A drone can mean different things to different people. For Corvette owners, the word conjures up images of putting your head in a metal pot and beating it with a wooden spoon while humming the All In The Family theme song. Thanks to the living quarters being located directly above the noisy bits in all but the latest generation of Corvettes, any noise or drone that makes its way back from the rear bumper is immediately drilled into the skull of the occupants.

That is exactly why companies such as CORSA Performance have worked so hard and engineering technology that not only allows all those bald eagles produced by our V8s to fly as freely as possible but also sets boundaries on how much drone is allowed. It’s a tough line to straddle, as the mechanics of sound come into play. It becomes difficult to build a system that can distinguish whether the sound is desirable or not.

CORSA Performance has invested many hours of testing and engineering to help draw a line in the sand between the two. It actually uses various chambers to reverse the exhaust’s own sound waves to help cancel out the unwanted drone. Known as Reflective Sound Cancellation (RSC™), the design gives a free-flowing exhaust that has all the performance sound, without the drone. Check out the video below for an animated view of RSC technology at work.

Chevrolet has put extensive testing into ways of increasing the performance (and sound) of the Corvette’s exhaust. One of the ways they can limit unwanted noise from entering the cabin but allowing Corvette to sound like a performance car is by installing multi-mode exhausts. By using a valve which effectively “opens up” the exhaust, Chevrolet allows its performance car to sound like a performance car, in performance-oriented situations. Otherwise, the valves close-off part of the system to keep noise and drone to a minimum.

Best Of Both Worlds

CORSA Performance has now combined the adjustability of a multi-mode exhaust, with the performance-enhancing, drone-reducing RSC technology. Its new, valved exhaust system for 2014-2019 C7 Corvettes is equipped with the popular GM Dual-Mode NPP-option to give the driver control of the exhaust tone and also increase the sound, and performance of the vehicle.

The CORSA Valved Exhaust System replaces the Chevrolet Dual-Mode NPP-option exhaust system and allows owners to customize their exhaust to suit the moment, utilizing either “Stealth” (Sport) or “Track” (Xtreme™) sound modes. The exhaust still uses CORSA’s RSC technology so no matter which mode is chosen, the vehicle sounds great, both inside and out.

The CORSA valved exhaust is available in two systems – C7 Stingray and Grand Sport Auto; or for C7 Z06 and Grand Sport Manual Corvettes. Over a year’s worth of engineering went into the creation of the multi-mode valving, which is designed to work with the car’s factory Dual-Mode NPP exhaust system wiring harness. The system comes with CORSA’s quad, 4 ½-inch Pro-Series Tips, available in either polished 304 stainless steel or PVD Black. The rest of the system is constructed of standard 304 stainless.

The system is available in two different configurations. One for C7 Stingray and Grand Sport Auto; or for C7 Z06 and Grand Sport Manual Corvettes.

Testing has shown increases up to a seven-horsepower gain over a stock exhaust system and there is a 17-decibel difference between “Stealth” and “Track” modes, even more, when under load. Corsa even gives its exclusive guarantee of “No Drone” in both sound modes. The system installs with basic hand tools and includes all necessary hardware. There is a lifetime guarantee on the system and a 5-year warranty on the valve assemblies. CORSA exhaust systems are 50-state emissions legal as well.

If you’re looking for a way to give your C7 that performance sound, but unsure if you desire a “Mild” or “Wild” signature, check out CORSA’s new multi-mode C7 exhaust. It not only gives you options after the install but also keeps your noggin far away from that dreaded metal pot and spoon.