I've been complaining about the stereo in my 98.5 A4 since I got it last October. But I promised that I would not condemn the stero too badly until I heard it with a CD player.
Well I finished the installation of the CD changer yesterday. And now I can say, with conviction, that there is NO bass in this system whatsoever.

With all my other expenses, I really can't afford to upgrade the stereo system... amp, speakers, or anything.
But I am looking into the possibility of a powered sub -- perhaps a Bazooka tube.
I know that they aren't the best things. Especially since I listen to a lot of jazz and light rock. I don't want a boomy sound. Whatever sub I get, I would keep the level pretty low -- just to fill in the lower bass notes.

The price of a Bazooka tube fits my budget quite nicely... $299 for the RS6.5. $249 for the lower line 8" model. I don't really want to spend much more than that.

Any thoughts, opinions, alternatives ?

THanks,
Peter

<center><img src="http://131.107.68.28/AudiWorldPics/2000/90qtrnk.jpg"></center><p>...the 8" or the 10", but have not heard them yet. Have you listened to the Bazooka? A friend of mine had one in his Rabbit years ago and it sounded decent. I have not heard one recently though. I'm not sure how well they work in a sedan, but I expect it can't hurt the Xterra sound!

If you could spend another $100-$200, you should check out the Kicker Solo-Baric 8" and 10", and a 100 Watt or so mono amp with a built-in Crossover. The Kickers are in sealed enclosures, have really tight bass, and take up very little space. The 10" is really impressive, IMO. I had an 8" in my 90Q with 110 Watts running to it. Even with the 18.5 gallon gas tank seperating the trunk from the back seat, the Kicker managed to put quite a bit of very high quality bass into the cabin. I went with teh 8" because it fit nicely in the side storage pocket in my 90Q. The Kicker is perfect for the type of music you listen to also. The Bazooka should be fine though, if you keep it turned down. The main reason I'm thinking of getting it for the Xterra is because I think it would be the easiest to deal with when I want to remove it to put bikes or whatever back there.

Now, if only the loser at the Nissan detail shop hadn't stolen it with the factory BBS wheels and snow tires! :-(

Here's a pic!

It is more than adequate, and when you fine tune the crossover and power level, it blends in adequately with the Bose system. If you don't mind losing the trunk space, try the 10" for more bass. Your dealer should let you try both without penalty (they easily switch in and out of the trunk). The 8" unit lets me fit 2 golf bags in the trunk, without folding the rear seats.

IMO, this is the most cost-effective way to add deep bass, which the stock audio system sorely lacks. To get a smoother blend between speakers and more power, you would have to upgrade the amp, speakers, and maybe the head unit, at greater expense.