Who’s done stereo upgrades on their car? Need advice

I have a 2020. Has anyone here done any small upgrades to their car’s sound system? I’m looking to improve the sound quality and volume without spending a ton of money. Would just upgrading the speakers or maybe adding a powered sub be enough, or would I need an amp as well? I assume the stock radio could stay if I went with an amp. Let me know what you’ve done, thanks!

I’ve got a '21, and I replaced the speakers in the first week. The stock ones were awful.

Then I reused an amp I had lying around from my previous car and added a JL Audio w7 sub. Next thing I knew, I got carried away with other mods:

https://imgur.com/a/0v78Elv

https://imgur.com/a/2QMRfUL

Then I went all in and ordered air suspension parts:

https://imgur.com/a/U331Xgq

https://imgur.com/a/lXAHprX

https://imgur.com/a/rw4Ms93

@Miles
Wow, that setup looks awesome! Looks like you had more of a budget than I do, though. Did just upgrading the speakers make a noticeable difference?

MohaveMaverick said:
@Miles
Wow, that setup looks awesome! Looks like you had more of a budget than I do, though. Did just upgrading the speakers make a noticeable difference?

Not really! I’m broke, I just got lucky finding deals. For example:

I found two sets of these on clearance for half the price. I had to drill some holes in the rear doors for the tweeters, but it wasn’t too bad.

https://imgur.com/a/Njpcvc6

Just a heads-up, I’m a handyman who does random stuff when I have free time, so it worked out.

@Miles
Thanks for sharing! Your setup looks amazing. Appreciate the input!

@Miles
That air suspension looks sweet!

I’ve got a 2021. What made the biggest difference for me was downloading higher-quality audio files for my music. Streaming apps usually have poor sound quality, even the ones that claim to offer ‘lossless audio.’ Once I started using better-quality files, my car’s bass improved, and it gets much louder now.

@jordansmith
Thanks for the tip! I’m not super tech-savvy, but I’ll try to figure that out.

I had Car Toys install a JL Audio 8" subwoofer in my 2023 EX. It sounds amazing now!

Cole said:
I had Car Toys install a JL Audio 8" subwoofer in my 2023 EX. It sounds amazing now!

Thanks for sharing! Did adding just the sub make a big difference?

MohaveMaverick said:

Cole said:
I had Car Toys install a JL Audio 8" subwoofer in my 2023 EX. It sounds amazing now!

Thanks for sharing! Did adding just the sub make a big difference?

Huge difference! They added an amp under the luggage cover and put a bass knob on the dash so I can control the bass. The JL Audio 8" sub fits perfectly in the luggage area and doesn’t take up much space. My little red car sounds like a concert now!

If you’re new to car audio, check out crutchfield.com for your upgrades. They filter everything by what fits your car, and they include adapters (usually free or for a small fee) plus detailed instructions specific to your car model. They’ll even help you over the phone if you get stuck. Super beginner-friendly.