I'm thinking maybe you're right, Ed. Maybe the front of the pipe is acting sort of like an echo chamber causing unpleasantness. My pipes have an obnoxious sound I just can't take... well, one day I listened up and down the pipe with a screwdriver to my ear and thought the front of the pipe was where the problem lies. Hmmmm, maybe a guy could get a longer chunk of perforated pipe, and borrow the 'cup' ends off the existing baffles for the new pipe.
My TORs are the straight through type. I'm not sure what's there on the inner wall but they work quite well to produce a good sound. Like you, I love the look of the SSs and would love to keep them for aesthetic reasons.
