Originally Posted by
STRATTON stef, ssac 2.5 header, 2.5 exhaust all the way back, n1's, s&r, whatever ecu you have, safc2 tune and call it day.
I have to agree with a setup like this for what you are trying to get. We are in the process of going from a 3" to a 2.5" on the NX since Kimme dd's it. I'll give up some power for some quiet in a dd. If you don't have adjustable cam gears, I'd suggest picking up a set. You can move the power band back into the really usable range.
Let me show you how it looks if you go this milder route. This is my SE-R from 2006. Stock SR20 with a JWT Popcharger, Hotshot Header, and a 60mm Stromung exhaust. Stock ecu and cams. Even if you had cams it wouldn't be a whole lot different than this, and I have this chart available for illustration purposes:
Here is the addition of a VE with N1's at +5/-5, a Pop on a Maxima maf, an ASP 421 budget header, a 3" exhaust, JWT ecu, SAFC2, and an MSD switch:
As you can see it isn't a whole lot different on the low cam, so if you show a little restraint you can still get great mileage. And when you're feeling rambunctious just punch it and arrive with a smile!
We had a 2.5" exhaust on when we first put in the VE and it was a lot quieter. No louder than the DE with a Stromung was, as long as you stay on the low cams. I couldn't find a chart from then, but I think it gained about 10 hp on the high cams with the 3" exhaust in the above graph. It will still be plenty hella fun and not annoyingly loud.