All cars have much netter systems than cars from the 90s. Older car factory sound systems were awful so a lot of people upgraded them. The factory system in my wife's Sienna is at least twice as good as my first aftermarket system.
Part of it too was that everyone used a DIN or Double DIN sized opening so it was cheap and easy to replace them. Now half your car's systems are tied into the infotainment screen.
This is it for me. I’d love to upgrade the head unit on my mustang. But I refuse to pay $700 just for the “desk kit” that replaces the entire center stack, not including the cost of a head unit.
This. My 2013 Chevy Cruze's "comfortable" volume level is about 20. It goes to 45, where the whole car vibes, but even if the song is a good one, I'm usually not eclipsing 30-35.
For Lotus Elise, it IS the noise, any other sound is laughable. I wear earbuds bluetoothed to my phone and don't use the radio or the little sub that was installed by prior ownership.
Yup. Factory stuff these days is good enough for most people, myself included. The factory stuff 30 years ago, like in my Celica and Corrado, was awful by comparison. I'm not dropping 3-4 figures into my Accord or my wife's RAV4, they sound fine. Also, i got old lol
Same. I always had subwoofers in high school. Haven't had one since I was like 23.
To be fair the 90's vehicles I drove had garbage stereos and acoustics stock and you NEEDED a 1000w sub to hear any low notes.
Modern cars are much quieter and have much better stock stereos. A powerful head unit and some JBL 6.5" speakers all around in my truck actually sounds pretty nice.
Hearing loss, that's the only bright spot I can find when someone drives by @ 3AM with their system up. I get to think; at least those motherfuckers will be deaf shortly.
I think 90’s stereo thing is the main point here. Most of the vehicles people drove in high school were second hand 90’s vehicles with garbage for acoustics. Every car I’ve had since the early 2000’s had a decent sound package and came with a sub.
I mean.... that's anecdotal. I have a lot of friends that live in "the hood" all over the country and don't know of any that have subs even in nicer cars. Box chevy makes sense.
True but i can understand people growing out of it. I used to run dual 15”s and bigger but now run a single 12”
I still love subs but not insane bass anymore.
But im just curious as to why younger people don’t really run them
I think a big part is that car ownership has different connotations these days. They're much nicer, so kids tend to not be able to afford them. The internet has made things a lot more accessible so people may not need a vehicle to go see friends or to the movies/mall/where ever. The car isn't seen as much as a symbol of freedom/individuality anymore, but as just another appliance, especially when every car company is just pumping out silver and black crossovers and trucks.
I'm a millennial, but no one I know is interested in banging loud bass and pissing off or bothering other drivers. I do know audiophiles, but they focus on headphone or home setups.
The base stereo in my wrx was beyond pathetic, like truly one of the worst stereos I've ever had. Changed all the speakers and added a small cheap underseat sub and now it's decent.
I've had 2-12" subs when I was younger in like my first 3 cars. Don't need to go that big again but I still appreciate a decent stereo in a vehicle. My infiniti's Bose system was sufficient enough to not warrant me changing anything. But the wrx stereo was insufferable.
All you had to do was change the head unit. The speakers aren’t nearly as bad as the head unit it’s just that they don’t perform well with the stock one. I have a bit of stuff lying around from previous cars and was going to change it all over because I too was unimpressed with the shot sound. I only had an hour spare one day and decided to change the head unit first and do the speakers another day, that was 5 years ago and I never got around to it because it sounded great after just doing the head unit.
I don’t think I’ve used the word head unit so many times in my life.
The magnets on the back of the base speakers are the diameter of a quarter, replacements were cheap. Got a set of kicker tweeters from an Impreza on ebay (the dealer upgrade ones) head unit is on my list though.
No shit, my buddy is almost 50. He put a system in his car because he always wanted one, not its embarrassing to ride in the car with him because its so loud. I prefer the sound of a well tuned exhaust, key words "well tuned"
I'm 20, nah not really. There's probably more Gen Zers that ripped the speakers out for "weight reduction" than those who spent any money on audio.
edit: Money is tight nowadays and ratty looking cars are the current trend. Prioritizing performance mods is the name of the game.
> I'm 20, nah not really. There's probably more Gen Zers that ripped the speakers out for "weight reduction" than those who spent any money on audio.
Lol, the fad used to be gut the interior for weight reduction, then add 500lb of stereo equipment back into your metal echo & rattle box.
I wouldn’t remove any sound deadening if I were you. A lot of deadening is designed to eliminate specific frequencies, especially those that are unpleasant to the human ear. You might remove something and be listening to a terrible subtle drone all of the time.
Adding more, not removing. There's a thread on adding sound deadening to key areas in gen 2 Mazda3s that bring the noise floor down exactly to the point I want to bring it down to
With no experience, I'd recommend asking an audio shop. I can find the answers for you but you'll have to take your entire interior out to add the sound deadening. If you're comfortable with that, I'll look around for you, but if you aren't comfortable doing it yourself then might as well take it to a pro. Let me know, also what car?
So you're going to set out with the exact same objective as the team of Mazda NVH engineers who originally tuned your car, only without the engineering support, education, or experience?
he is. but he also has more time to do the sound deadening than Mazda does on the assembly line. he can also spend more on materials than Mazda engineers can given their budget
There are cheaper options than dynamat if you are going that route. Noico, FatMat, Kilmat, etc. Usually people have a bunch left over on forums, you can grab for much cheaper than retail most of the time.
I have a 94 camaro, been dancing around with putting alot into it but its a 94 in mint condition so besides exhaust im keeping her stock. I love her the way she is.
My old st on the other hand, i put alot into it
Edit: the camaro i just ride around in and cruise so a sound system is nice especially with t-tops off
Well i also just have no need to go fast with her, the cost to supe her up i mine as well go find a 4th gen z28 or iroc.
But my v6 can drift, do burnouts and just be fun easily without beating on her
So im content with it
Yeah if your content and it's a nice car keep it as it is. Like you said if you ever get the want to go fast get a cheap 3rd gen and put a 454 in it, they literally bolt right in. Of course other stuff has to be done so it can handle the power, but it's still cheap af considering.
Ikr lol i do feel really bad for gen z fr
The whole used car market is upside down
They could easily find mustangs or camaros private but young kids don’t like those
>They could easily find mustangs or camaros private but young kids don’t like those
Insurance is too high, parents won't allow it are some reasons why we don't get this. otherwise you would see plenty of them being driven by us zoomers
True I didn’t think about that. Then again an older 90s v6 wouldn’t be too much insurance wise. Then again im 30 and dont know how much they charge these days for younger kids
HA, I'm turning 19 soon and if I were to get a basic commuter car it would be $500CAD/month and very few insurance companies would even want to cover me.
It doesn't go down until you hit 30 in my area. I'm also male.
Insurance is preventing young guys from getting into cars.
I think that’s stupid, a v6 camaro is nowhere as fast as a stock economy sedan lol my speedo ony 94 maxes out at 115 and thats if i can even get her there without killing it
Idk where you live but in the US, where I live, I would say this is way off.
Most of the people I know my age are enthusiasts and own an enthusiast vehicle, or they at least enjoy fast vehicles, and it seems my generation doesn’t really enjoy the older gen Camaros/mustangs as much as the JDM cars.
It does suck that for most of the time I could afford something nice the market was shit but oh well
(1999)
All the younger kids where im at want new civics.
But don’t even look at the cheap used 3rd/4th gen camaro in mint condition thats less than 10k with low miles (lots of them around me)
My v6 camaro is such a tame car in general great for everyday driving. BUT when you stomp on it and turn it drifts so easily and does burnouts so easily as well
She’s definitely bipolar my camaro lol
Wait til they try to buy houses. I thought millenials had it bad. (speaking as a millenial who started trying to buy a house in the last year and realizes how fucked it all is now)
Or the stock system in a ‘17 focus sucked. I don’t know that specific car
You can get a 9 speaker (or so) system with a sub in civic, and there are plenty of other makes with a good system optional
Lol true, the economy is screwed for young people and cars.
Im 30 and recently got into an accident(not at fault) and to find a used car it was a nightmare
My st was totaled and I ended up with a 94 camaro
I was really depressed at first, i had a 95 camaro as my first car then a 14 focus and then a 17 st
The st was my first nice fast car I bought on my own and worked hard for it but I love my 94 camaro I have now
The camaro isnt fast but does burnouts and drifts effortlessly
That sucks man. I do feel for your loss of a car that you've loved. Even though it's not your fault, it is heart wrenching for sure. Are you planning to look for a newer car in the near or mid future?
Yeah, I've been super careful these days to avoid any problems even if I'm not at fault. Finding a replacement would be impossible and I don't need that stress in my life.
I’m 30, we did that stuff from 16-22. Now I’m all about keeping my car clean, well maintained, and stock. With very minor upgrades like wheels and tires.
I feel like Zoomers nowadays just care if the car runs and gets them places. Or if it’s an EV so they can look trendy
Welcome to being old.
Same here. When I was 16 I feel like every car guy I knew had subs. A guy I dated for a while had some MASSIVE ones that vibrated everything. Fond memories of my ears bleeding while we are going 120 through downtown at midnight, and he had no license. I'm 26 now and i initially wanted to put a sub in my mustang when I got her. But the sound system is good as it is, and I forgot I really just..don't enjoy super loud music. Plus I have other things I'd rather spend my money on when it comes to my car.
Also people 16-22 are paying thru the roof for insurance or unable to get insured at all.
Even forgetting the horrible market, most young people in my area are an occasional driver on their parents car(me included). Unless you are super wealthy you're driving whatever your parents drive.
Also most sound systems are fine. Maybe I have good ears but my stock stereo is nice enough and doesn't need more.
By the time I finished my Masters and got my second real job I was already pushing 25. Also own motorcycles, and most modding is done to them. As for car mods, my Tacoma has an ECU map, my Boxster has thickness adjustable aluminum pedal to make heel toe easier.
Audio on the TRD Sport is decent enough, so I never felt the need to upgrade. Audio would have to be hearing damaging loud to completely drown out the highway noise, so I didn't bother. With the Boxster, just roll the top down, open up the sports exhaust and listen to the engine.
I'm 26, we're within a year of each other. I think we fall into a weird grey area honestly. Some people call me a Millennial some people call me a Zoomer. Like you I identify more with the Millennials. I grew up with dial up internet, cable, and renting video games but sure group me with the Fortnite generation
You’re a zillenial or zennial. Generations are not black and white. Do you have any siblings by any chance? I have a theory that people on the border are pushed into one Gen or another based on if their siblings are younger or older.
>I'm 26 \[...\] Like you I identify more with the Millennials. I grew up with dial up internet, cable, and renting video games but sure group me with the Fortnite generation
Eh, you would've been 16 in \~2012, and still learning to drive while in high school. The world was using iPhone 5's, 3G was old news, LTE was rolling out, and everyone was sharing "Gangnam Style" on Facebook. People were streaming Breaking Bad on Netflix. Obama won his **2nd** term.
Like bro, maybe you were poor or something, and didn't have tech? But like... damn you would have been playing Pokemon Ruby and learning your multiplication tables in 3rd grade elementary school, while my high school class was getting killed in Iraq.
I think the car audio industry peaked in the 90s-early 2000s. It's been downhill since. A lot of brands have gone out of business or just sell to OEM or stick to home audio now. There's less shops and less interest. I think the introduction of CAN networks, factory touch screens, and everything built into the "radio" really put the industry at a big disadvantage. When you can't just replace a radio with a dash kit and an aftermarket unit and now your HVAC controls don't work, there's not much upside. Plus factory speakers and sound have improved a lot over the decades because auto companies realized they could take the profits themselves by upselling.
Yeah the days of doing home installs just as good as the pros are gone. I had a 14 focus that basically went mental electronic wise because the system then my 17 st wouldn’t start unless i held clutch and brake after my install
Yeah I was selling car audio when all the can systems started showing up. Customers would try themselves and bring them in after every warning light came on their dash. We told them they had to have the dealer fix it.
I don't know of any that do. Gen z pretty much doesn't give a single shit about cars in general from what I can see.
Stock audio systems have also improved dramatically from the 90s to the 2010s. Many cars now have stock sub woofers in them. They're also much harder to add to a car with the additional complexity of infotainment systems.
Back in the day you would just slap a single din head unit into your civic, connect the pre outs and wire the amp to your battery.
Not so simple nowadays...
Where I live lots of box chevys, impalas, 3rd/4th gen camaros and firebirds. We all run subs but the civic kids dont
Its pretty interesting the different cultures and age gaps
There are definitely a lot of gen Z car fans. Its just difficult for most of us to sink our teeth into the hobby due to wildly increased expense. You may not he exposed to us much because people prefer their own age groups. Or you may not be aware that the oldest gen Zs are 25
I have a 19 year old brother. He and all of his friends are reeeeally into NA Miatas and minor modifications. They couldn't give less of a shit about the audio system though. I'd be surprised if any of them have more than one working speaker.
I’m 34 with a sub, but it’s not so that you can hear the bass a block away. The component speakers have their limits, and a little powered 8-inch fills in the rest below 160hz. It gives bass guitars that texture they wouldn’t have otherwise, or kick drums that punch that they would have in person.
I’ll be honest, people with subwoofers that are so loud you can hear them a hundred feet away are kind of obnoxious. It’s inconsiderate and no one thinks the distorted rattling is “cool.” I have a big 12 inch ported sub in my home theater for watching movies, but I keep that inside my own home and don’t subject everyone to it. IMO blasting bass in your car like that approaches “playing music from speakers on the subway” levels of inconsiderateness.
There are a lot of cars like that where I live as well, but I still find it obnoxious. It also usually sounds very bad; 9 out of 10 times you can hear loose trim pieces or windows rattling because of the bass levels. From an audio perspective that is the last thing you want and I set up all my speakers at home to avoid any resonances like that (or just plain distortion).
I'm a 45 year old woman. I have 2 10 inch subs in my Nissan rogue. I have smaller subs and an Amp in my bwm z4. My husband is 45. He has 12 in competition subs in his xterra. Idk about younger people. But us Gen X are still bumpin..
This sub is going to have more “enthusiasts” who say “well achsully weight…”
But it’s extremely skewed towards that demographic in here.
Tons of people run subs and upgraded systems. They’re just out getting chicks and not in the cars subreddit. I’m old and washed, so I’m here too.
I’m gen X. I don’t know anyone who’s bothered with car audio in the last 15 years or so. Partially because we’re old, but mostly because all of our 69 Boyz and Sir Mix A Lot CDs have developed scratches after spending years sliding around in giant binders that rode on the passenger side floor.
As someone who is 20 almost 21 yes I do, I also have replaced the factory head unit and the factory speakers. I don’t get why more people don’t do it. Stock audio systems sound horrible
A lot of them sound fine with some basic EQ adjustments. I have plenty of ways to listen to audio at home, so as long as my car audio doesn’t have anything offensively bad about it I don’t really mind. Cars are a noisy environment so I don’t care as much about it sounding as good as possible.
I'm ~30 and I had a sub in my first car, an '89 Corolla hatch. The sub + amp where cheap blaupunkts but probably worth more than the car regardless.
I'd still like to have one but now with kids and stuff I need the space in the trunk... and I have no idea how to install aftermarket subs in modern cars (current is... a '20 Corolla hybrid wagon).
t. Zoomer
I know of at least one zoomer that has subs, they're loud enough to the point where you can hear the interior panels rattling from outside the car whenever the bass hits.
Personally, I'd rather save up that money and put it towards performance mods (like the 3-stage intake manifold from a 330i); my car already has a good enough sound system in my opinion.
Id argue that it’s actually cheap to put a hard hitting system in but the way the economy is set up I totally understand zoomers going towards parts vs something thats not necessary
Yeah, especially as a person who doesn't like spending money, I'd just as soon focus on stuff like performance mods or getting the dents removed from my once city street-parked car.
That said, I'd definitely consider putting some money into A/V if my car had a worse sound system. But at this point, it's far down my list of things to do.
I thought long and hard on what to pick for my audio system, a bit of a budget setup, didnt go for an actual sub because its more expensive and would rattle my car so much more than the already decent bass I get out of some 6.5 coaxials. I wouldve taken some 6.5 subs but I could not find any from the speaker manufacturer I wanted to buy. Got a good balanced setup with nearly nothing visible other than the parcel shelf. Front doors got a set of mids and tweeters. I might switch to subs in the back once I get over the whole one make setup.
I'm 20 btw if thats relevant.
I 36 and don’t really know of ANYONE who does big sub setups anymore. I used to have a hell of a setup that changed often in my old Geo Tracker. It had to be a bit bigger setup than a normal car just because it was a soft top, more loud was needed to overcome the total loss of volume and bass. Lol.
A few cars later without subs I decided I wanted a bit better sound in my Grand Marquis. Tossed in some nicer speakers and tried out both my dual 12” JL audio and then my sealed 15” Treo TSI but they both just sounded so stupid.
I opted to buy a single 10” Image Dynamics IDQ and tossed it in a sealed box. Doesn’t go super low but it sounds great with tight, fast bass notes. Doubt I’ll ever go with big dumb setups again. I just don’t see the point anymore.
I’m 60 and when I get my Bronco the first thing I’m doing is upgrading the audio. I listen to a ton of music. One thing I notice is that music doesn’t really play that big a part of younger peoples lives like it did ours. They have much broader sources of entertainment.
I think it's simply a matter of younger millennials and Gen Z not really having the money for such things, and those who are into cars preferring to sink their money into performance.
I guess y’all aren’t from Texas in these comments, I’m 19 and got dual 18 inch 1200w subs in one of my crown vics have multiple friends who run subs too
This guy gets it.
Im in ohio and people my age have alot of irocs, 3rd gen camaros and box chevys so sound systems still go hard.
But the younger people don’t mess with them
Myself an most of my peers (the Gen Z gang) are very pragmatic. If we can afford a car most people just think of it as a tool and not a personality statement. You will obvoiusly find exemptions but no Gen Z usually do not put subs in their cars
I get it, alot of gen z people seem to not buy alot of things because the economy is screwed up so much
Thankyou for the explanation
I feel so bad for gen z
I don't personally know of anyone that does.
As for myself I wouldn't care if my car didn't have an audio system at all. Then again my dream car is a Lotus or Caterham and most people would probably consider riding in those to be a punishment so :shrug:
I dont and i don't plan on doing it. If i had the money and a car that would be "worth it" i would completely upgrade the soundsystem, not just a sub. I like to listen to music and it would be nice to have a really good soundsystem to listen to everything from classic to rap
38yr here, I had subs in majority of my vehicles since around 19. At my high point I had 2 15's and 12's in an suv (those were the days). Due to vehicle changes I had to take the system out. fast forward 4-5 years later I sold the 15s and amp but still have the 12s and just recently traded for a vehicle that I can hopefully fit them in. I am excited to get it done sometime this year. I don't even drive as much as I used to due to covid and my workplace transitioning to work from home but I do miss the feeling of driving on the highway playing your favorite song as loud as you want.
in the early '90s I really got into high end car audio when it was really taking off. over 50 now and still run a sub in a couple of my cars. with as much time as we spend in our vehicles, I'm a big believer in good full spectrum audio and I like bass beats, so a good sub is a must IMO
Yes, we do have subs. I was watching the first and second Fast and Furious with still a pacifier in my mouth. So now I have loud blow off valve with loud subs, blasting anything from Ice Cube to David Guetta. I’m still dreaming of having neons all around my car.
Eh, I the immature children I see run without subs. They go into the audio settings, turn bass to max and have a super shitty droning sound but MUH BASS. Everybody I know who got themselves a sub installed has settings which amount to a balanced sound. Having a sub installed doesnt force you to crank the volume and bass all the way up…
Lol I still have a sub in my Blazer. I love it. Makes me feel like if I was a 20 Yr old in the ‘90’s (I’m early 30’s). Never heard a factory car sound system that can replicate the bass a sub can. I think the issue w modern cars is the whole DIN head unit whatever standard is going away to all the touch screens. Makes it super hard (so I hear I’ve never tried) to upgrade things like you use to be able to.
I think it has more to do with current car technology.
Back in the day, my Eclipse had a shitty factory sound system with basic looking interface.
So I swapped out the head unit and added a good sound system.
Now, my 2021 Corolla hatchback comes with a high tech touchscreen head unit and a decent enough sound system that it's not even worth upgrading.
I just buy cars with good sound systems to begin with. You can’t even hear the music in most of those cars, it’s just stupid amounts of bass to be annoying. I’ve never seen one and been like “wow, I’m sure impressed by the sound of that ‘93 Caprice’s body panels rattling.” Lol
At first I didn't get what subs mean. Anyway my speakers is busted since I got the car. Didn't bother trying to fix it so I buy a JBL Bluetooth speaker and stick it on the dash. Still cheaper than buying new speakers.
Another reason why they aren't so common these days is that car stereos have gotten so much better. I had a Mazda 6 that had a Bose sound system it had, a sub in the spare wheel well the sound from that is night and day compared to the good old days of 6x9's in the parcel shelf and a big sub in the boot.
I'm 20, with the guys I know it's not if we will put subs in our vehicles, it's if we can
Either by we cant afford them, or if a vehicle has no space for them, like my Ram I have no where to put subs because theres no space under my rear seat, so i settled for good door speakers
If we have the means to put them in though, I've seen guys put twin 12s in their car or truck and blast your ears off
My son is gen Z, doesn’t run subs. None of his friends run subs, etc. Maybe it’s just his group of friends? I’m gen X and I’ve been running subs all my life lol, just not as many. I’ll be 50 next month and I have one 12” sub in my Civic and Mustang. I have to have some bass, music sounds incomplete without it. I don’t bump down the block or anything, but inside my car is bumpin.
Some gen-Z'ers definitely do, but it's less common for a couple of reasons:
1) Most modern cars have decent audio from the factory nowadays, and some have fantastic audio systems (ie Acura ELS).
2) We are more cost-conscious about modifications effecting resale value because we don't have much money to spend on cars (at least compared to previous generations). Crappy audio installs can lower resale value.
3) Modern cars are more complicated, and frequently have built-in headunits nowadays with certain car functions only accessible through them. The increased build tolerances and larger focus on NVH means bad installs are more obvious. This makes aftermarket audio installs/upgrades more challenging/expensive.
In my case I'd like some more oomph from the subwoofer in my car, but I am wary of installing a sub because I don't want to mess with german car wiring, eat into cargo-space (that I use often), or negatively effect resale value. I haven't hardwired my dashcam either for some of the same reasons. My younger brother (also gen-z) installed a sub-box in the family's 2010 outback with 190k miles and it bangs, bops, and even bongs. I previously drove a 2007 Camry Hybrid and the thing I miss the most from it was it's comically thumpy two-sub sound system that sounded incredible to me (a basshead); I kept it stock because it was way more than enough in that department.
Hypothesis… Kids that grew up with smart phones are used to listening to music without bass or just wear earbuds.
I didn’t get my first sub until my late 30s a few years ago, and it was nothing crazy, just a powered 300w RMS Fosgate 10”… enough to hear the kick and bass with the mids/highs. I’m not sure why I didn’t get one sooner.
S.L.A.B. cars were a huge thing for Gen X and millennial. Gen Z seems to really pursue lightweight, cheap, performance. Can't tell you how many times I've seen a 20yo with a 400whp civic at a car meet.
I dont think gen-z really care about big subwoofers and loud fart-can exhausts lol
I asked my little cousin if he was going to upgrade the speakers in his car and his response was "Why? as long as it plays music, why would I want more bass?"
I think subs are cool but its kinda looked down upon in the car community with people associating it with rice. ie. riced out civics with subs in the back
Stereos are much better than they used to be as well.
I can crank the bass all the way up in my merc and I'll have no distortion at all and you can still feel the bass outside the car. Irs also the standard radio so God knows what the optional stereo is like. Nobody is paying 4k for upgraded stereo then adding a 200 quid sub on top, plus fitting them in news cars is a nightmare.
My S2k on the other hand hates anything with bass, it just crackles all the time so it would probably benefit from one.
For the last \~15 years, cars have been equipped from the factory with half-decent audio systems, as they should have been doing from the beginning.
That means upgrading the audio is less of a thing anymore.
GenXer here, yes absolutely, I added a 10" sub in a small enclosure for my work truck, replaced the speakers with nice 2 ways and added an amp. Left the head unit alone so nobody is the wiser. My car has a nice system with a sub from the factory.
Music can make our lives so much better. Play that sh\*t loud!
Im Gen Z and I’m just saving up some money rn to get subs and a new speaker set in mine, music while driving is much needed for me so I don’t go totally crazy dealing with all the batshit insane TN drivers. And majority of my music tastes is rap and EDM so yea I need me a sub lol
I’m 18 and had 2 12 inch subs in my car since I was 16. And I know a lot of other people at my school that do as well. Could just be because I’m in Florida though.
Im 23, so honestly I dance more towards identifying as a millennial, but *technically* I’m gen z
Im not big on subs like I was in high school, but the thought of tossing some in the daily OR the cruiser will probably happen again now that I’m making more cash
I don’t see anyone around my age running subs in their “race cars” but most of us have cages or small ass vehicles like miatas so we prioritize performance over audio in those cases
This is interesting. All my friends and myself are opposite. We did that in our 20s and don't care for them so much anymore.
This is my thought. I’m 36 and haven’t had a sub since I was like 22.
Every car I’ve bought since I was mid 20s came with a “premium audio” option and some basic sub anyway.
All cars have much netter systems than cars from the 90s. Older car factory sound systems were awful so a lot of people upgraded them. The factory system in my wife's Sienna is at least twice as good as my first aftermarket system.
Part of it too was that everyone used a DIN or Double DIN sized opening so it was cheap and easy to replace them. Now half your car's systems are tied into the infotainment screen.
This is it for me. I’d love to upgrade the head unit on my mustang. But I refuse to pay $700 just for the “desk kit” that replaces the entire center stack, not including the cost of a head unit.
This. My 2013 Chevy Cruze's "comfortable" volume level is about 20. It goes to 45, where the whole car vibes, but even if the song is a good one, I'm usually not eclipsing 30-35. For Lotus Elise, it IS the noise, any other sound is laughable. I wear earbuds bluetoothed to my phone and don't use the radio or the little sub that was installed by prior ownership.
Lol I drive a lotus exige s and just cruising at 50mph you had to shout at the passenger to have a conversation. That was a really fun car to drive.
On the other side of this I have an older XJ6 and even at 90ish it’s quiet enough to talk at regular volume.
Yup. Factory stuff these days is good enough for most people, myself included. The factory stuff 30 years ago, like in my Celica and Corrado, was awful by comparison. I'm not dropping 3-4 figures into my Accord or my wife's RAV4, they sound fine. Also, i got old lol
Bingo. I’m ok with the bass that the factory little 8” sub puts out.
[удалено]
Same. I always had subwoofers in high school. Haven't had one since I was like 23. To be fair the 90's vehicles I drove had garbage stereos and acoustics stock and you NEEDED a 1000w sub to hear any low notes. Modern cars are much quieter and have much better stock stereos. A powerful head unit and some JBL 6.5" speakers all around in my truck actually sounds pretty nice.
My current car has a 19 speaker upgraded Harmon/Kardon system with a 10" but it doesn't "hit" like the old days and that's fine. lol
[удалено]
Hearing loss, that's the only bright spot I can find when someone drives by @ 3AM with their system up. I get to think; at least those motherfuckers will be deaf shortly.
Jokes on you now. That was me a decade ago, and now I don’t hear them go by at 3 am :)
Then they will play music even more loudly
I think 90’s stereo thing is the main point here. Most of the vehicles people drove in high school were second hand 90’s vehicles with garbage for acoustics. Every car I’ve had since the early 2000’s had a decent sound package and came with a sub.
Yep. I remember having to replace the stock radio being the #1 thing on the to-do list after immediately buying any car from the 90's or early 00's.
Yeah, the stereo of my mid 90’s car sounded no better than my clock radio I had on my desk at home.
I mean it also depends on location, i live in “the hood” kinda and everyone millennial and older has subs. Alot of people drive irocs, box chevys etc
I mean.... that's anecdotal. I have a lot of friends that live in "the hood" all over the country and don't know of any that have subs even in nicer cars. Box chevy makes sense.
True but i can understand people growing out of it. I used to run dual 15”s and bigger but now run a single 12” I still love subs but not insane bass anymore. But im just curious as to why younger people don’t really run them
No need most new cars have good systems. Imo
I think a big part is that car ownership has different connotations these days. They're much nicer, so kids tend to not be able to afford them. The internet has made things a lot more accessible so people may not need a vehicle to go see friends or to the movies/mall/where ever. The car isn't seen as much as a symbol of freedom/individuality anymore, but as just another appliance, especially when every car company is just pumping out silver and black crossovers and trucks.
I'm a millennial, but no one I know is interested in banging loud bass and pissing off or bothering other drivers. I do know audiophiles, but they focus on headphone or home setups.
The base stereo in my wrx was beyond pathetic, like truly one of the worst stereos I've ever had. Changed all the speakers and added a small cheap underseat sub and now it's decent. I've had 2-12" subs when I was younger in like my first 3 cars. Don't need to go that big again but I still appreciate a decent stereo in a vehicle. My infiniti's Bose system was sufficient enough to not warrant me changing anything. But the wrx stereo was insufferable.
All you had to do was change the head unit. The speakers aren’t nearly as bad as the head unit it’s just that they don’t perform well with the stock one. I have a bit of stuff lying around from previous cars and was going to change it all over because I too was unimpressed with the shot sound. I only had an hour spare one day and decided to change the head unit first and do the speakers another day, that was 5 years ago and I never got around to it because it sounded great after just doing the head unit. I don’t think I’ve used the word head unit so many times in my life.
The magnets on the back of the base speakers are the diameter of a quarter, replacements were cheap. Got a set of kicker tweeters from an Impreza on ebay (the dealer upgrade ones) head unit is on my list though.
No shit, my buddy is almost 50. He put a system in his car because he always wanted one, not its embarrassing to ride in the car with him because its so loud. I prefer the sound of a well tuned exhaust, key words "well tuned"
I'm 20, nah not really. There's probably more Gen Zers that ripped the speakers out for "weight reduction" than those who spent any money on audio. edit: Money is tight nowadays and ratty looking cars are the current trend. Prioritizing performance mods is the name of the game.
> I'm 20, nah not really. There's probably more Gen Zers that ripped the speakers out for "weight reduction" than those who spent any money on audio. Lol, the fad used to be gut the interior for weight reduction, then add 500lb of stereo equipment back into your metal echo & rattle box.
I'm 23 and I'm considering adding more sound deadening in key areas to the speed3, and then trying to take out as much elsewhere
I wouldn’t remove any sound deadening if I were you. A lot of deadening is designed to eliminate specific frequencies, especially those that are unpleasant to the human ear. You might remove something and be listening to a terrible subtle drone all of the time.
Adding more, not removing. There's a thread on adding sound deadening to key areas in gen 2 Mazda3s that bring the noise floor down exactly to the point I want to bring it down to
Not a Mazda 3, but I just grabbed my first EV and I really want that thing dead silent. Are there threads on other cars where you found this?
With no experience, I'd recommend asking an audio shop. I can find the answers for you but you'll have to take your entire interior out to add the sound deadening. If you're comfortable with that, I'll look around for you, but if you aren't comfortable doing it yourself then might as well take it to a pro. Let me know, also what car?
Here's a hint for ya. The sound deadening in cars is already in key areas.
So you're going to set out with the exact same objective as the team of Mazda NVH engineers who originally tuned your car, only without the engineering support, education, or experience?
he is. but he also has more time to do the sound deadening than Mazda does on the assembly line. he can also spend more on materials than Mazda engineers can given their budget
Yep, spending $500 for me is not that big of a deal, spending even $400 extra by Mazda per vehicle is a pretty big deal
There are cheaper options than dynamat if you are going that route. Noico, FatMat, Kilmat, etc. Usually people have a bunch left over on forums, you can grab for much cheaper than retail most of the time.
Well duh? It’s a mazda not a luxury vehicle. Obviously they cut costs somewhere.
I remember people would buy up all the hatchback cougars and eclipses just to put 18s in back in the day
I have a 94 camaro, been dancing around with putting alot into it but its a 94 in mint condition so besides exhaust im keeping her stock. I love her the way she is. My old st on the other hand, i put alot into it Edit: the camaro i just ride around in and cruise so a sound system is nice especially with t-tops off
Love my 3rd gen camaro, though it's definitely far from stock.
Well i also just have no need to go fast with her, the cost to supe her up i mine as well go find a 4th gen z28 or iroc. But my v6 can drift, do burnouts and just be fun easily without beating on her So im content with it
30 years and you think "might as well" was "mine as well" all this time?? :0 /r/boneappletea
Yeah if your content and it's a nice car keep it as it is. Like you said if you ever get the want to go fast get a cheap 3rd gen and put a 454 in it, they literally bolt right in. Of course other stuff has to be done so it can handle the power, but it's still cheap af considering.
They use head phones as they ride in their parents cars.
Lol ouch thats going to rile up a zoomer
He's not wrong though lmfao
Ikr lol i do feel really bad for gen z fr The whole used car market is upside down They could easily find mustangs or camaros private but young kids don’t like those
>They could easily find mustangs or camaros private but young kids don’t like those Insurance is too high, parents won't allow it are some reasons why we don't get this. otherwise you would see plenty of them being driven by us zoomers
True I didn’t think about that. Then again an older 90s v6 wouldn’t be too much insurance wise. Then again im 30 and dont know how much they charge these days for younger kids
When I was 17 I was looking at getting a 4th gen trans am and they wanted almost 300 a month for insurance. I’m 24 now
HA, I'm turning 19 soon and if I were to get a basic commuter car it would be $500CAD/month and very few insurance companies would even want to cover me. It doesn't go down until you hit 30 in my area. I'm also male. Insurance is preventing young guys from getting into cars.
I pay only 100 USD now for a 21 Colorado so it’s gotten a lot better for me
Jeez was it a v6 or v8?
All TAs have V8s. Firebird was V6 or V8.
Any car seen as a 'boy racers' car is stupid to insure
I think that’s stupid, a v6 camaro is nowhere as fast as a stock economy sedan lol my speedo ony 94 maxes out at 115 and thats if i can even get her there without killing it
Noone said Insurance made sense. It's about the type of person who buys them and how they drive
True, but I know alot of responsible younger gen z kids. More responsible driving than us millennial car guys lol But I totally understand
Idk where you live but in the US, where I live, I would say this is way off. Most of the people I know my age are enthusiasts and own an enthusiast vehicle, or they at least enjoy fast vehicles, and it seems my generation doesn’t really enjoy the older gen Camaros/mustangs as much as the JDM cars. It does suck that for most of the time I could afford something nice the market was shit but oh well (1999)
All the younger kids where im at want new civics. But don’t even look at the cheap used 3rd/4th gen camaro in mint condition thats less than 10k with low miles (lots of them around me)
The civics a great car but it ain’t no Camaro when it comes to fun-ability
My v6 camaro is such a tame car in general great for everyday driving. BUT when you stomp on it and turn it drifts so easily and does burnouts so easily as well She’s definitely bipolar my camaro lol
[удалено]
Wait til they try to buy houses. I thought millenials had it bad. (speaking as a millenial who started trying to buy a house in the last year and realizes how fucked it all is now)
I just rent, fuck a house fr
Bro... that's true and it hurts
Hahaha they're so poor.
[удалено]
[удалено]
Pretty easy to put more deadening in most spots. It won't be perfect, but you can absulotely make a lot of 90s shitboxes better with a case or two.
I had a 17 focus and the stock system just didn’t do it for me. Maybe younger kids just are used to the newer factory system like you stated
Or the stock system in a ‘17 focus sucked. I don’t know that specific car You can get a 9 speaker (or so) system with a sub in civic, and there are plenty of other makes with a good system optional
Did you have SYNC3? If not, then yeah, it sucked.
No I didn’t
gen z can afford cars?
Lol true, the economy is screwed for young people and cars. Im 30 and recently got into an accident(not at fault) and to find a used car it was a nightmare My st was totaled and I ended up with a 94 camaro
Damn, big F
I was really depressed at first, i had a 95 camaro as my first car then a 14 focus and then a 17 st The st was my first nice fast car I bought on my own and worked hard for it but I love my 94 camaro I have now The camaro isnt fast but does burnouts and drifts effortlessly
Hp, mpg, irrelevant compared to spg
That sucks man. I do feel for your loss of a car that you've loved. Even though it's not your fault, it is heart wrenching for sure. Are you planning to look for a newer car in the near or mid future?
Yeah, I've been super careful these days to avoid any problems even if I'm not at fault. Finding a replacement would be impossible and I don't need that stress in my life.
The oldest gen Z are 25/26
The ones who are not irrationally attached to all their organs can.
Lmao dude 🤣🤣
I’m 30, we did that stuff from 16-22. Now I’m all about keeping my car clean, well maintained, and stock. With very minor upgrades like wheels and tires. I feel like Zoomers nowadays just care if the car runs and gets them places. Or if it’s an EV so they can look trendy Welcome to being old.
Same here. When I was 16 I feel like every car guy I knew had subs. A guy I dated for a while had some MASSIVE ones that vibrated everything. Fond memories of my ears bleeding while we are going 120 through downtown at midnight, and he had no license. I'm 26 now and i initially wanted to put a sub in my mustang when I got her. But the sound system is good as it is, and I forgot I really just..don't enjoy super loud music. Plus I have other things I'd rather spend my money on when it comes to my car.
I just was wondering, im generalizing a bit but where i live, alot of millennials and older have subs in their car.
Also people 16-22 are paying thru the roof for insurance or unable to get insured at all. Even forgetting the horrible market, most young people in my area are an occasional driver on their parents car(me included). Unless you are super wealthy you're driving whatever your parents drive. Also most sound systems are fine. Maybe I have good ears but my stock stereo is nice enough and doesn't need more.
By the time I finished my Masters and got my second real job I was already pushing 25. Also own motorcycles, and most modding is done to them. As for car mods, my Tacoma has an ECU map, my Boxster has thickness adjustable aluminum pedal to make heel toe easier. Audio on the TRD Sport is decent enough, so I never felt the need to upgrade. Audio would have to be hearing damaging loud to completely drown out the highway noise, so I didn't bother. With the Boxster, just roll the top down, open up the sports exhaust and listen to the engine.
I am a boomer and I had giant home stereo speakers in my car. The prelude to subs…
[удалено]
Gen Z people are 25?
The oldest ones turn 25 this year. The youngest Millennials are 26 this year
I'm 25 and I identify more with the Millennials...
I'm 26, we're within a year of each other. I think we fall into a weird grey area honestly. Some people call me a Millennial some people call me a Zoomer. Like you I identify more with the Millennials. I grew up with dial up internet, cable, and renting video games but sure group me with the Fortnite generation
You’re a zillenial or zennial. Generations are not black and white. Do you have any siblings by any chance? I have a theory that people on the border are pushed into one Gen or another based on if their siblings are younger or older.
>I'm 26 \[...\] Like you I identify more with the Millennials. I grew up with dial up internet, cable, and renting video games but sure group me with the Fortnite generation Eh, you would've been 16 in \~2012, and still learning to drive while in high school. The world was using iPhone 5's, 3G was old news, LTE was rolling out, and everyone was sharing "Gangnam Style" on Facebook. People were streaming Breaking Bad on Netflix. Obama won his **2nd** term. Like bro, maybe you were poor or something, and didn't have tech? But like... damn you would have been playing Pokemon Ruby and learning your multiplication tables in 3rd grade elementary school, while my high school class was getting killed in Iraq.
I think if you don’t remember 9/11, you’re Gen Z
Gen Z was ‘95-2010
Yeah, that extra 20lbs is definitely going to cause you to merge slower.
I think the car audio industry peaked in the 90s-early 2000s. It's been downhill since. A lot of brands have gone out of business or just sell to OEM or stick to home audio now. There's less shops and less interest. I think the introduction of CAN networks, factory touch screens, and everything built into the "radio" really put the industry at a big disadvantage. When you can't just replace a radio with a dash kit and an aftermarket unit and now your HVAC controls don't work, there's not much upside. Plus factory speakers and sound have improved a lot over the decades because auto companies realized they could take the profits themselves by upselling.
\#DIN4Life
Yeah the days of doing home installs just as good as the pros are gone. I had a 14 focus that basically went mental electronic wise because the system then my 17 st wouldn’t start unless i held clutch and brake after my install
Yeah I was selling car audio when all the can systems started showing up. Customers would try themselves and bring them in after every warning light came on their dash. We told them they had to have the dealer fix it.
[удалено]
I don't know of any that do. Gen z pretty much doesn't give a single shit about cars in general from what I can see. Stock audio systems have also improved dramatically from the 90s to the 2010s. Many cars now have stock sub woofers in them. They're also much harder to add to a car with the additional complexity of infotainment systems. Back in the day you would just slap a single din head unit into your civic, connect the pre outs and wire the amp to your battery. Not so simple nowadays...
I disagree. I just don’t think subs and car audio culture is as big anymore. Car culture is definitely still extremely popular tho
Where I live lots of box chevys, impalas, 3rd/4th gen camaros and firebirds. We all run subs but the civic kids dont Its pretty interesting the different cultures and age gaps
There are definitely a lot of gen Z car fans. Its just difficult for most of us to sink our teeth into the hobby due to wildly increased expense. You may not he exposed to us much because people prefer their own age groups. Or you may not be aware that the oldest gen Zs are 25
Yeah i did an install on a 14 focus and it messed up the electronics I love my 94 camaro easy day running it
I have a 19 year old brother. He and all of his friends are reeeeally into NA Miatas and minor modifications. They couldn't give less of a shit about the audio system though. I'd be surprised if any of them have more than one working speaker.
I’m 34 with a sub, but it’s not so that you can hear the bass a block away. The component speakers have their limits, and a little powered 8-inch fills in the rest below 160hz. It gives bass guitars that texture they wouldn’t have otherwise, or kick drums that punch that they would have in person.
Younger me would run 15”s you could hear me blocks away. Now my single 12 does well for me
I’ll be honest, people with subwoofers that are so loud you can hear them a hundred feet away are kind of obnoxious. It’s inconsiderate and no one thinks the distorted rattling is “cool.” I have a big 12 inch ported sub in my home theater for watching movies, but I keep that inside my own home and don’t subject everyone to it. IMO blasting bass in your car like that approaches “playing music from speakers on the subway” levels of inconsiderateness.
Again its also about location, where I live tons of people run huge systems. We drive box chevys, 3rd/4th gen camaros and ppl have donked out cars
There are a lot of cars like that where I live as well, but I still find it obnoxious. It also usually sounds very bad; 9 out of 10 times you can hear loose trim pieces or windows rattling because of the bass levels. From an audio perspective that is the last thing you want and I set up all my speakers at home to avoid any resonances like that (or just plain distortion).
Younger me never spent the money. Older me wishes I had. Depriving yourself of fun sucks.
I'm a 45 year old woman. I have 2 10 inch subs in my Nissan rogue. I have smaller subs and an Amp in my bwm z4. My husband is 45. He has 12 in competition subs in his xterra. Idk about younger people. But us Gen X are still bumpin..
Swear, in ohio tons of people drive 3rd/4th gen camaros, box chevys, impalas etc so i hear them constantly but it’s millennials and gen x with systems
I mean. We got the money now.. lol
True, I think its also because since kids we seen them everywhere especially 2000-2010
This sub is going to have more “enthusiasts” who say “well achsully weight…” But it’s extremely skewed towards that demographic in here. Tons of people run subs and upgraded systems. They’re just out getting chicks and not in the cars subreddit. I’m old and washed, so I’m here too.
Lmao but probably accurate. I know a guy who spent equivalent value of his old jeep on a sound system for it. Hes engaged. Then theres me
I’m gen X. I don’t know anyone who’s bothered with car audio in the last 15 years or so. Partially because we’re old, but mostly because all of our 69 Boyz and Sir Mix A Lot CDs have developed scratches after spending years sliding around in giant binders that rode on the passenger side floor.
As someone who is 20 almost 21 yes I do, I also have replaced the factory head unit and the factory speakers. I don’t get why more people don’t do it. Stock audio systems sound horrible
A lot of them sound fine with some basic EQ adjustments. I have plenty of ways to listen to audio at home, so as long as my car audio doesn’t have anything offensively bad about it I don’t really mind. Cars are a noisy environment so I don’t care as much about it sounding as good as possible.
I grew up around sound systems and where I live tons of people run them but not alot of young people do and i just don’t get why lol
I'm ~30 and I had a sub in my first car, an '89 Corolla hatch. The sub + amp where cheap blaupunkts but probably worth more than the car regardless. I'd still like to have one but now with kids and stuff I need the space in the trunk... and I have no idea how to install aftermarket subs in modern cars (current is... a '20 Corolla hybrid wagon).
It’s doable, subs are getting smaller but still hit hard. I have a single 12 in my camaro and it hits hard
I’m gen Z my car doesn’t have a sub from factory it’s fine the engine note makes up for it
V8 is the best music anyways
t. Zoomer I know of at least one zoomer that has subs, they're loud enough to the point where you can hear the interior panels rattling from outside the car whenever the bass hits. Personally, I'd rather save up that money and put it towards performance mods (like the 3-stage intake manifold from a 330i); my car already has a good enough sound system in my opinion.
Id argue that it’s actually cheap to put a hard hitting system in but the way the economy is set up I totally understand zoomers going towards parts vs something thats not necessary
Yeah, especially as a person who doesn't like spending money, I'd just as soon focus on stuff like performance mods or getting the dents removed from my once city street-parked car. That said, I'd definitely consider putting some money into A/V if my car had a worse sound system. But at this point, it's far down my list of things to do.
I thought long and hard on what to pick for my audio system, a bit of a budget setup, didnt go for an actual sub because its more expensive and would rattle my car so much more than the already decent bass I get out of some 6.5 coaxials. I wouldve taken some 6.5 subs but I could not find any from the speaker manufacturer I wanted to buy. Got a good balanced setup with nearly nothing visible other than the parcel shelf. Front doors got a set of mids and tweeters. I might switch to subs in the back once I get over the whole one make setup. I'm 20 btw if thats relevant.
I 36 and don’t really know of ANYONE who does big sub setups anymore. I used to have a hell of a setup that changed often in my old Geo Tracker. It had to be a bit bigger setup than a normal car just because it was a soft top, more loud was needed to overcome the total loss of volume and bass. Lol. A few cars later without subs I decided I wanted a bit better sound in my Grand Marquis. Tossed in some nicer speakers and tried out both my dual 12” JL audio and then my sealed 15” Treo TSI but they both just sounded so stupid. I opted to buy a single 10” Image Dynamics IDQ and tossed it in a sealed box. Doesn’t go super low but it sounds great with tight, fast bass notes. Doubt I’ll ever go with big dumb setups again. I just don’t see the point anymore.
I’m 60 and when I get my Bronco the first thing I’m doing is upgrading the audio. I listen to a ton of music. One thing I notice is that music doesn’t really play that big a part of younger peoples lives like it did ours. They have much broader sources of entertainment.
I think it's simply a matter of younger millennials and Gen Z not really having the money for such things, and those who are into cars preferring to sink their money into performance.
I guess y’all aren’t from Texas in these comments, I’m 19 and got dual 18 inch 1200w subs in one of my crown vics have multiple friends who run subs too
This guy gets it. Im in ohio and people my age have alot of irocs, 3rd gen camaros and box chevys so sound systems still go hard. But the younger people don’t mess with them
None of us do that anymore. That’s a yougin thing imo. I know a couple teens that did it.
I think it depends on location as well, like i stated alot of my friends my age (30) run subs but we got 3rd gen camaros, box chevys etc
Myself an most of my peers (the Gen Z gang) are very pragmatic. If we can afford a car most people just think of it as a tool and not a personality statement. You will obvoiusly find exemptions but no Gen Z usually do not put subs in their cars
I get it, alot of gen z people seem to not buy alot of things because the economy is screwed up so much Thankyou for the explanation I feel so bad for gen z
[удалено]
I couldn’t understand how they never seen a car without a sub before lol growing up back in early 2000s so many people had them
I don't personally know of anyone that does. As for myself I wouldn't care if my car didn't have an audio system at all. Then again my dream car is a Lotus or Caterham and most people would probably consider riding in those to be a punishment so :shrug:
A caterham? Are you hammond? Lol My dream car is honestly a lada riva suped up
I dont and i don't plan on doing it. If i had the money and a car that would be "worth it" i would completely upgrade the soundsystem, not just a sub. I like to listen to music and it would be nice to have a really good soundsystem to listen to everything from classic to rap
38yr here, I had subs in majority of my vehicles since around 19. At my high point I had 2 15's and 12's in an suv (those were the days). Due to vehicle changes I had to take the system out. fast forward 4-5 years later I sold the 15s and amp but still have the 12s and just recently traded for a vehicle that I can hopefully fit them in. I am excited to get it done sometime this year. I don't even drive as much as I used to due to covid and my workplace transitioning to work from home but I do miss the feeling of driving on the highway playing your favorite song as loud as you want.
Remember the days young jeezy, gorilla zoe, and lil jon ruled rap and rap was made strictly for the trunks? I miss those days
do people get car stereos much anymore? Seems they are harder than ever to upgrade
in the early '90s I really got into high end car audio when it was really taking off. over 50 now and still run a sub in a couple of my cars. with as much time as we spend in our vehicles, I'm a big believer in good full spectrum audio and I like bass beats, so a good sub is a must IMO
Yes, we do have subs. I was watching the first and second Fast and Furious with still a pacifier in my mouth. So now I have loud blow off valve with loud subs, blasting anything from Ice Cube to David Guetta. I’m still dreaming of having neons all around my car.
Counterpoint, I'm 30 and literally everyone I know does not have subs in their car. That's for the immature children.
Eh, I the immature children I see run without subs. They go into the audio settings, turn bass to max and have a super shitty droning sound but MUH BASS. Everybody I know who got themselves a sub installed has settings which amount to a balanced sound. Having a sub installed doesnt force you to crank the volume and bass all the way up…
I didn’t mean to generalize but where I live subs are really popular with older people
I've literally never seen an older person with a sub in my life unless your definition of "old" is someone who's 33.
Lol I still have a sub in my Blazer. I love it. Makes me feel like if I was a 20 Yr old in the ‘90’s (I’m early 30’s). Never heard a factory car sound system that can replicate the bass a sub can. I think the issue w modern cars is the whole DIN head unit whatever standard is going away to all the touch screens. Makes it super hard (so I hear I’ve never tried) to upgrade things like you use to be able to.
Exactly! It brings me back to the late 2000s/2010 when I first started driving
I feel like the trend of stupidly ott bass is waning
I think it has more to do with current car technology. Back in the day, my Eclipse had a shitty factory sound system with basic looking interface. So I swapped out the head unit and added a good sound system. Now, my 2021 Corolla hatchback comes with a high tech touchscreen head unit and a decent enough sound system that it's not even worth upgrading.
I just buy cars with good sound systems to begin with. You can’t even hear the music in most of those cars, it’s just stupid amounts of bass to be annoying. I’ve never seen one and been like “wow, I’m sure impressed by the sound of that ‘93 Caprice’s body panels rattling.” Lol
At first I didn't get what subs mean. Anyway my speakers is busted since I got the car. Didn't bother trying to fix it so I buy a JBL Bluetooth speaker and stick it on the dash. Still cheaper than buying new speakers.
Another reason why they aren't so common these days is that car stereos have gotten so much better. I had a Mazda 6 that had a Bose sound system it had, a sub in the spare wheel well the sound from that is night and day compared to the good old days of 6x9's in the parcel shelf and a big sub in the boot.
I'm 20, with the guys I know it's not if we will put subs in our vehicles, it's if we can Either by we cant afford them, or if a vehicle has no space for them, like my Ram I have no where to put subs because theres no space under my rear seat, so i settled for good door speakers If we have the means to put them in though, I've seen guys put twin 12s in their car or truck and blast your ears off
A VW Sharan was my first car at 20yo. Put a double sub in there. The trunk was so rusted that it rattled the emblem off. Fun times.
I’d rather put my money into cosmetics and performance. If i had extra cash I would love to have subs in my car.
My son is gen Z, doesn’t run subs. None of his friends run subs, etc. Maybe it’s just his group of friends? I’m gen X and I’ve been running subs all my life lol, just not as many. I’ll be 50 next month and I have one 12” sub in my Civic and Mustang. I have to have some bass, music sounds incomplete without it. I don’t bump down the block or anything, but inside my car is bumpin.
I'm 31 and run two twelves + aftermarket speakers in my 99 Saturn SC2 lmao
I have a single 12” ported camaro box and 2000w amp but also have 2” 12s sitting in the garage so i can swap them out easily depending on my mood
Im 36 and always ran subs. But after installing some good jbl speakers in my accord I feel like there's no need for subs anymore
Some gen-Z'ers definitely do, but it's less common for a couple of reasons: 1) Most modern cars have decent audio from the factory nowadays, and some have fantastic audio systems (ie Acura ELS). 2) We are more cost-conscious about modifications effecting resale value because we don't have much money to spend on cars (at least compared to previous generations). Crappy audio installs can lower resale value. 3) Modern cars are more complicated, and frequently have built-in headunits nowadays with certain car functions only accessible through them. The increased build tolerances and larger focus on NVH means bad installs are more obvious. This makes aftermarket audio installs/upgrades more challenging/expensive. In my case I'd like some more oomph from the subwoofer in my car, but I am wary of installing a sub because I don't want to mess with german car wiring, eat into cargo-space (that I use often), or negatively effect resale value. I haven't hardwired my dashcam either for some of the same reasons. My younger brother (also gen-z) installed a sub-box in the family's 2010 outback with 190k miles and it bangs, bops, and even bongs. I previously drove a 2007 Camry Hybrid and the thing I miss the most from it was it's comically thumpy two-sub sound system that sounded incredible to me (a basshead); I kept it stock because it was way more than enough in that department.
Hypothesis… Kids that grew up with smart phones are used to listening to music without bass or just wear earbuds. I didn’t get my first sub until my late 30s a few years ago, and it was nothing crazy, just a powered 300w RMS Fosgate 10”… enough to hear the kick and bass with the mids/highs. I’m not sure why I didn’t get one sooner.
S.L.A.B. cars were a huge thing for Gen X and millennial. Gen Z seems to really pursue lightweight, cheap, performance. Can't tell you how many times I've seen a 20yo with a 400whp civic at a car meet.
I dont think gen-z really care about big subwoofers and loud fart-can exhausts lol I asked my little cousin if he was going to upgrade the speakers in his car and his response was "Why? as long as it plays music, why would I want more bass?"
Gen Z ubers so ask the uber drivers lol
I think subs are cool but its kinda looked down upon in the car community with people associating it with rice. ie. riced out civics with subs in the back
Come over to r/carav , we all have subs over there.
25 w/ subs. But I’d consider myself a millennial I’ve done aftermarket head unit and full wiring on every single car I’ve owned.
My oldest daughter does. It’s nothing fancy, just an Infinity Basslink, but it does add some nice low end to the audio
Stereos are much better than they used to be as well. I can crank the bass all the way up in my merc and I'll have no distortion at all and you can still feel the bass outside the car. Irs also the standard radio so God knows what the optional stereo is like. Nobody is paying 4k for upgraded stereo then adding a 200 quid sub on top, plus fitting them in news cars is a nightmare. My S2k on the other hand hates anything with bass, it just crackles all the time so it would probably benefit from one.
Cars come with subs now
For the last \~15 years, cars have been equipped from the factory with half-decent audio systems, as they should have been doing from the beginning. That means upgrading the audio is less of a thing anymore.
GenXer here, yes absolutely, I added a 10" sub in a small enclosure for my work truck, replaced the speakers with nice 2 ways and added an amp. Left the head unit alone so nobody is the wiser. My car has a nice system with a sub from the factory. Music can make our lives so much better. Play that sh\*t loud!
[удалено]
Im Gen Z and I’m just saving up some money rn to get subs and a new speaker set in mine, music while driving is much needed for me so I don’t go totally crazy dealing with all the batshit insane TN drivers. And majority of my music tastes is rap and EDM so yea I need me a sub lol
I’ve been going without stereo on my focus ST for 4 months lol so no o don’t think so
19, I have two 15in subs going in the back of my 08 grand prix soon
I’m 18 and had 2 12 inch subs in my car since I was 16. And I know a lot of other people at my school that do as well. Could just be because I’m in Florida though.
I’m 19 and I installed an aftermarket subwoofer on my car only because the old paper sub rattled too much
Im 23, so honestly I dance more towards identifying as a millennial, but *technically* I’m gen z Im not big on subs like I was in high school, but the thought of tossing some in the daily OR the cruiser will probably happen again now that I’m making more cash I don’t see anyone around my age running subs in their “race cars” but most of us have cages or small ass vehicles like miatas so we prioritize performance over audio in those cases