i had the helix 3" catless but everything else pretty much stock and my car was perfect quiet haha. cant tell you about power as i dont have personal experience with a catted dp... supposedly on the dyno you see maybe 2-3 hp difference? (could be wrong).
catless usually does effect sound, catless - louder. and it will hold back on hp, as for how much? ask your tuner for real numbers/answers
Gains are typically minimal without proper tuning. Especially when utilizing an aftermarket intake without tuning such as your current setup...
if its street car, go catted. Unless of course you live in a county that doesn't require you to get emissions. -.- As far as making a difference, fuck it, go catless. lol
well im lucky to have a friend in the emissions field to over look a missing catt. i would be looking to get a tune after getting the down pipe.