You guys actually think that paint lowers the conductivity? Do you know how thick a coat of paint is? Anyways, Iceman is not just another "pipe". It's a tapered pipe; the intake air velocity speeds up keeping it cooler when it enters the intake manifold. Did I mention it's plastic (polyethylene). Polyethylene has a way lower conductivity than aluminum. If I didn't already have an intake (ARC), I would buy an Iceman over an AEM any day.