Kia Soul Forums :: Kia Soul Owners banner

sound boost for the standard sound system in 2020 soul

13K views 15 replies 14 participants last post by  Hobe_Soul 
#1 ·
How difficult would it be to have an amplifier and subwoofer installed in my 2020 Soul? Any explanations on the how what and wheres to have this done would be awesome! Thank you!
 
#4 ·
Have you even gone through the setup on the OEM radio? The factory setup gives you almost NO sound at all. I went through the setup on both of my Souls and they both improved by 100%+.
They actually have a very nice Audio Equalizer....use it, before you start cutting into the Factory Sound System. I always set the Bass and Midrange at 100%.

Just a tip!

:cool:
 
#7 ·
I had mine installed from BestBuy. This is what I put in my 2020 Kia Soul LX. I love it. I Wish I would have upgraded my speakers... I will do that soon... but this is what I had installed!

Kenwood - Class D Digital Mono Amplifier with Variable Low-Pass Crossover - Black; Metra - 12" Single Ported Subwoofer Enclosure - Charcoal; Kenwood - Road Series 12" Dual-Voice-Coil 4-Ohm Subwoofer - Black
 
  • Like
Reactions: Panda108
#14 ·
Just curious (and I know you posted this months ago) - where did Best Buy install the amplifier and subwoofer at? Under a seat? The trunk? I'd love to upgrade mine at some point to get better bass while bumping down the highway
 
#8 ·
Without knowing your skill level, trim level of the vehicle, and what you'd like to accomplish, it's hard to say how easy it'll be.
I don't recommend turning mid and bass all the way up, but if that's what sounds good to you, you do you.

That being said, it's no more difficult than adding to any other car. I added subs and an amp to my last soul, and because I wanted to hide the wires, it was about 7 hours total. That is removing a lot of the interior panels in the hatch, as well as the back seat, door sills, and front kick panel. If you want quick and dirty, you could do it in 1/2 an hour.
If you want to change the speaker out as well, add several more hours.

I a bit of an audio nerd, so it's worth the effort/expense for better sound (and I'm in the car at least 2 hours a day). If music isn't your thing, the stock radio is pretty good.
 
#11 ·
When it comes to sound, you do you. Cranking bass and mids all the way is adding a metric ton of distortion, that's why I don't recommend it.
I don't know what the entry level stereo sounds like, but the HK in the turbo sounds very good for a factory unit. Good enough that I've procrastinate putting my amp and 12's in from my previous 2 kia's (optima and soul).

Sound has been my passion, hobby, and sometimes job for over 3 decades, so I think I have more experience with it than the average Soul driver. But at the end of the day, what sounds good to you, sounds good to you. So you all do what makes your ears happy.
 
#12 ·
Changed my bass to +10, mid to +8 and treble to +2. Improved the sound tremendously. My 17 Soul Exclaim WITHOUT the optional system sounded way better stock for stock with no adjustments at all, just a flat EQ. This helps get closer but not quite. Not 100% thrilled with the stock system but it works...for now.
 
#13 ·
Just purchased a 2020 GT Line yesterday (not the Turbo) and I'm curious what the stock system is. I've looked everywhere online, but the only info I can find is for the Turbo. I must have heard all the right songs when test driving because it seemed great, then once I drove home and started listening to my own tunes, it seemed lacking in the bass department (even with it at 10). I haven't had much of a chance to play around with it yet, but I was just curious if anyone knew what the stock system was.
 
#16 ·
Just FYI, for those who just bought a new Soul and are noting the lack of bass/etc, speakers sometimes need some time to break in. Some say it's a myth, but honestly I've had my car for a couple years now (2020 EX) and finally turned the bass up a bit and I've noticed it's a lot more punchy/responsive. Not saying thats good for everyone, even I want more bass but still it has improved over time.

If you're going to take it somewhere, be prepared to spend $800-$1,000 to add a sub (Properly) and yes you can do it for cheaper, but not by enough if you're not really damn good at tearing your car apart and installing it yourself.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top