What makes muscular exhaust? Not "pick an exhaust system for me"

I've heard some 4.6's sound DEEP, like serious muscle. So I know it can be achieved. In fact, when I first moved to GA...there was a guy on my street with one...like wake up the neighbors when he cranked it up... it wasn't a drag machine either. He was a complete douche though, I tried talking to him a few times on our neighborhood walks...and he just was not a friendly person. But I digress. So yes, it can be done on a 4.6. I have heard cat deletes and the X-pipe with some high quality mufflers will help too. Headers as others have mentioned.

yep, 4.6 has the best sounding exhaust of all time imo. I wouldn't waste money on an axle back though because the stock axle back has plenty of flow, and most of the axle backs sound just like stock unless you get a muffler delete one (don't be that guy, louder doesn't mean nicer). I've even seen dyno runs where people lost power when they changed the axle back. if you want a deeper tone get an off road H pipe and you'll be golden (provided your state allows it.) if you wan't to take it up a knotch, get long tube headers too. If you want to scare everyone else just by idling, cam it after camming it, you may as well s/c it too vroom vroom.

Having owned pushrods, modulars, and two v6s, I will toss my .02 in.

PERSONALLY

I find what makes it "muscular" is varying.
my 2Vs, always had something free flowing with an H pipe.

My 5.0s, they had long tubes, O/R H, and usually Flows.(imagine that...)

My 3Vs, I went O/R H, and SSS Terminators. LOUD, and bassy. Couldn't complain. And at cruise or light throttle, not exactly obnoxious. Then again I'm a vet with bad hearing.

My current car, Will be running LT, O/R H, and Pype Bombs, until I deem it too loud. Then I may go to something else..

I guess my point is I prefer the H pipe.
Adds that throaty sound.

I have always felt Xs were just a bit too raspy for my tastes. And this is from a guy who ran LTs, O/R H, and straight tips out the rear of my 2V.

I think a little vroom at light throttle, and some fear inducing roar at WOT make the Muscle car shine.

But again, borderline deaf guy.

I literally could barely hear my stock exhaust.

The basic theme of this thread seems to be "nobody really knows, everyone has different ideas." One consistent thing is that displacement helps, and a new overhead cam engine is not going to sound like an old pushrod engine.

Personally, I would start from the mufflers and work forward. I am not familiar with the Flowmaster Outlaws; but try both a chambered muffler and a straight-through can. Personally, I really like my FRPP FR-500-S mufflers, they do give a nice deep tone with a nice "blub blub blub" idle, though it does have some hollowness to it, but it is very subjective.

Keep the H-Pipe if you want a deep muscle car sound. The X-Pipe gives more of a raspy european / race car sound.

Not sure about the cats . . . . it will be louder without them for sure, but not sure about "deeper." Personally I would not remove them because I don't want to worry about emissions standards.

Headers are the most expensive and cause the most issues down the road so I would do them last, only if I could not get the sound I wanted elsewhere.

Cams give the lopie uneven sound but don't change the tone much.