Car Audio Question: Is A Sub Necessary For Good Bass? (1 Viewer)

[Michael:M]

I drive a 2002 Saturn SL2. It came with the factory stereo, including a CD player, which means the head unit/receiver and four speakers. The sound was more than good enough for me, including the volume and bass levels.

However, over the last year, the CD player in the system has crapped out. It only sporadically plays store-bought music CDs, and never plays CD-Rs, though for many years it played both with no problems at all.

I've found some good receivers for very reasonable prices (between $75 and $125), but am concerned that replacing the receiver means I'll lose my bass if I don't also buy and install a subwoofer with it. Two cars ago when I replaced my factory stereo with one from Crutchfield, the system worked great but had zero bass output, and everything sounded tinny.

If any of you are knowledgeable enough, here are my queries:

Are there decent receivers that provide reasonable bass without requiring a separate sub purchase? (For reference, I'm looking at something like the Sony CDX-GT330 for the replacement unit.)

Is it possible that my car has a factory standard sub and I could just use with the new receiver? Is there any way I could tell if there is one?

Any help or info would be greatly appreciated - car audio is admittedly not a strong point in my technical knowledge database.

 

[bobbyg2]

That head unit you picked has a selectable EQ, so you can choose how much bass you get.

Yes, it is POSSIBLE that your car has a factory sub, but you'll have to look for it. It'll usually be in the trunk. Look for something like a circular vent on one of the sides of the trunk.

If you wanted MORE bass, however, you could get a sub.

 

[Michael:M]

Thanks. I had the Sony unit installed a couple of weeks ago. I'm very happy with the sound quality and amount of bass.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

It's necessary to annoy the hell out of people stopped near you at stop lights!

Sorry, just venting. It's epidemic around here!

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

The vibrating license plate is far more annoying than any subwoofer.

Bruce

 

[MarkHastings]

You practically stole my line. I was going to tell Michael that a sub is definitely necessary.........unless you live anywhere near me!!!

 

[MarkHastings]

I'll take it one step further and say that the type of music is what's most annoying.

At least crank something that's worth listening to!!!

 

[Aaron Silverman]

The what???

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Yeah, a good sub is necessary if you want to loosen every bolt and screw in the car and irritate the hell out of everyone around you. Otherwise, not so much. And I don't find them measurably less irritating when they're cranking out good music - because often I can't tell what kind of music goes with the thumping vibrations that are assailing me. I used to have an office on the 9th floor of a building, directly above the drive-through window for the bank on the main floor. Stuff used to literally rattle on my desk when some cars came through there, and that's not with the windows open, either. (The windows couldn't be opened. Apparently they knew that cars with subs were going go come through the drive-through and took precautions to prevent anyone hurling down heavy objects on the malefactors or simply jumping to put an end to his/her misery. )

And stay the hell offa my lawn! Whippersnappers!

Joe

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Apparently a car isn't even necessary for good bass.

I guess you no longer need four wheels and an engine to be an annoying idiot. Not sure if this is progress.

Regards,

Joe

 

[bobbyg2]

There's a difference between good bass and rattle the bolts off your car bass.