Great job on the testing! I just got an Egan straight shot for my 661 and can’t wait to fire it up. Thanks again and keep up the great work on the channel.

One thing not covered in this vid is fuel mileage. If you're stopping to refuel more often, then you're not saving any time over the course of the workday. Great comparison!

Wow, what a great test! Numbers don’t lie. Very well executed sir!

Well made, I learned a great deal from your research and testing. Thank you, Arborist in PA.

One of the most honest reviews I have seen on these modifications. Great idea how you weighted the saw.

You answered my questions, I was stuck with my options. Sticking with thee stock. With respect. Great video with the honesty. " 🙏 ".

Now that’s an honest video. I was about to get the straight shot. I just cut firewood for the house. I’m gonna stick with the stock muffler. Thanks for your honesty!

Hey Devin great video! Great idea taking off the dogs lol. Hope to see you at the next gathering!

Nice job and good information. Keep up the great work my man ! 👍

I caught a lot of grief over this same test and got the same results, love the video keep it up

I appreciate this video good stuff I've been interested in both and a lot of great points one thing they have in common is quality

I like the idea of getting maximum air flow while running the stock exhaust. Seems like those cool looking add-ons are a moot point while increasing air flow is better for engine longevity.

I know this was 2 years ago. I think it's valid to point out that the after market mufflers most likely each require a custom tuning to balance out the change in exhaust flow. IMO, this test only showed the advantage a tuned muffler/engine combo can make. If you redid this, tuning for each muffler before you run, then I believe you'll find more value in the results as they'll each be running as intended.

Awesome, unbiased, comparison. I dont think it can be done any better, and the numbers dont lye. Myself I've discovered that instead of a dual port or some 3 port mufflers a single large port works much better on the saws I've ported. Kind of like a 3 inch exhaust on a car flows better than dual 2 inch. Less surface area and boundary layer I think. Great video I loved it. Thanks.

My old ms360 , 20 inch bar , oiler turned all the way up since new and every tank of gas is 3/4 tank of oil used . It cuts 30 inch maple rounds in seconds. Once the ring’s seated it became a beast vrs weight for hours of cutting. I cut a lot of wood on a new chain before it’s first grind.

Very interesting! I was looking at getting one of these but if in a real world scenario its not only slower but loud as hell I think i'll give it a pass haha. Fairplay nice scientific approach here.

Literally just borrowing my buddies ms461 with a wcs and just searched to see how different stock versus the bark box sound and wound up on this great informational video 😂👍

I believe the stock out performs in real world because instead of straight cut you are dogging and loading the saw up more… this means you drop rpm and rely on torque and smaller port with higher velocity always equates to more mid to low end torque. Great video man

new subscriber...such an honest review and very interesting points made...

Best fair test I’ve ever seen!

imo, you did a very fair test. enjoyed the video...thumbs up !!

Great video, you earned a subscriber. It would be interesting to test these in a chainsaw milling application; long bars and wide/long cuts. I'd imagine torque would be a bigger factor than HP, but the long cut times would be telling. 17% off a 5 or 10 minute cut could be huge. Lower temps could be really beneficial as well.

Thanks for the video from Davenport Iowa

Double hearing protection absolutely necessary - special moulded fitted ear plugs and grad 5 muffs. I have a Stihl MS 460 with a bark box and running square ground chain, the combination is very very impressive. its a light sabre ... not so fast on the 660, but helpful. You just don't have to work so hard, but when you have to cut wood the chips are long and it throws them a way. For me its made a big difference, especially on a hot day.

Good effort man😉👍 Cool that you recorded piston and muffler temps, the Egan really makes a world of difference in getting rid of the heat👍 Just curious if you sharpened the chain on the 28” after the stock cut? Thanks

Very nice unbiased comparison!..

Well done. Were the saws run through the autotune sequence between the different muffler configurations. It would be interesting to run the test with both a 8 pin and a 7 pin rim as that might reflect in the results if the torque profile of the engine was changed.

So many of these add-ons are just bling when all is said and done. So much like fishing-lures, they catch more fishermen than fish.

I run double ear pro on a 290. Thanks for getting the noise info out.

Great video. I actually just bought an Egan straight shot.

Great analysis. What I see from this is, If you really want to improve performance for productivity, definitely just skip a simpler muffler mod and just go straight a full-on woods port from a reputable saw builder.

Love that Jarhead flag out front!!! Just ordered a BB for my 500i. Will let you know what I think. Great video.

thanks for the video. If we think for one minute that the major manufacturers didn't use multiple designs to optimize the saw's performance then we are mistaken. In the search to grab every part of a horse power the competition is harsh, and we must consider back pressure as one of the primary drivers of the design... No, unless it's a tuned pipe, I think that the manufacturers will do better than and after market producer.

You know you can only be as fair as you passed and people say you cheated you did the test wrong you have a favor as long as you can honestly say you did your best a doing it right I'm happy about that Just do what you want to do and get back Your pack out your power tools I'll keep watching Something about you makes it you're doing the best test you can explaining what you know in your knowledge 👍🏽🍻🍺👍🏼

My only issue with Jason's is its only 10 bucks less than the bark box I got and the bark box does shoot the exhaust a bit vertical and away from my sweet ubreadable blackened serial number.

The aftermarket mufflers will always be crap unless the cylinder is ported . They work together....

Here's what you do, you keep the original cover for working and you buy the other two mod covers to impress friends and annoy the neighbors within a five mile radius! * Good and honest test video 👍

Jason is the man! I have a 7900 from him that is amazing!

even if you dont gain any speed in the cut. a big thing mufflers help with is throttle response and temps. your saw will last longer since its cooler. your right though for a guy who cuts firewood on the weekends its not really worth it but i cut big stumps at work all the time after we take a a tree and it helps id say. it really woke up the 500i for sure. my boss hasnt gotten one for are 661. made a big difference on the 461 too. i wanna try one for the 400c we just got too and see what that does i really like that saw its light and still pulls good.

Thanks for your honest opinion. Great video

It's not just the faster cut but the added torgue and power that especially in hardwood makes a huge difference and less bogging down, saw all round performs better with the ESS and air filter in Australian hardwood and large dead wood.

Great video!!!

I just put on the Egan one on my 661, love it.

I don't think it was your methodology I think that was spot-on (like your bars-comparison video, you did more-than most do!!), I also think you misunderstand their claim because I've only seen their "best-of" HP comparison sheet and it doesn't say "in the cut"....I'm not surprised *at all* that an OEM could outperform it in certain conditions (conditions of, say, frozen/larger woods), and that the open-shot coverS are going to rev outta cut (or in small wood) better, but we of course care about in-the-cut, hard-wood cutting not free-revving or 6" logs w/ a 660....IMO the problem is these covers are just negating the performance benefits of a muffler, "throwing the baby out with the bathwater" by effectively negating the muffler by open-hole'ing the thing. I'll make a video once I've tweaked mine but I actually use a front exit similar enough to these, however I have a "baffle plate" of sorts sandwiched in between that forces the exhaust pulse to shoot right back to the exhaust flange (it's a curved plate) so the back-pressure, scavenging, *and* final muffler-escape-portage are all optimized, letting you get more power w/o the noise and w/o the fuel waste (I can only imagine the piss stream of fuel coming from the bottom of one of those boxes' exits, must just puddle down to the crankcase below :P ) They are good exit-plates, for sure, but the muffler needs a baffle, I know OEM-baffles are notoriously over-choked and one of the reasons is EPA but in a no-EPA world there would still be baffles because there's no room for tuning long-pipes so you have work 'in a box' :P

Older video by the time I caught wind of the content, however, you are the same in character I'm sure. The way you were totally objective and unbiased in your review, makes you one of like 3 people I would subscribe to see in the future. My saws are an extension of my body when I'm in the elements of tree work; 26 years and counting. I run Stihl exclusively and wouldn't mind gaining a better advantage in regards to purchase, R&D, and literature should you be able to point me in the right direction. Thanks and good work.

Another great video, I'll say one suggestion! -Do this exact test but with your 462. Compare results, etc. I wonder if percentage gains are around the same with the smaller displacement saw. I totally agree with your opinion on they are just to loud! Great videos buddy!

Good honest review. Thanks.

i wonder if results would be differant if did a carb reset. maybe just swapping cover and running a few cuts isnt enough time for the m-tronic to do its adjusting and get peak performance from them?

Marine dragon gunner from back in the day, can't hear much now so I'm good with the stock !

I think it’s a pretty fair test mate,I think the different mufflers would probably better suited if maybe it was ported etc,but to run it every day I don’t think so.this is why they have saws with more power .

I have a WCS bark box on my Stihl ms500i fuel injection. It’s runs & sounds GREAT with the 500i it automatically re calibrates.

Great video! Just stumbled across your channel comparing exhaust options for my 500i! Productivity aside, because the benefits seem inconsequential, do you feel the Bark box and straight shot help with overall reductions in temperature? I cut and sell firewood, so lots of continuous cutting at WOT and temperature’s definitely come into play. Thanks!

Did you jet/ tune to each muffler! If it’s jetted for stock of course it will run better!

Was the M-Tronic reset between the various exhaust change overs? I definitely experienced an increase in power on my 462 and 500 Stihls with the WCS bark boxes. Also was the spark screen removed from the stock exhaust? Thanks

This is interesting but what about a temperature comparison of all 3.

Surely swapping them so quick gives the saw no time to adjust the mtronic enough to make it a fair test?

What about effciency in engine chainsaw , it will increase to? or if saw will be cooler than stock? what about fuel consumption?

I love the video. The stock cover was designed by Germans who are perfectionists when it comes to designing performance out of the box. But ultimately we are goofy Americans who love taking the mufflers off of everything.

I did my research and I ead that having a dual port is good for your saw. not heating up as much, less fuel consumption, more torque and longevity of the saw. now are these actually measurable test results. or are they not. not sure. I used a stihl 461 with a dual port, then I got a 500i with stock muffler cover. the 500i cut 3 to 1 blocks of firewood over the 461. the fir was pretty uniform as well not a spire point. so I got the 500 ported and I found it ran better. I git a second 500i and put a bark box on it. I notice its loud but performance not all different than just a dual ported muffler. is there a test like this you could do. instead of just time in the cut. maybe also which is better for 32" and larger snd 24" and under classic as well. something like that anyhow

I disagree with about the bark box I put one on my 440 and my 460 magnum and it made both those saws really work good for stock saws , then I ported them both and I'll tell you wow !!! Now I'm a husqvarna guy and I bought the new 500i and I put a bark box on that saw stock and again wow I'm not worried about loudness the performance is worth the money in my opinion .

Great comparison.. I really like the weighed saw idea 💡.. thanks for sharing

Hey man where did ya get the black handle cover side support? Thanks

So what you’re telling me is that the engineers who spend millions of dollars per year on R&D combined with decades of data actually know what they’re doing?? Great video. I love indisputable data!

Now that the stock cuts fastest according to this test I just want the loudest can we do a DB TEST

So. I'm a fulltime logger - What do you recommend for the muffler? Just put an extra port on the stock muffler? Or do nothing? Did you test if the MaxFlow filter make any difference? Greetings

Had a mechanic once tell me that the truck he let me drive wasn’t “faster” I could just hear the exhaust lol been thinking about a bark box for an 036 pro but maybe a muffler mod might do better in real world while not being ear splitting. Would definitely love another comparison to a muffler mod vs these covers on times and noise

Where i find a opened up muffler helpful, spooling up, or the crack, getting up to full RPM quickly. Limbing is much easier when the saw doesn't lag or hesitate getting to full RPM. If I should gain some power in the cut, i consider that a bonus.

Back in the day when I was into dirt bikes, two strokes had to have a little back pressure to get max power, four strokes not so much.

Just curious if you’ve ever tested the WCS port exhaust for the ms 200T, I’m looking at getting a bark box for my old 066 so I wanna dress up my wicked 200 T while I’m at it,3 point dogs as well. Wish they made a box for my old 038 magnum 2 but no such luck. Hello from British Columbia 🇨🇦

I have one of Jason's on my 462 and yes its loud but sounds like a beast. I would recommend his product.

Doesn't the chain type and the grind determine the speed of the cut, not the muffler?

How much time was ran after the covers were changed for the mtronic set up to adjust?

I fall production timber in the PNW and literally everyone runs a muffler modded saw all day on top of it being port and polish 😅 good video tho I do like the take. Been a WCS user for a minute trying out the straight shot today to mix it up

I like your new video yesterday you did a goid jop yesterday good jop 🍺🍺

You made sense about if you're going to race cut because all good hot saws are ported, that's where those exhaust prevail. On a stock saw however, I don't see a big enough difference to justify running them. A general muffler mod has a better advantage on a stock saw with less cost. Great video, thanks for your honesty 👍

Excellent video. New 400, trying to decide???

Why do most (all that I have seen) muffler mod covers send the hot exhaust back onto the bar or straight back into your face when milling? When milling with an Alaskan mill with either of the two you show the exhaust hits the log and comes right back into your face. It also heats the mill and makes it hard to hold onto. Why can't they make one that addresses this issue? Send the hot exhaust "UP"!

Thanks for saving me at least 80 bucks lol Great video!

I’m curious which one does best with heat reduction.

I got a ms 362c with a bark box and it really woke it up it can stay with a ms 400c with a bark box and I put the stock back on and it can't keep up with 400 so I believe that the bark box is worth it

Sounds so evil the straight shot 😍 i really want one for my 500i

At the age I am at and the amount of hearing loss I have, I wish I had worn more hearing protection from the start🥺

Thanks for being honest.

Well said at the end!!! If you have an opinion make it productive not an empty reproach without substantial facts to back it up.

I just put 3 tanks through my 462 with the bark box. Its seems like it has more torque. It definitely sounds meaner now. I'm curious to see everyone else's experience ⬇️

It would be cool to see an actual 2 stroke exhaust on this thing like on 2 stroke bikes with an expansion chamber designed to cause pressure pulses

A few points: 1. I wonder if the stock cover retains more torque for running the bigger bar and dogging in? 2. Is the stock cover a single port or a double on you 661? I've thought about getting either for my bigger felling saw but Im with you the added noise offsets the power gains. I have a dual port on my 461 but maybe I need to slap the single port back on it and see if I am losing some torque not using the stock muffler. Good stuff either way. Keep it up.

Your tests on the straight shot and bark box is right on wirh dyno Joe as far as dyno! Straight shot for the win!

I agree with doing this again and checking temps. Also the Egan sounded like it was revving higher because it was lean and eventually burn of the saw!!! No Four Stroking Sound to it at all. Run again, Check Temps and set RPM's the same. Four Stroking will save your saws.

Great test and information. Did you tune the carb after each cover swap?

The only good thing I noticed was the saws ran cooler with these covers!

Did you tune the carburetor

More throttle response doesn’t necessarily mean faster cutting. Take a dirt bike for example with baffles in vs out. Top end is faster with baffles in but more torque or throttle response with less back pressure and baffles out. Thinking similar here. Designed to run a certain rpm optimal with the back pressure that’s stock. Great comparison

If you also port your saw the bigger muffler is even better. More airflow in more out equals more power and faster

It came to mind, don't they need different tuning?

What’s the website for the Egan exhaust?

Did he tune the carb to each muffler?

I love how the egan straight shot sounds & performs. I love how the wcs bark box looks but don't like the sound as much. I would like someone to make a gnarly header for it and somehow make it sound cammed to get a hot rod sound. Then i dont care if it cuts or not lol

😂 i love the concrete block as a weight ❤, mufflers are designed to deliver the power and torque over a wide range .

Stock cover won? Almost like the stock cover had millions of $ of engineering behind it or somthing hahahah I think the aftermarket covers need some tuning to really shine since you are changing the exhaust pressures. Great vid.