I have owned a 7.3, a 6.0 and a 6.4 with a single 7" mitre stack with 5" pre piping and no muffler. The sound isn't as bad as most say it is. Honestly my current 6.0 with a turndown just before the rear axle is the noisiest truck I've ever owned.
As far as the smoke. My 6.4 with a zf6 can be pretty smokey down low and my cab was never coated in soot. It was always more the tailgate and it doesn't save anyone from recirving any of that smoke if anything it drafts right into their car from your tailgate.