Pipe question.......X, H, L WTH?

[Zeked]

Can someone give me an opinion of why an exhaust needs an "X" or "H" shape?

I assume that it is not legal to do away with the Cat Converter on an '87 5.7 tbi...........

Thanks

Zeke

[jd4020]

for one it makes it sound better. true duals that aren't connected tend to sound like two 4 cylinders fighting each other

[Irish_Alley]

kind of  like what jd said but its not just the sound its so the both sides of the engine are working togeather not just working the reason i think most people h pip is cause its simple to do its just like running duals but you just connect them an x pip you have to work around allot more to get them to meat in the same spot. no its not legal to get away with the cat but if you don't have inspections every year or two no one knows unless you get too loud and cause the cops to check it out or give you an inspection sticker. now also i had my truck with punched out cats and glass packs that dumped right before the tire true duals but nothing connecting them it sounded real good but it lost tq due to not have the back pressure of a cat or h or x pipe you need something there a couple bends or something

[Chevalade]

X has proven scavenging benefits.

[Layne]

When I got my exhaust was done, I wanted an X, but the guy said he couldn't build one up. We discussed the benefits of an H or an X and he said the X was more beneficial at high rpms, like 8,000 rpm and so on.