[vltvlt972]

I am not too impressed with the Volt's basic audio system. One good thing about having a quiet car is to be able to enjoy music better - another major advantage of the Volt and PHEVs over ICE cars.

But my local car audio installer has few decent options IMHO:

1. Do an expensive adaptation to add a sub-woofer to the place in the trunk where the Bose subwoofer would normally go. This involves chopping up the plastic - creating a custom mounting bracket (expensive) while modifying the trunk's plastic panel.

2. Add a subwoofer box and internal amplifier in the trunk. There is no good place to put it and the smallest ones I was shown are quite large - an estimated 10" x 10" x 16". Too bulky for my taste and always black- both a bad color (for a light grey interior) and a bad shape for the trunk.

3) Replace the 6" (I think) speakers in the door with better ones. The installer said they were likely under-powered by the stock amplifier and would therefore require an additional amplifier to drive them - also messy and expensive with additional wiring required.

Suggestions?

 

[jcanoe]

I am not too impressed with the Volt's basic audio system. One good thing about having a quiet car is to be able to enjoy music better - another major advantage of the Volt and PHEVs over ICE cars.

But my local car audio installer has few decent options IMHO:

1. Do an expensive adaptation to add a sub-woofer to the place in the trunk where the Bose subwoofer would normally go. This involves chopping up the plastic - creating a custom mounting bracket (expensive) while modifying the trunk's plastic panel.

2. Add a subwoofer box and internal amplifier in the trunk. There is no good place to put it and the smallest ones I was shown are quite large - an estimated 10" x 10" x 16". Too bulky for my taste and always black- both a bad color (for a light grey interior) and a bad shape for the trunk.

3) Replace the 6" (I think) speakers in the door with better ones. The installer said they were likely under-powered by the stock amplifier and would therefore require an additional amplifier to drive them - also messy and expensive with additional wiring required.

Suggestions?

If you search the forum you can find thread(s) on replacing the Bose sub with an aftermarket unit for tighter bass if that is what you feel needs improving. One other suggestion, one I've not personally verified, is to disconnect the center channel speaker from the dash (assuming the LT has a center channel speaker.) The simplest upgrade would be to replace the door drivers and the drivers on top of the dash. Personally I find the stock audio to be ok, a bit fuller in the bass if you have the Bose sub. I pay attention to the bass and the mids since for me the highs are gone (loss of high frequency hearing.) Overall the Volt audio does not sound as good as the optional Sony audio system in my 2011 Ford Fusion, the Ford audio did not sound as good as the Harman Kardon system in my 1999 Saab 95. Today's audio systems are amazing for what you get with the stock offering.

 

[leonar40]

One relatively easy addition that I added to my Lexus CT200h was a Rockford Fosgate P300 series powered subwoofer. There is a 10 in and a 12 in model. The sub box is pretty thin and contains a 300W amplifier inside the box, no external amplifier needed. You would just need to tap a pair of speakers to run signal wire to the subwoofer and then the power cables from the 12V battery. I did my install myself in one afternoon. I assume this would work well for the Volt's trunk although I haven't personally tried it.

I also replaced all stock speakers with Infinity 3-way speakers which was a plug and play swap by purchasing speaker connectors from Amazon.

 

[simplex]

replacing the 6" 1/2 in the 4 doors and the front tweeters is definitely the first step.
Plenty of threads on the subject on this forum

https://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?247345-Volt-Radio-Audio-System-Info&highlight=audio

https://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?326445-I-replaced-my-subwoofer-and-added-an-amp!&highlight=audio

https://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?325654-Bose-sub-upgrade-completed!&highlight=simplex