I asked for some insite in my AZ forum but would like to ask the larger community of 355 owners: I'm not sure on gtb vs gts on noise level, etc. I want that good exhaust note when I open it up (capristo or tubi), but I also want to be able to have a phone call or a normal conversation with a passenger. Not sure if I can have best of both worlds in a gtb or if it is a little too quiet in that cockpit. I have a 328 gts now with my car and it is fairly noisy in the cabin even with the top on and windows up. Phone calls are not easy. The wife wants me to get a newer model so we can have both aspects - loud and normal modes. I like the idea of a gtb. I rode in a 355 gtb briefly years ago and seem to remember a lack of drama (unlike what you see in the YouTube videos) under heavy acceleration "but the windows were up." Not sure what kind of exhaust it had, stock or aftermarket. I love the capristo scream. I may not want it every minute I use the car. So obviously I need more time around the 355 models to get a better feel. I want both aspects with the car but obviously don't want to lose the great noise. Does the driver get the same amazing exhaust scream at 8000 rpm's as people curbside? In a gtb? In a gts with the top off? Or only at that level in a spider? Robb
Rob, sorry but if you're cruising around in a 355, radio and phone calls should be second priority, motor sound being first. Just say'in!
Yes, I agree but I now want to have my cake and eat it too! it's not like I am on the phone very much, but I would rather not pull over. So hopefully people can add their two cents. I am a current f-car owner So I'm just lookin for real experiences of real life trying to find the balance. Since I don't have access to the three body types to do my own test, I need input! Robb
I have Tubi on my F355 GTB. Sound is amazing windows up or down. Having a conversation is not bad with the windows up, but using the phone (with headset) is a bit loud. Windows down you hear the full great sounding engine. I hardly ever turn on the radio since the music of the engine is more stausfying than what is on the radio.
I have a 355 GTS with a Fabspeed exhaust and its very quiet crusing with the roof on. It's easy to make a phone call even at 80mph, but can still hear the scream at full throttle and high RPMs. With the roof off the wind noise prevents clear phone calls, but the "voice" of the car is magical! I am sure the GTB would be even quieter but you might lose some of the visceral sound quality unless the windows are down.
Sounds like you need to get a Capristo twinsound which is switchable between quiet and loud http://www.capristoexhaust.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=vmj_color_plus.tpl&product_id=95&category_id=37&vmcchk=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=89
Great information. Thank you all for the input! Sounds like gtb or gts are similar and good for both "moods." Robb
I've owned both a GTB and a GTS 355. Both had straight pipes and a tubi. Both were civilized enough to have a cell phone conversation when needed.
You can use the Capristo switchable bypass valve with any muffler you choose, so that's not a bad idea!
Even a stock exhaust is a bit too loud to have a normal conversation with the windows up and cruising down the interstate at 3000 RPMs at constant velocity. So if you want a conversation with your passenger, drive something else. Cell phones will be hard to hear the other end and they will have a hard time hearing you, not because the words don't arrive, but because the background noise is so high. Stereos are fairly worthless in an F355.
The Capristo only screams when the bypass opens. I had a Capristo 2 and it wasn't much louder than stock in normal driving. No way you get the same scream in the car as a bystander in any of the cars, a function of the sound exiting behind and away from you. The only time I'd get the scream in the car is if I drove next to something that would reflect the sound back at me like buildings or sound walls or even dense trees.
I have Fabspeed coated headers, and Nouvalari cats and Sport exhaust on my Spider. The sound is incredible at WOT about 6500+, but is is a little loud with the top down. Its about right with the top up. I think with a GTB or GTS it would be perfect.
I have a '98 355 Berlinetta with stock headers, Fabspeed cats and Nouvolari muffler. I've taken long highway trips with the windows up and the noise level isnot bad at all. The radio is pretty useless even with the windows up though. With the windows down the car is very loud. I have a 15 mile route I drive just to hear the sound of the car. The route goes under a lot of overpasses and next to a lot of walls. When I get back from that drive with the windows down my ears are sometimes ringing. The sound is so good once you get over 4k rpm that it's very difficult to not just keep pushing that throttle down. I bought a GoPro camera and an external mic to try to capture the sound but no matter what I do the video just doesn't do it justice. I haven't been able to find any videos on youtube that really capture the sound either.
I've got a coupe with aftermarket headers, hi flow cats and either the factory exhaust or tubi race exhaust (switch back and forth/ currently I'm on the factory exhaust with custom removable pipes. Both my tubi and factory exhaust have removeable exhaust pipes which allow me to re&re the mufflers with out removing the bumper). As stated before the 355 has the loudest stock exhaust of all ferrari's (.....the standard tubi is quieter than the oem exhaust). With either exhaust, when I'm cruising on the highway the cabin is very quiet.....so quiet that conversations are easy.....no problems with cell phone . However get on the gas after 4500 rpm and she screams.
Sounds like I will be in the sweet spot with a gtb or gts. So I know what to be looking for. Thanks so much for the good input. Robb
In Arizona you'll probably always leave the roof off of the GTS, but if you go on long trips you might put it on. I've heard of squeaking issues on the GTS with roof on, and the chassis is not quite as stiff as a Berlinetta though I've never driven a GTS to see for myself. Here in California I have on my B what I believe is the loudest smog-compliant setup available on the 355 (Hyperflow cats, Cap stg 3, Fabspeed headers). Straight pipes would probably make it even louder. Cell phone use is hard just cruising with windows up, and it's a bit annoying to try to talk with a passenger. I do listen to the all-stock radio, but the mids and lows get drowned out by the exhaust/intake sound, so all I get is treble. Not willing to put in a sub/amplifier, so I make do. If noise is a major concern to you, I wouldn't consider a spider, and only consider a GTS if you have to have the open-air option. When I want to hear my car, I just roll the windows down (which is basically all the time). Don't get a 355 as a cruiser, as these babies really like to driven like Ferrari wanted! Normal driving is not what they like. I've read here that 550's are much more livable for long trips though I've never driven one or even sat in the car... However I do know that I really want one!
Good call on the capristo by pass valve. OP, I have a 355 GTS with a Tubi. Car is very civil at cruising speed, although the idle is a bit loud with the roof off. Once you get the car past 6000 rpm, the car sounds incredible. A capristo sounds fantastic, but is significantly louder than a Tubi. The Tubi might be the best compromise for you. A GTB will be a bit quieter than a GTS with the roof off of course depending on configuration, but I had to have a GTS. I want to hear the best sounding engine in the world! Why buy a 355 to keep it quiet? Let em sing!
