Special Equipment: Pleasing Pipes
February 1, 2007
Enthusiasts who crave the rumbling bass note produced by typical aftermarket
mufflers might be in for an unexpected side effect: fatigue and discomfort on
long road trips when droning low-frequency resonance converts a car’s cabin into
a sonic torture chamber. “The typical performance muffler uses absorbent
packing, and works very well on the high-frequency sound above 500 Hz, but does
nothing for the droning low frequencies,” says Gautam Pathak, director of
product development for Corsa Performance Exhausts. To counteract the effect,
Corsa’s unique system uses a straight-through design with a wraparound,
labyrinthine resonating chamber called a “side branch.” Sound reflected within
this chamber reverses low frequencies and cancels out offensive resonance; Corsa
dubs the process Reflective Sound Cancellation, or RSC.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
The company
engineers the units specifically for each car—there is no universal or standard
Corsa muffler—and we sampled a Viper Coupe fitted with a model-specific exhaust
system. The stock Viper’s system is well known for low-frequency resonance, and
we noticed a significant difference. Gone was the industrial rumble and drone,
replaced by the thrill of a V-10 at open throttle and a smooth purr on the
road—the perfect aural accompaniment for a cross-country jaunt. (Click image to enlarge)
Corsa Performance Exhausts
800.486.0999
www.corsaperformance.com
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