So when you read a blog post or some ad copy on an exhaust system, it will often refer to a “chambered” muffler designs. For the record, there are a number of other muffler types from straight through to glass pack to any other type you can think of. All are built with the idea of dampening the sound emitted from an internal combustion engine.
A chambered muffler design refers to, in most cases, a containment “box” that uses a series of deflectors within the muffler to direct the air flow – and sound. With Legato Performance, we position the deflectors to reflect the sound around inside the case and cause it to cancel itself out – to some degree. Through careful engineering, the “raw” sound is cancelled leaving the sweet sound of power to flow through.
True “Chambered” mufflers do not use any packing material that can come in contact with the hot exhaust gases and change sound over a very short time. When a muffler contains fiberglass or other “proprietary” fiber, you know that it is not there for the long haul. Historically, there have been many mufflers that feature steel chips as a packing material. These mufflers will retain their sound, however they do restrict flow, which increases back pressure and reduces performance.
And Chambered mufflers are not all the same. The positioning of the internal deflectors in the muffler make a huge difference in the sound and air flow characteristics. There are some marketing folks who believe that you must be able to see right through the muffler from end to end or it is restrictive. That is not the case. Flow bench testing is not conclusive as to performance generated. Remember, that airflow through your exhaust is not straight out but rather a pulse of air that you can’t see with the naked eye. In addition, it is very hot air that flows very differently than a flowbench test where the air is room temperature.
At Legato Performance we could have used any muffler design for our systems. We chose to use a 100% stainless steel chambered muffler style for sound, performance and longevity. That's because we are here for the long haul. Count on Legato!