Dinan sound at idle vs OEM

[Fen335i]

For those that actually have the Dinan exhaust (rear section only), or have heard it first hand, please comment (for those that have heard it on Youtube, please DO NOT comment)

How much louder is the Dinan exhaust at idle vs the OEM at idle (assuming the initial 30 second rough-start is over with and the cats are warmed up)? Is it 10% louder, 20, 30%?

I know it's one of the quieter exhausts out there, but I just want to better understand how it compares to OEM at idle. I know the "full" system including Dinan's midpipe really makes it sound better once you get around 4,000 rpm...but, I'm just looking for what it sounds like with the rear section only at this point.

Thanks much.

[Mr.Metak2you]

Without measuring the db differnce between stock and Dinan I can't really give you a % of how much louder it is. However, the stock exhaust is very quiet at idle IMO, the Dinan is definately louder and adds more "bass" to the sound of the exhaust note. Heard it just yesterday when the SA drove it away for service. I personally love it and wouldn't want anything louder on this car. Again, JMNSHO

[scott@bmwhn]

its hard to give a % but it is defininetly deeper of an exhaust note. If i had to guesstimate, i would say its 10% louder

-Scott

[Fen335i]

Originally Posted by ///Metak

Without measuring the db differnce between stock and Dinan I can't really give you a % of how much louder it is. However, the stock exhaust is very quiet at idle IMO, the Dinan is definately louder and adds more "bass" to the sound of the exhaust note. Heard it just yesterday when the SA drove it away for service. I personally love it and wouldn't want anything louder on this car. Again, JMNSHO

Thanks Metak...good info. Much appreciated. I'm thinking this is the one for me...I will be doing a midpipe w/HFC's down the road, so I want a rear section that will compliment that nicely and not be too loud...sounds like Dinan is a good choice.

[Andrew 912]

I used Rear Section Dinan Exhaust previously and I would say about 20% louder than OEM Exhaust but I got Drone at 2100 - 2300 RPM. The drone was not as loud but quite bothering to my ear. I use Akraprovic Evolution Exhaust presently and I am very happy with the exhaust sound and no drone.

[Fen335i]

Originally Posted by Andrew 912

I used Rear Section Dinan Exhaust previously and I would say about 20% louder than OEM Exhaust but I got Drone at 2100 - 2300 RPM. The drone was not as loud but quite bothering to my ear. I use Akraprovic Evolution Exhaust presently and I am very happy with the exhaust sound and no drone.

you are the first one I've heard of that experienced drone w/Dinan's exhaust. That is supposed to be the biggest plus...is the fact that it doesn't drone. Interesting...

[Mr.Metak2you]

Originally Posted by Andrew 912

I used Rear Section Dinan Exhaust previously and I would say about 20% louder than OEM Exhaust but I got Drone at 2100 - 2300 RPM. The drone was not as loud but quite bothering to my ear. I use Akraprovic Evolution Exhaust presently and I am very happy with the exhaust sound and no drone.

Originally Posted by Fen335i

you are the first one I've heard of that experienced drone w/Dinan's exhaust. That is supposed to be the biggest plus...is the fact that it doesn't drone. Interesting...

Dinan had drone but Akra had no drone? Yeah, I call BS also. Dinan will have less drone than Akra for sure!. Most people would accept more drone than the Dinan exuast design because the get hung up on the single functioning tip. Or they go with the AA design with the external Helmholtz chamber. The Dinan exhaust was specifically designed to maximize flow while reducing low frequency drone.

DINAN TECH SHEET:
"Or it was possible to get good flow and a low frequency drone with 4 tailpipe tips, but it was impossible to get both. We considered using an external Helmholtz chamber like some companies have done. But this added additional weight and cost and was deemed unacceptable. Analyzing other after-market manufacturer’s mufflers revealed that they had all made a compromise because of these problems. Either they had high backpressure from keeping the BMW design or very loud low frequency drone with straight through twin muffler designs or heavy expensive exhausts with straight through designs and external Helmholtz chambers."

[elp_jc]

Originally Posted by Fen335i

is the fact that it doesn't drone.

The right way to phrase that is: 'it drones the least' . EVERY aftermarket exhaust will drone. How much? Depends on your definition of drone and how loud the exhaust is. He's not the first to say Dinan drones, but it's pretty well known it's one of the systems that drones the least. And/or has the least increase in cabin noise over stock. Again, all such systems will be louder inside; whether it's classified as drone or not depends on your definition of drone, noise tolerance, how you drive (stereo blasting, etc), and so on. Most folks want to describe their exhaust as the noisiest outside but 'no drone' .

Since I'm so sensitive to drone (believe me, I know what it is), I decided to stay stock, and just painted the muffler black. Didn't want to buy blindly again, since every single time I've ended up selling my exhausts at a big loss. Good luck.

[skoot3r]

Originally Posted by ///Metak

Dinan had drone but Akra had no drone? Yeah, I call BS also. Dinan will have less drone than Akra for sure!. Most people would accept more drone than the Dinan exuast design because the get hung up on the single functioning tip. Or they go with the AA design with the external Helmholtz chamber. The Dinan exhaust was specifically designed to maximize flow while reducing low frequency drone.

DINAN TECH SHEET:
"Or it was possible to get good flow and a low frequency drone with 4 tailpipe tips, but it was impossible to get both. We considered using an external Helmholtz chamber like some companies have done. But this added additional weight and cost and was deemed unacceptable. Analyzing other after-market manufacturer’s mufflers revealed that they had all made a compromise because of these problems. Either they had high backpressure from keeping the BMW design or very loud low frequency drone with straight through twin muffler designs or heavy expensive exhausts with straight through designs and external Helmholtz chambers."

+1 I had no drone what so ever with just the rear section and even after I got the mid section I still had no drone..

[MrHarris]

Someone sell me their Dinan!!!

[H Bomb]

i call BS i have the Dinan and there is no drone anywhere at any rpm ever, and i have the Dinan Midpipe on there as well and still no drone anywhere

out of the two if one would drone it would be the Akra

Originally Posted by Andrew 912

I used Rear Section Dinan Exhaust previously and I would say about 20% louder than OEM Exhaust but I got Drone at 2100 - 2300 RPM. The drone was not as loud but quite bothering to my ear. I use Akraprovic Evolution Exhaust presently and I am very happy with the exhaust sound and no drone.

[H Bomb]

you must have the hearing of a dog or something bc i have the Dinan and my hearing is good and i have no drone at all anywhere in the rpm range

Originally Posted by elp_jc

The right way to phrase that is: 'it drones the least' . EVERY aftermarket exhaust will drone. How much? Depends on your definition of drone and how loud the exhaust is. He's not the first to say Dinan drones, but it's pretty well known it's one of the systems that drones the least. And/or has the least increase in cabin noise over stock. Again, all such systems will be louder inside; whether it's classified as drone or not depends on your definition of drone, noise tolerance, how you drive (stereo blasting, etc), and so on. Most folks want to describe their exhaust as the noisiest outside but 'no drone' .

Since I'm so sensitive to drone (believe me, I know what it is), I decided to stay stock, and just painted the muffler black. Didn't want to buy blindly again, since every single time I've ended up selling my exhausts at a big loss. Good luck.

[Bob MG]

Originally Posted by H Bomb

i call BS i have the Dinan and there is no drone anywhere at any rpm ever, and i have the Dinan Midpipe on there as well and still no drone anywhere

out of the two if one would drone it would be the Akra

I have full akra evolition and I have no drone at all. I would be loath to say its louder/quieter than Dinan without an actual DB test of both systems and also an ear test as to what sounds the best.

Safer to say they are the best two systems for people who are sensitive to drone. My wife thinks my exhaust is standard now as I had Fabspeed and Remus set up before, that trumps any other test IMO

[chuckvic]

Happy with my DINAN mufflers, little louder than stock, maybe a touch too quiet for me though. Overall no regrets. the BMW techs that installed them thought they sounded like a Ferrari that they had been doing some work on. Not sure I fully agree but its an improvement over stock.

chuck

[elp_jc]

Originally Posted by H Bomb

i have the Dinan and my hearing is good and i have no drone at all anywhere in the rpm range

And you think you're unbiased??? . Anyway, you can't argue Dinan (and ALL other aftermarket exhausts) is louder than stock. And drone is basically unwanted cabin noise, which is 100% subjective. If we were to believe owners' accounts, no exhaust drones , which ironically can be true of any system under specific conditions (coasting, high-rpm at low throttle opening, etc). Bottom line is for 'drone sensitive' folks who don't want to risk $500 (approx loss) with a bad purchase, they better hear it under normal driving conditons before buying. My own brother calls himself 'drone sensitive', and the CEC exhaust on his Porsche (advertised as 'no drone') was driving me nuts, but it didn't bother him. I always kept the rpm much higher when I drove, which is not how I'd like to drive my own car all the time. His threshold is simply higher up the dB scale . BUt he hasn't put an aftermarket exhaust on his new Porsche. Maybe he was lying . Good day gang.

[isugoo]

Can't say what % but it's noticeably louder but not annoying at idle with mean, rumble tone.
And before it's louder or not, first thing you notice is the different type of tone (mean, rumbling compare to gentle note from the stock). To me, I didn't want to go much louder exhaust but wanted to have better tone so I picked up Dinan.

[TLud]

Dinan axle-back exhaust owner here.

During cold startup, I'd estimate that the Dinan is 25% louder than stock. After the cold startup cycle is over and the car is idling smoothly, the Dinan is MAYBE 10% louder than stock. What you notice more than the change in volume is the change in tone. The Dinan is much deeper and has a more aggressive rumble.

As far as drone, every exhaust I've ever heard for the M3, including stock, has it. It's simply a question of (1) how much and (2) where it occurs in the rev range. It's also a subjective issue that depends on the ear and tolerance of a particular person, which is why one person will say an exhaust drones and another says it doesn't.

Like the stock exhaust, the drone on the Dinan is barely even noticeable (my wife, for example, didn't notice it) and not annoying. Also, like the stock exhaust, the drone on the Dinan does not occur at cruising speeds. In fact, the drone on the Dinan is so unobtrusive, I'd have no question recommending the Dinan even to those with the most sensitive ears (I'm one of them).

[Fen335i]

Isugoo and TLUD - Great comments on "tone" vs "volume". You've been a great help.

[H Bomb]

i feel i am unbiased yes. of course it is louder then stock that is the whole point bc we want sound. i am talking about drone

i am sensitive to drone, i owned one set up that droned bad once on one of my cars and after that i said i will never have one that drones again bc i can't stand it and in my last 3 M cars i have had the Dinan set ups and have had no drone at all. and people who ride in my car can't believe that there is no drone in the cabin when it sounds that good outside the car, like a ferrari as one person put it. has a nice exotic tone to it and no drone

everyone is different and may hear it different ways, so if you hear drone then i guess you got drone, i just know 99.9% of the people running the Dinan set up never hear drone

take care

Originally Posted by elp_jc

And you think you're unbiased??? . Anyway, you can't argue Dinan (and ALL other aftermarket exhausts) is louder than stock. And drone is basically unwanted cabin noise, which is 100% subjective. If we were to believe owners' accounts, no exhaust drones , which ironically can be true of any system under specific conditions (coasting, high-rpm at low throttle opening, etc). Bottom line is for 'drone sensitive' folks who don't want to risk $500 (approx loss) with a bad purchase, they better hear it under normal driving conditons before buying. My own brother calls himself 'drone sensitive', and the CEC exhaust on his Porsche (advertised as 'no drone') was driving me nuts, but it didn't bother him. I always kept the rpm much higher when I drove, which is not how I'd like to drive my own car all the time. His threshold is simply higher up the dB scale . BUt he hasn't put an aftermarket exhaust on his new Porsche. Maybe he was lying . Good day gang.

[H Bomb]

+1, the Dinan rear is what should of come stock on the M3 from the factory

Originally Posted by TLud

Dinan axle-back exhaust owner here.

During cold startup, I'd estimate that the Dinan is 25% louder than stock. After the cold startup cycle is over and the car is idling smoothly, the Dinan is MAYBE 10% louder than stock. What you notice more than the change in volume is the change in tone. The Dinan is much deeper and has a more aggressive rumble.

As far as drone, every exhaust I've ever heard for the M3, including stock, has it. It's simply a question of (1) how much and (2) where it occurs in the rev range. It's also a subjective issue that depends on the ear and tolerance of a particular person, which is why one person will say an exhaust drones and another says it doesn't.

Like the stock exhaust, the drone on the Dinan is barely even noticeable (my wife, for example, didn't notice it) and not annoying. Also, like the stock exhaust, the drone on the Dinan does not occur at cruising speeds. In fact, the drone on the Dinan is so unobtrusive, I'd have no question recommending the Dinan even to those with the most sensitive ears (I'm one of them).