Best Exhaust Resonator (Review) 2020 – Top Picks and Complete Guide

Your car runs as a result of synchronized activities of internal combustion engines. And when they do that, they produce a lot of noise.

If we have to hear the actual sound they make, that would be a very exhausting experience. That’s why a group of acoustic engineers made sure that the sound that reaches to you isn’t the actual one, rather a pleasant, presentable version.

That’s why mufflers are used in your car. They are intended to reduce the noise produced by the exhaust system.

But what if you want to reduce the sound even further? That is where the best exhaust resonator comes in.

It generates a sound wave to counter the noise produced by the engine. While they don’t remove the sound, they do just enough to neutralize the noise.

Best Exhaust Resonator Choices 2020

Many people confuse mufflers with exhaust resonators. Although both of them are part of the exhaust system, their purpose is different.

The muffler is designed to make the noise of engine sound good. They work on overall volume output across all RPMs.

On the other hand, Resonators are meant to eliminate unpleasant sound. It deals with particular RPM. In short, they reduce the noise even further. Thus, you shouldn’t confuse one for another.

A good exhaust resonator also prevents the chassis from shaking, resisting polluted fuel release in the process.

Top Exhaust Resonator Comparison Chart

Our 10 Best Exhaust Resonators Reviews

Top-quality resonators increase your vehicle’s performance in several ways. First, it reduces any irritating sound caused by your engine. Also, it lessens friction and engine back pressure, thus improving the performance of your car.

But to enjoy that, you need to be careful when purchasing resonators. The market has its fair share of mediocre resonators and you don’t want them at your disposal.

We have tried to make the job a little bit easier by reviewing the top models on the market.

1. Vibrant 1142 3″ Ultra Quiet Resonator | Best Resonator For 3” Exhaust

Vibrant 1142 is specially designed to dampen the sound emitting from your exhaust. Although it’s only 3 inches in diameter, it can perform a decent job most of the time. You just have to make sure that the size is compatible with your vehicle.

What makes this device so effective? Well, for instance, it has a ‘true straight core’ core that is pierced. The perforated core is covered by multi-layered noise dampening materials.

It helps the device to absorb sound. In other words, minimize the noise generated by the engine while keeping the exhaust flow intact.

Resonators go through a lot of hazards. With the high-quality stainless steel body Vibrant made of, you can rest assured of its longevity. Apart from rust and corrosion resistance, it will keep its composure against chips and debris too.

Thanks to the material, the product can withstand high temperature. The body length is 9.75 inches and the width is 6.5 inches x 4.75 inches. Before purchasing, make sure your vehicle can accommodate this resonator.

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Bottom Line
This device strikes a nice balance between price and quality. You will love the shiny appearance, but it’s the durability that’ll truly soothe you. Make sure your vehicle model and the engine are compatible with this device.

2. SLP 31062 Loud Mouth Bullet Type Resonator | Best Resonator For 2.5” Exhaust

The name says it all, right? At first glance, the device will look like a bigger version of a bullet, but it can convert between wide open and muffled quickly. This is a modular resonator.

The structure is made of highly polished steel. This makes it both attractive and highly durable. The stainless steel won’t be damaged by rust or oxidation, at least not for an immediate future. The Company logo imprinted on the body adds further authenticity to this device.

The inner diameter of this device is 2.5 inches, while the outer part is measured at 4 inches. So it won’t fit 3” exhaust system. Don’t forget to check if your vehicle model is compatible with this product.

The device is quite long at 18-3/16 inches. Known as ‘shotgun race resonators’, this pair will effectively dampen the sound of your exhaust system. Sadly, it fits some selective vehicle models, so make sure your vehicle is one of them.

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Bottom Line
Although we have listed not being able to work with 3” systems as a limitation, it certainly isn’t the reason to dump it. I mean, if your car has a 2.5 inches system, this pair will offer you great flexibility. Also, the steel construction will last and give value for your money for a long time.

3. Cummins 1552449 RV Generator Part | Cheap Exhaust Resonator

This product is also known as Onan 1552449. You might not feel impressed when you first look at it, such a simple design it has. But make no mistake, the manufacturers turned every page to make this as durable as the other top quality products on the market.

The device is made of aluminized steel. While the use of stainless steel for such devices is prevalent, it is the materials that give this product a great strength.

Also, it is likely to stay in pristine condition despite harsh weather, temperature, humidity, and dirt.

The overall length of this device is 12 inches. It works with exhaust pipes that are 1.25 inches in outer dimension. However, you might need to deburr and grease the exhaust pipe for a snug fit.

This device can effectively soften and reduce exhaust sound up to 1 decibel. It’s not a lot, but more often than not, it’s the nature of the sound that irritates us, not the level. Cummins help in making that irritating sound more hearable.

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Bottom Line
If you have an exhaust system of 1.25 inches, the inner diameter of the resonator being exactly 1.25 inches might pose some challenge.

However, if that happens, you can use a belt sander to symmetrically grind the inner surface of the resonator. Sometime a little greasing will do the trick.

4. DC Sports EX-1013 Muffler Tip | Best Muffler Tips

Now, this one here isn’t exactly a resonator. It’s a muffler tip. We have discussed the difference between to in our buying guide.

So, what’s it doing on this list? Mufflers and resonators are often used together and both works to make the sound more audible. This one is also kind of a resonator. But this time, it enhances the sound instead of dampening it.

The polished steel will leave you in awe when you first see it. It has the company logo engraved on the body, which adds to further elegance. The installation is easy thanks to the bolts. All you need is a socket or 10mm wrench, that’s it.

If you need a more permanent installation, you can weld the tip to the exhaust system. It provides a resonated sound at higher RPMs. Also, the device reduces back pressure, increasing torque and horsepower.

The core is a ‘straight through’ and perforated to facilitate unobstructed exhaust flow. Being 9 inches in length, it comes with a 2.875 inches inlet and 3.875″ outlet design. The product has another model. The DC Sports EX-1014 comes with all the same features, just a bigger dimension of 2.88” inlet x 4” outlet x 11” length.

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Bottom Line
This product is cheap compared to most of its counterparts, yet doesn’t fall back in terms of quality. The core allows unrestricted flow while enhancing the sound.

As for installation, you can just install it by socket or wrench. But in case you want a more permanent setup, weld it instead of clamping.

5. Dynomax 24250 Race Bullet Mini Muffler | Best Race Muffler

This one is intended for racing of fast speed cars. You’ll find the construction simple. It’s lightweight and compact. It’s made on low-tech features, but these are proven to reduce noise.

Since it is compact, cars that have limited space under the body can easily host this. The installation is also easy. The construction is completely welded which increase the durability and stability of this device.

We already told you it’s intended for racing cars. Unlike many resonators, this one can amazingly reduce up to 4 dB of noise. It also alters the sound to a deep race tone. Every time you hear the sound, you’ll feel an adrenaline rush in your body.

Although it’s compact, it has a wide mouth port at both ends. This allows for easy clearance of the exhaust without interrupting the flow. It also features a wider diameter than most of its counterparts. Made of stainless steel, this one will serve you for a long time.

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Bottom Line
Dynomax comes with a fine line of specialized and customized resonators. The Race Bullet Mini Muffler is intended for fast cars that don’t need heavy exhaust system weighing them down.

While the device might look simple, it comes with great efficiency. Just make sure this device is compatible with your vehicle model.

6. Walker 21398 Resonator | Best OE Style Exhaust Resonator

The Walker 21398 resonator is different from its colleagues in many ways. For example, it comes with a long body. But the body isn’t welded, rather it’s an incessant design.

The device has a flanged design and it comes with mounting brackets. Unlike others, you don’t have to weld it, you can just clamp it and get started.

The long structure will provide you a degree of noise reduction. The whole device is designed to sound and carry out like the factory OE design. Apart from a bit of noise reduction, it also modifies the noise to a pleasant growl.

The structure is made of aluminized steel. That means it’s likely to stay in working condition for quite some time. Although, that depends on whether you check the device for contaminants and clean them regularly.

The product is a great deal for DIY enthusiasts. Thanks to the scrupulous pipe routing, installing it won’t take much time. The inner diameter is 2.25 inches and the body comes with 4 inches diameter round body.

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Bottom Line
This product is cheap. While it’s not the most stable and durable product out there, it holds its end well. To install this, you’ll need a car with a long undercarriage. So make sure this one goes well with your car model.

7. Vibrant 1141 2.5″ Ultra Quiet Resonator | True Straight Through Core Resonator

Remember the first product we have reviewed? Vibrant 1142 was intended for cars with 3” exhaust system. But what about cars that come with a 2.5” exhaust system? Can’t they have the same up to 4-decibel noise reduction?

Well, for those vehicles, we present you the Vibrant 1141 Ultra Quiet resonator. It does two jobs at a time, it dampens the sound to an extraordinary level, and it maintains an unrestricted exhaust flow.

The construction of this resonator is made of T304 stainless steel. The smooth steel is designed to keep rust and other environmental hazards out of its way. The core is a ‘straight through’, with perforations all over it. There are multi-layered sound dampening materials that cover the core.

The jacket around the core is welded, not molded. This innovative design and the steel body provides a good amount of noise reduction, like we said, up to 4 decibels. It can also endure high temperature and other environmental hazards for a long time.

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Bottom Line
Most of the users were satisfied by the noise reduction provided by Vibrant 1141. The device is solid, and the steel construction adds to its further stability.

However, the same steel might make the clamping somewhat challenging, but users seem to be able to manage the issue.

8. AUTOSAVER88 Diesel Exhaust Tailpipe Tip | Best Exhaust Tips

This product comes with quite some variations, all providing the same top performance. The product we’re reviewing has a 5 inches outside diameter outlet. Nonetheless, you’ll also find 4 inches outside diameter outlet in long black and long silver color.

All the models are different in size and color, but they have the same angle cut, slanted rolled edge design. The inlet diameter is 3 inches, and all of them come with 12 inches length. That means all of them are designed to fit 3 inches outside diameter exhaust pipe system.

The silver and black versions are made of stainless steel and designed to be deformation and rust-resistant. The long black version is additionally coated with black powder that makes it even more mysterious and elegant at the same time.

The installing of this device is a piece of cake. You don’t necessarily need any welding. All you have to do is use the clamp at the end and attach it to the system. With the stylish design and bright look, this will surely add class to your car exhaust system.

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Bottom Line
You’ll love the appearance of the AUTOSAVE88. Apart from looking good, it also provides great durability and sound dampening performance.

As for the fit, being tight doesn’t necessarily mean a bad thing, it’s just hard to get on or adjust. But that also means it won’t come off easily like many clamps on resonators do.

9. Vibrant Performance 1794 Bottle Style Resonator | Best Bottle Style Resonator

After reading two reviews in this list, hopefully, you’re well-acquainted with Vibrant now. So we would like to introduce you an innovative, yet good old top quality vibrant product, the Vibrant Performance 1794.

It doesn’t come with the tube design like the previous ones. Rather, it comes with bottle design. It’s a molded structure, not welded. But the T304 stainless steel construction will serve you with corrosion resistance and durability.

It comes with a 3 inches inlet/outlet design. There is another model known as Vibrant 1792 that comes with the same design and length of 12 inches, but the inlet/outlet diameter is 2.5 inches instead of 3. Both of them can endure high temperature.

Like the other models, this one also features a perforated core. The true straight core design doesn’t hinder the exhaust flow. All in all, the sound absorption materials surrounding the core assists in further noise reduction.

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Bottom Line
The product has a unique design. However, it comes with the quality performance Vibrant products are known for. The resonator is 12 inches long, make sure the length is enough for your application.

10. MagnaFlow 10416 Exhaust Muffler | Best Exhaust Muffler

The MagnaFlow 10416 is heavy, but it compensates with efficient sound control. And by sound control, we don’t necessarily mean reduction. Rather, it customizes the sound to a more pleasant tune.

The structure is made of stainless steel. It has a unibody design. The device is quite long at 14 inches. So make sure your vehicle has ample space to accommodate that. It comes with an inlet/outlet diameter of 2.5 inches.

Despite being long and honestly, quite wide, mouths are somewhat of normal size. Although the exhaust flow will be unimpeded in most applications, it may pose a challenge for racing applications.

The product is developed in the USA. The shiny structure has engraved Company logo on it. With the silver appearance, the overall structure looks elegant. All of the devices are customized with wide-open designs. Thus, you’ll get a deeper and more pleasant tone instead of harsh rasp.

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 Bottom Line
MagnaFlow 10416 is a product that allows for both aesthetic pleasure and performance. It’s heavy, but that implies that it will probably last longer than nameless cheapskate resonators. It’s long, so make sure it fits the specific model of your vehicle.

Read Also: Best Jeep Hardtop Hoist Review

How To Choose The Best Resonator For Exhaust

Size

Resonators come in different sizes and dimensions. So you need to be careful when purchasing it. You might end up buying one that’s too long or wide.

Make sure the model you’re buying fits properly to its desired space. Usually, the products come with clear information on dimensions and compatible vehicle model.

If you can’t measure the space intended for resonator for any reason, usually a bottle type resonator should be enough for you.

Structure And Installation

Installing a resonator shouldn’t necessarily be difficult. Although it’s better to go to a mechanic, if the instruction is clear, you can do it by yourself. Usually, resonators come in the shape of hollow steel tube, thus it should be no brainer to install it.

Some resonators come with mounting points that make them easy to install. However, they might lack effectivity a little bit because of the mounting holes. Resonators that come with snug fit or needs welding lasts longer and performs better in terms of noise reduction.

Also, make sure the manufacturer has provided a clear and precise guideline for installing. Additionally, you should also find ample installation videos on YouTube.

Availability

You can acquire an exhaust resonator in two ways. Some cars come with a built-in resonator. They drag the combustion products out of the chamber quickly and reduce the noise.

However, if your car doesn’t have it, you can buy it from the market. Aftermarket manufacturers offer it as an add-on product. It is attached to the muffler of the combustion system. The aftermarket products work by improving the exhaust tuners.

Purpose

Well, not all car owners use these resonators for the same reason. Some use it to reduce the sound the car generates, while some use it to make the noise sound cool.

Most of the people want it for the sound dampening purpose. However, if you’re assembling a racing car, dampening the sound isn’t probably the most concerning for you.

Some resonators come with both features, dampening the sound while imparting a customized, pleasing sound.

Durability

The resonator is usually placed in a position that is exposed to dirt, mud, grimes and debris. Thus, your resonator should be made of high-quality material.

Lightweight devices are great for reducing the overall weight of the car. But the catch is, they often tend to falter and get damaged easily.

On the other hand, heavy-duty resonators might add some weight to your car. But they’ll last longer and stay in the pristine condition against dirt and debris.

To increase longevity, high-end resonators are usually made of steel. It is known for its excellent corrosion resistance. Also, it effectively reduces the sound.

Installation Kit

Depending on your collection, you can either purchase a single device or the full kit. If you have kits like flanges and brackets, then a standalone product will suffice. But then again, the accessories have to be compatible with the device.

On the other hand, if you don’t have those accessories at disposal or want to stay stress-free, it’s better to purchase the full kit. This will eliminate the need for running to the shop every time you need an accessory.

Read Also: Best Car Ceramic Coating Review

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How Long Exhaust Resonators Last?

Answer: It depends on the quality of the device. Good quality resonators should last for 20 years or more. Usually, you wouldn’t find them falling apart or being broken unless you install cheap ones.

However, this is a long time. The device won’t stay pretty by the end of the period that’s for sure. It will probably be discolored and rusted. If you’re concerned about the aesthetic look of the device, replace it once every couple of years.

2. What Does An Exhaust Resonator Do?

Answer: As the name suggests, this device serves one function- resonation. But there more to it. It’s kind of an echo chamber that’s attached to the exhaust. It diffuses the noise coming from the engine.

Often, it does even more than just suppressing the sound, it changes it to a pleasant melody. Inside the hollow tube, high pitched sounds are canceled by resonation, making the job of the muffler easier.

3. What Types Of Hazards Does A Resonator Endure?

Answer: Since the resonator is attached to the engine, the main hazards it endures are the vibration and exhaust particles. It also copes with the heat when the hot exhaust passes through the resonator.

There are some external factors too. Dirt, mud and road particles take a toll on the device in the long run.

4. How To Remove Exhaust Resonator?

Answer: Lift the vehicle with the help of a jack and keep it lifted with jack stands. Get under the vehicle. Find the exhaust resonator. It should be located before the muffler and after the catalytic converter.

Now, use a reciprocating saw to cleanly cut the resonator, since it’s usually welded. Cut 2 inches before and after the resonator. Use safety gloves and goggles. Some resonators come with mounting points, thus can easily be removed without needing any saw.

5. How To Install Exhaust Resonator Safely?

Answer: Some resonators come with mounting points. They are easy to install. However, they are also less durable and effective. That’s because the mounting holes initiate reverberation, reducing the noise suppression effect.

Resonators attached by welding usually experience less damage. Since resonators the fit snugly are attached by welding, they tend to last longer. Anything longer or shorter in size run the risk of being damaged.

Final Words

Although a resonator is an add-on, it might be an essential part of your car if your exhaust system emits way too much sound. This device can effectively reduce noise and make it a rather pleasant melody when used with mufflers.

But to get the most performance, you need to purchase the best exhaust resonator for your vehicle. Since there is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to resonators, the best resonator varies from vehicle to vehicle.

We have reviewed a wide range of exhaust resonator that comes with different features and specifications. Hopefully, you’ll find the one that goes most with your vehicle. Happy Driving!