaust note.

 

I have the Megan Racing cat back and it does get a little drony in the 3K to 4K range so, as much as I really like the sound, it probably wouldn't be the right choice for you. With the Megan, you will always know it's there, even when it gets hot but especially when it is cold.

 

Thanks for the responses. I ended up switching for the JCW R50 catback and selling the Milltek to make back some of the costs.

I like the JCW a lot. It is definitely quieter than the Milltek at highway speeds. At 3k and below, it has a nice sporty tone that then attenuates between 3-4k which makes highway drives quieter. The Milltek in that same range would start to get bassy, especially with the engine under more load, which made listening to music and conversation just a little bit more strained.

With all that said, I had the Milltek on for a few years and is a really nice setup that is not loud, but I do prefer the quieter JCW. Still sporty where you want to hear it and quieter where it needs to be for highway cruising.

Another benefit of the JCW is it is one piece so you have don't have the possibility of leaks between joints like all most of the aftermarket options. The chrome tip is nice touch too.