My 2 cents on my current set up. I haven't heard anything sound better come from a stock 5.7. No drone, however it is somewhat loud. Cruising with the windows up you can have a perfectly fine conversation with your passengers. With the windows down, not so much. I'm running a K&N CAI (this will change the tone for sure) breathing through Gibson shorty headers into Magnaflow high-flow cats into a custom X pipe into 12" Thrush Glasspacks, split exit diagonally behind the rear wheels. All connected with 2.5" fully welded 304 Stainless. No tips. When you stomp on it, it definitely sounds like you're at the drag strip. Cruising is loud but not unbearable. I like exhaust noise and hate my neighbors.... so I couldn't ask for a better exhaust. It really woke up my suburban.