STMPO Messiah Exhaust Review

[Nero Tenebre]

I have recently installed this exhaust with optional burns mufflers & test pipes on my car- for about a month perhaps.

My impressions:

• Weighs less than almost every exhaust ever made for the NSX, and this is critical in not only acceleration and braking but because this weight is removed from the rear of the car it gives it more neutral handling balance.
• The sound is better than the Tubi exhaust for the NSX and as close to a 355 or 360 Tubi as possible without the Ferrari flat plane crankshaft design. The big problem with the NSX Tubi is that though it sounds great, it's HEAVY (even at roughly half the weight of an OEM exhaust).
• My car now has a pronounced rumble at idle which was missing from my previous GTLW and most other exhausts for the NSX which are not wild enough for an exotic IMO.
• I have been told that at WOT on the freeway you can hear it over everything. Otherwise it can even be quiet at times if you keep the revs down.
• It startles people on startup, especially in parking garages.
• Design is excellent, it is a stepped design which increases pipe diameter along the flow path to reduce back-pressure and increase flow/velocity. You can easily see this in the photos from below, just take a look at the comptech headers and follow the piping.
• It's modular V-band design allowed us to manipulate the tips without a big fuss (no need to take the entire exhaust off the header and fumble with the whole octopus) and it allows me to rotate the tips easily at any time if I want to change their exit angle.
• Build quality is excellent.
• Build materials are excellent (316 grade SS which is corrosion-resistant) and the gage of the metal is generous. You need the force of a hydraulic press to alter it so bending or denting it would take a lot of impact force. The OEM exhaust is easily susceptible to damage and uses a really thin gage metal but an aftermarket exhaust like my previous GTLW was much stouter. This one blows them both away.
• For me, this is the ONLY no compromise exhaust for the NSX. It weighs the same or less than titanium exhausts without the plague of problems titanium carries with it. It sounds better than a Tubi and adds more character. I think I mentioned that but it's worth mentioning again since for many, sound is usual top priority in exhaust comparisons.
• Very few produced and each bespoke so it's a rare item.
• Closest competitor IMO is the GT-Extreme which may be the most extreme but costs a small fortune and still weighs more.

My exhaust soulmate has been found and I already rue the day we must part when I go turbo. :frown:

First the pics of the exhaust with the original tips, then the pics with my new titanium tips installed (RE: http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1642319#post1642319). They are 3/4" larger than the previous 3" tips and add one more step up to the piping. :biggrin:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70274025@N00/8121063256/" title="IMG_8002 by Nero Tenebre, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8056/8121063256_678b19d0c1_b.jpg" width="1024" height="765" alt="IMG_8002"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70274025@N00/8121063424/" title="IMG_8013 by Nero Tenebre, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8328/8121063424_b2277e2543_b.jpg" width="1024" height="765" alt="IMG_8013"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70274025@N00/8121063840/" title="IMG_8029 by Nero Tenebre, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8464/8121063840_e72232bab6_b.jpg" width="1024" height="765" alt="IMG_8029"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70274025@N00/8121048691/" title="IMG_8031 by Nero Tenebre, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8184/8121048691_acebd8a04b_b.jpg" width="1024" height="765" alt="IMG_8031"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70274025@N00/8121065664/" title="IMG_8093 by Nero Tenebre, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8325/8121065664_111fd1512b_b.jpg" width="765" height="1024" alt="IMG_8093"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70274025@N00/8121066880/" title="IMG_8112 by Nero Tenebre, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8052/8121066880_f82d6f00b6_b.jpg" width="1024" height="765" alt="IMG_8112"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70274025@N00/8121067118/" title="IMG_8120 by Nero Tenebre, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8189/8121067118_38d4263e36_b.jpg" width="1024" height="765" alt="IMG_8120"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70274025@N00/8121069174/" title="IMG_8147 by Nero Tenebre, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8194/8121069174_cfc3bfff03_b.jpg" width="1024" height="765" alt="IMG_8147"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70274025@N00/8121068216/" title="IMG_8138 by Nero Tenebre, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8333/8121068216_558d3bd3f2_b.jpg" width="1024" height="765" alt="IMG_8138"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70274025@N00/8121069374/" title="IMG_8148 by Nero Tenebre, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8463/8121069374_d01cca42bd_b.jpg" width="1024" height="640" alt="IMG_8148"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/70274025@N00/8121054173/" title="IMG_8157 by Nero Tenebre, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8334/8121054173_b2426f85fb_b.jpg" width="1024" height="765" alt="IMG_8157"></a>

 

[gleibig]

Sound clips?

 

[Nero Tenebre]

I will try to get some soon-

 

[bngl3rt]

Out of production? It's still listed on their site for $2k...

 

[Nero Tenebre]

Edit: Spoke with Ross and there are no units "on the shelf" bc each is custom made and there were only a handful produced. They may or may not be out of production... but he is not really making NSX parts any more as many of you know. If you are interested in one then you can always ask him.

 

[BATMANs]

mines a limited edition STMPO messiah. Even more $$$$ and high end.

ANyone jealous? anyone?

 

[Nero Tenebre]

Meeee. Haha, I think I saw your review. I will admit I like to have rare things that are hard to get and bespoke if thats a jab at my gleeful review. But more than thats it's a shame that Ross isn't developing parts for the NSX anymore. I really wanted to see what he could do with the headers and exhaust combo. But it is what it is and it's done.

 

[davidf]

Its pretty loud. I think I heard you last night from my house. And thats 2 hours away.:biggrin:

 

[kprsx]

Yup!! I loved mine!! Its awesome!!

 

[dc935]

The Ti tips def look a lot better. Looking fwd to hearing the exh clips.:smile:

 

[jaffaz32]

I have one for sale

Awesome exhaust system.

 

[Nero Tenebre]

I saw that, couldn't believe it hasn't sold except you're so far away for shipping.

 

[scammy]

I have had mine on for a couple of months now and cant get enough of WOT.
I got the cats put on mine so is a bit different to the photos here but the comments i have would be the same this thing is a work of art and just sounds insane on the track but civilised on the highway.

 

[Nero Tenebre]

Exhaust Video

For some reason my embedding from YouTube doesn't work so maybe someone else can embed it here. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2kjePXZySE

Turn up the volume if you want to know what it's like in person. :biggrin: You can also ask the TX guys who attended our regional event (Craze) this past weekend.

 

[PoKnow]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/B2kjePXZySE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Timeless1]

For some reason my embedding from YouTube doesn't work so maybe someone else can embed it here. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2kjePXZySE

Turn up the volume if you want to know what it's like in person. :biggrin: You can also ask the TX guys who attended our regional event (Craze) this past weekend.

One of the best sounding exhaust for NSX, very beefy!!! Sounds even better if you are holding the camera & filming it live! :tongue::biggrin:
Nice Rear end black car in front of you towards the end there.:biggrin:

 

[Caroline-NSX]

I bet this exhaust sounds better in person.

 

[bngl3rt]

I bet this exhaust sounds better in person.

Yeah, sounds a little raspy and thin on the video...

I have a bunch of professional recording equipment that I've been thinking of bringing to NSX meets to get really clear, detailed, high-fidelity recordings of the various exhausts.

 

[TURBO2GO]

Yeah, sounds a little raspy and thin on the video...

I have a bunch of professional recording equipment that I've been thinking of bringing to NSX meets to get really clear, detailed, high-fidelity recordings of the various exhausts.

Thin? Are you kidding? It's the beefiest one I've heard.

Man I really don't want to sound like a cheerleader for STMPO but they really made some quality shit. This is a really really nice exhaust.

 

[Nero Tenebre]

It's not thin sounding in person I don't think, it's actually very robust and hugely "bassy" if that makes sense. The vids don't convey they volume of it at all, especially the in car video where the wind noise is pronounced. It can be a bit raspy but its still very full. With test pipes it's booming loud... Actually I had a headache after driving it for hours on the road trip. A six speed tranny to drop revs or going a lower speed could've helped make it more bearable probably but I don't use the NSX for journeys often so no biggie. You can't have "touring" if you want "race".

 

[bngl3rt]

It's not thin sounding in person I don't think, it's actually very robust and hugely "bassy" if that makes sense. The vids don't convey they volume of it well, especially the in car video where the wind noise is pronounced. It can be a bit raspy but its still very full. With test pipes it's boomy... Actually I had a headache after driving it for hours on the road trip. A six speed trsnny or lower speed limit could've helped make it more bearable probably but I don't use the NSX for journeys often so no biggie. You can't have "touring" if you want "race"!

Thin? Are you kidding? It's the beefiest one I've heard.

Man I really don't want to sound like a cheerleader for STMPO but they really made some quality shit. This is a really really nice exhaust.

Emphasis on on the video

Cell phone/point-and-shoot cameras tack on the lowest-bidder microphone as an afterthought. I've never heard an exhaust sound worse in person than on a video. Usually they sound a whole hell of a lot better.

 

[Hapa88]

Does this thing have any drone at any RPM in the cabin?

 

[Nero Tenebre]

Every exhaust has drone at certain RPMs if its a loud one. It totally depends on gearing and cruising RPMs and sustained harmonics in those condition. Six speeds will have much less drone bc they cruise at lower RPMs. I haven't studied at which RPMs it creates drone but it is there at times. But you are talking to a guy that generally enjoys the boom. The only time it sucked was for the long trips in which the sustained noise level was like that found in an endurance race. Next time I will wear ear plugs, no joke. I would say get a quiet exhaust like a comptech for those concerned about it. And don't get test pipes on any exhaust or you will be complaining about drone!

 

[socold57]

sounds mean to me, good job much better than my quiet exhaust lol

 

[BATMANs]

Does this thing have any drone at any RPM in the cabin?

Yes, STMPO mufflers do indeed have drone.

The loudest.

But that is easily fixed if you replace their mufflers with Magnaflow mufflers.