New 2013 Prius Owner - JBL Issues?

My Prius Plug-in has the JBL GreenEdge system and it sounds as you described. It has a balanced sound but is not capable of producing deep or high-level bass. I found this description online and you can see the system was designed for efficient use of power.

I ran the audio for 30 minutes at a very high level, playing some music with deep bass, while the car was parked with no one in it. The sound seemed to gain some fullness and extension, but I don't think it's capable of much beyond that.

 

Before I decided on a PIP last year, I researched options of getting the best sound possible, without changing expensive factory components. I listened to the JBL system at a dealership and asked about the Subwoofer option. The sound is crossed-over very well so there is basically no distortion- but, Toyota doesn't offer a sub option, which to me is bogus.

I checked crutch field and Prius chat for others experience and decided to get a Kicker Hideaway that is installed under the passenger seat, with the bass volume knob mounted near the steering wheel. With a tiny modification, it fits neatly on the floor and the factory amp is placed right on top, the seat clears just fine - the adjustment knobs for the sub are accessible near the door under the passenger seat. The setup is perfect for my hour long commutes - I listen to every genre, mainly rock, dance, classical and hip hop/r&b - and even better when I wear a granny wig, bumping 2PAC! The cello gets its due resonance beautifully, and deep earth shaking bass can be felt and heard albeit it's not a 12" sub, but damn, you wouldn't think it's just a compact 8" hidden sub! I used small squares of dynamat in the front door panels and on the back of the rear view mirror. Sub and install less than $400. Good luck