When I did it I knew the straight pipes would more harsh/raspy than I wanted, so I put some 12" long 2.25" diameter resonators in there to keep the raspy-ness in check. Overall I am happy with it, but I wish I would have went with the x-pipe instead. Not only would it have been cheaper, but it would have sounded better as well.
There are some sound clips and links in the articles section as well as youtube videos of stock exhaust vs x-pipe. Worth a look.