I went from one extreme to the other... I had a VS Equipe that was kitted to look like a club sport, but it felt so hollow and pointless, so I sold it. Now I have a fairly stock looking (except rims) VS Calais L67 which I am happy to say goes like **** from a shovel, and I am content with it being that way.
As for sound, I love music so I have an mp3 player in my car for the convenience of 150 songs on a disc and a JL Audio sub & splits ONLY because I hate tinny sound and I like to listen to music the way it was meant to be heard. I have been happy with this very same system, which has been moved through 3 different cars I have owned, and I am not likely to change it any time soon.
Now I have got the go-juice bug and I am eyeing off FIT's intercooler kit...