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I am just wondering what the radio (10) and sound system with the active sub really sounds like.
Will it make my little one bump and thump at the stop light like the teenie bobber in the hooptie-mobile you usually see?
The "premium" system is far from it. I got it in mine only to take it out and replace it. I, and many others here do not feel it is a worthwhile expense and money would be better spent on aftermarket upgrades to the audio. The "sub" is a little speaker that is around 4-5" in a plastic box. Not gonna give you any noticeable bass in comparison to anything aftermarket. I have heard 6.5" coax speakers that give way more bass than the active sub in the premium system. That's my two cents, I think there may be others that are satisfied with it but I don't know what their frame of reference is.
After hearing the negative comments on the premuim system, I decided to take the base radio 9 and upgrade the speakers on the doors first. I'll see where that takes me. If that doesn't help I may add a small sub in the back. Or replace the deck. But I think having two nice speakers is all I need. I'm going to goto best buy to check a few out today and see.
Also I'm a Jazz, Trance, Rumbon, Ragee, Lounge music listiner. And at least w/ Jazz I don't need the bass!
Well, I am blowing out of here in 3 hours and 6 minutes to pick up my baby, so I will decide for myself how it is for my type of music.
But liking 70's and 80's rock and hair bands and Latin hip hop, bass is pretty important.
Love Culcha Candela, which will be the litmus test today.
I bought the premium because I wanted the wiring already installed, and I replaced the radio with the pioneer avic-d3 and the sound with native speakers works far better than the 10 radio - I'm not a sound nut, but it's good enough for me...
I ordered the premium because the basic model sounded so ridiculously pathetic that, during my test drive on the smart tour, the smart guy actually apologized for it. I probably will upgrade too, but until then, at least I'll have halfway decent sound!
I bought the premium because I wanted the wiring already installed, and I replaced the radio with the pioneer avic-d3 and the sound with native speakers works far better than the 10 radio - I'm not a sound nut, but it's good enough for me...
It is funny you say that, but I had the exact same thoughts myself about the wiring. At least it gives you a good place to start without having to fish any wires.
I will have to check out the Pioneer.
I ordered my car (for some reason) without the premium sound system. Then I decided to check out the difference at my local smartcenter. I spent quite awhile listening to a unit WITH the premium speakers & my mp3 player, and I really thought they sounded good! At least, good enough for MY musical demands! I'm not an audiophile, so I don't NEED the absolute BEST......but they sounded really nice. WAY better than the non-premium speakers that I listened to afterwards. HUGE DIFFERENCE in sound to my ears........and my wife's. So I'm having the dealer ADD the premium speakers to my car. I also went to Car Toys yesterday and asked what I could get for around $600 in the way of a speaker system, and they said there wasn't much they could do for only $600. Since I don't really want some inexperienced person whose never even SEEN a smart fortwo attempting to take off the door panels & monkeying around with my car, it's worth it to me (at least for NOW!) to have the dealer install the premium speakers. I've already listened to them AT LENGTH, with different types of music, and they sounded GOOD to me. Perhaps at some point in the future, when I'm comfortable removing my door panels, or letting someone else (other than the dealer) do it, maybe I'll upgrade to a "better" system, but for now.............Now I'm sure that there will be SOMEONE out there that says "You got screwed", and everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. However, everyone's circumstances are different, and I also like the fact that I can have the speakers installed and the cost rolled into my financing for the car. My ONLY regret is that I didn't just check that box when I configured!!
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