$5k-7.5k Budget

Hi everyone,

I used to have a pretty good setup in my 2008 jeep SRT8. I think it was around $5-6,000.

Now I have the supercrew raptor with the 802A package so it has the higher end Sony audio. I would like to keep the stock navigation and sync 3.

I don't know specific details but I know the guy at the audio shop helped me years ago and I ended up with full diamond audio speakers and two JL w3 10 inch subwoofers. I cannot remember the amps, but they were both red and kind of see through. One amp was longer and the other shorter.

I thought the diamond audio speakers sounded very clear, at times a bit bright but amazing clarity and really liked the JL subwoofers as well.

I had them tweaked to where I was able to turn them up pretty loud. I think sometimes the subwoofers would bottom out.

I am looking to put together a higher end system and recommendations on what you'd build for less than $7,500.

I would like dual subwoofers if possible or whatever the options are to be at least as loud if not louder than the two 10 inch W3s that I had before.

I am not sure what the best subwoofer options that can fit under the rear seats, or behind them. I remember at the time I had my SRT8 done I think 12 inch W7s were "the" sub to have. I went with dual w3s over one 12 as I think I remember the salesman saying two would have more SPL.

I have seen focal recommended a lot for speakers so they must be pretty good. I liked the detailed clarity of the diamond audio so would like something that still has awesome clarity. Mostly listening to electronic, rock, rap and hip hop.

Can anyone help me out with what you'd build for an awesome system?

Part #'s for speakers / subwoofers & amps would be really helpful too

first thing is to decide if you want an sq system or spl system. you are limited with underseat woofers so output will not be as much as other vehicles, however the sq will not suffer

The Car Stereo Company said:

first thing is to decide if you want an sq system or spl system. you are limited with underseat woofers so output will not be as much as other vehicles, however the sq will not suffer

Click to expand...

I am thinking probably sound quality and the best combo possible of spl / sq.

Could I do two JL 13.5s under the rear seat? Is that much better than one? Are there better options?

No idea what to do for speakers

Thanks for helping

Here is the setup I am working on in my 18 minus a couple variations. Since you have Sony and not b&o, you will use the Rockford DSR1 for factory integration. This is a plug and play piece that completely removes and replaces the factory Sony amp/dsp in the rear of the truck. It maintains all sync functions, factory chime routing, and provides a full flat and clean signal to go to your aftermarket dsp. It also has a 31 band parametric eq with time alignment if you want to use this as your dsp and save yourself some additional money. There is no splicing, soldering. Crimping, or taking the dash apart with this unit. It is plug and play.

Parts List:
AudioControl 6.1200 $600.00 (amp for 3 way front speakers)
AudioControl 4.800 $450.00 (amp for rear speakers or I can bi amp if I decide I want to upgrade to 8” mids in the front doors)
AudioControl 1.1500 $600.00(for JL subs)
AudioControl dm-810 processor $600.00
Rockford DSR1 $250.00
Morel Virtus 3-way $700.00 (front stage)
Morel Tempo Ultra coax $250.00 (rear stage)
Custom speaker adaptors $150.00 ( https://store.audiodesignscg.com/product/ford-f150-speaker-adapters/ )
SoundSkins luxury liner pro and MLV sound deadening with custom abs vapor barrier $310.00 (16 sheets of livery liner, 2 rolls of MLV, 2 abs 1/4” capote barriers to replace factory in doors)
Custom 3 way a-pillars $1000.00 (mobile toys - http://www.mobiletoysinc.com/phone/index.html )
Custom box for 2 JL 13tw5’s $900.00 ( mobile toys- http://www.mobiletoysinc.com/phone/index.html )
2 x JL 13tw5’s $1100.00

Total: $6910.00

This doesn’t factor in power wire, speaker wire, fuse blocks, etc. So anticipate for that cost in your total.

You could lower the price by selecting 2 way speakers instead of 3 way, no making custom a-pillars, not using MLV, not using a separate dsp and just using the DSR1, etc. I wanted a top of the line sq system that sounded beautiful so I spared not expense. Regardless, it’s in your 5000-7000 budget.

See pictures. A-pillars are photo shopped to represent the design of the finished product. We are currently two weeks out on these. I’ll post updated pictures when I receive them.

Only other difference in my build is the ZEN A2B unit for factory integration because I have an 18 with b&o which is a different harness and I am running 3 JL 13tw5’s so my price is a little higher.

Mobile Toys Instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/mobiletoysinc/ ) they make some incredibly nice stuff which is why i am buying my a-pillars and box from them. All of the pictures minus the a-pillars are from their Instagram.

Where I got my speaker adaptors ( Mobile Designs CG )

Where I order all of my equipment from ( Bruce Watson- Hush Car Audio [email protected] )



Good luck!


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Nice stuff

Those a pillars are a photoshop. Do they have any completed pictures yet?

Guy said:

Nice stuff

Those a pillars are a photoshop. Do they have any completed pictures yet?

Click to expand...

Haha, yup! They are in the process of being built, that’s just the general design we are going for. I should have the real ones in about 2 weeks!


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Wow thank you so much for all of the info! I really appreciate it!

That will help a lot.

Generally how much can I expect to pay in cables, and for an install like that?

That setup looks amazing. The company that makes those subwoofer enclosures for under the rear seat look great too! I didn't know something like that even existed but that looks perfect. I tried looking up pictures of the Morel Virtus 3-way but didn't find the ones that look like the pictures built into the pillars.

You say you're going with 3 subwoofers... is that enclosure large enough to be to spec for 3 and is 3 better than two? You recommend the 13tw5 and do you recommend it in 4ohm or 2ohm?

Drew1204 said:

Wow thank you so much for all of the info! I really appreciate it!

That will help a lot.

Generally how much can I expect to pay in cables, and for an install like that?

That setup looks amazing. The company that makes those subwoofer enclosures for under the rear seat look great too! I didn't know something like that even existed but that looks perfect. I tried looking up pictures of the Morel Virtus 3-way but didn't find the ones that look like the pictures built into the pillars.

You say you're going with 3 subwoofers... is that enclosure large enough to be to spec for 3 and is 3 better than two? You recommend the 13tw5 and do you recommend it in 4ohm or 2ohm?

Click to expand...

For the wiring, I used amazon, Crutchfield, and SMD.

I am doing the install myself so I can’t speak on cost for that.

Wiring total $600-$700
-50 feet EWCS 1/0 100% copper cables $137.80- I will be running two 1/0 cables from my battery to the back of the truck. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KD26HZW/?tag=fordraptorforum-20
-30 ft of EWCS 2/0 cable for the amp rack $58.80- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0167K786A/?tag=fordraptorforum-20
-Various copper lugs $30.00- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073FBS229/?tag=fordraptorforum-20
-200 ft Crutchfield 16 gauge speaker wire $78.00- you don’t have to run new speaker wire, I am only doing it because I guess I want to make more work for myself but it’s not completely necessary.
-SMD fuse block with meter and ground distribution block $200.00- https://www.wccaraudio.com/smd-products/smd-anl-fuse-blocks.html
-various other things like solder, heat shrink, abs plastic for amp rack, tech flex, $200.00

Again, there are places to trim costs but I like to have more than I need and i like to use quality parts. One run of 1/0 would be sufficient and again, you don’t need to run new speaker wire but it’s all preference.

So the Morel Virtus come with a standard black mesh grill. The next step up from that, at about 2000.00 a set, is the Elate Titanium which comes with the Lotus grill. I really liked the look of those grills more and ironically enough the tweeter and mid had the same specs as the Virtus. Long story short, the reason I deal with morel is 1. their speakers have a somewhat warm tone to them instead of being harsh like you might find in a focal, 2. The customer service is on point. There is one contact for the US, Casey Thorson, who also happens to be the COO of Morel America. I just emailed him and told him I wanted the other grills and boom, he contacted the warranty department on my behalf, a couple dollars later and he sent them express to me. They look even better in person!

I spoke with Car Toys a couple times about 2 subs vs 3. They ran the specs through WinISD and 3 would fit to spec. What 2 vs 3 really came down to was did I have an amp big enough to power 3 subs. The AudioControl 1.1500 that I am using is still in pre-order stage but their amps put out what they are rated at. Their amps are built stout. These subs have a sweet spot at around 500-600 watts each. If I run 3 2 ohm subs in parallel, I get a final impedance of 1.34 ohm. This would be the load on the amp. With the lower resistance, we make the amp more efficient so we start putting out 550-600 watts a speaker which is perfect for these subs. While AudioControl doesn’t rate their amp at 1 ohm stable on paper, if you pick up the phone and call them, they will tell you they are. Like I said, they are very stout amps. Second reason I wanted to go with 3 was because if I wanted to get loud and low, 3 would give me what I wanted while still giving me that beautiful sq sound at normal listening. That’s not to say 2 won’t get loud but again, then general theme of this build is “more than enough”

Finally, the reason I went with JL is that they are rated the best sounding shallow mount woofer on the market from an SQ standpoint. If you read reviews and comparisons, that’s the general response across the board. Second, they fit my application and Mobile Toys builds a large amount of their boxes with these so I know it will sound great. While they are expensive at 550.00 a speaker, I think the cost is justified for the quality of the speaker and sound quality alone.


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