DIY stereo upgrade for under $500.00

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Have you utilized an oscilloscope and rta to determine total harmonic distortion, signal to noise, and intermodulation distortion out of the factory headunit in non-amplified trucks?

Coming from a background in audio competition and never taking anything but 1st place, the words “Have you utilized an oscilloscope and rta to determine total harmonic distortion, signal to noise, and inter modulation distortion” is simply MUSIC TO MY EARS!!!!
 

ljn21

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Not very good with car audio so forgive a couple more basic questions...I read through a bunch of pages in this thread and others but am still a little confused...


For the sub itself...thoughts in Kicker 43CWRT82 or 81 (300/600watts, 30hz bottom) vs Pioneer TS-A2000LD2 (250/700 watts, 30hz bottom)? Will be running whichever one with a JL JX500/1d that I have.

For connecting the amp and sub...get the power amd ground for the amp...but how do you connect the input to the amp? Is there an adapter that you plug into the BO wire connector or do you have to cut the plug off or? Same Q to run from the new amp to the sub enclosure...adapter harnesss or ? And again same Q on hooking up new sub, does the OE BO plug just connect to the new sub or is it loose wires already or cut the plug off or...

Confused here as you can see :)

I have a 19 802A with B&O.
 

goblues38

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For the sub itself...thoughts in Kicker 43CWRT82 or 81 (300/600watts, 30hz bottom) vs Pioneer TS-A2000LD2 (250/700 watts, 30hz bottom)? Will be running whichever one with a JL JX500/1d that I have.

Speakers are a personal choice. Find a shop and listen to them. From my perspective, Pioneer is not traditionally known as a good speaker company. JL, Focal are more logical choice for subs.

For connecting the amp and sub...get the power amd ground for the amp...but how do you connect the input to the amp? Is there an adapter that you plug into the BO wire connector or do you have to cut the plug off or? Same Q to run from the new amp to the sub enclosure...adapter harnesss or ? And again same Q on hooking up new sub, does the OE BO plug just connect to the new sub or is it loose wires already or cut the plug off or...

Because you have a B&O system, you are in a bit of a spot. Especially when it comes to adding a sub. The B&O systems has crazy aggressive bass management in place to keep Ford from having blown speakers come in for warranty work all the time. So as you turn the volume up, the bass goes down.

These means you really have no place to take a signal for the sub. And high level inputs are bad anyway.

So you are forced with the B&O system to use the ZEN A2B device that plugs into the factory can bus. The good news is, it is all digital, no signal processing at all. so you defeat the bass management.

The bad news is, you have to remove the stock amp, which means your mono amp will not be enough, you need an additional 4 channel amp for the front and rear doors, and at minimum you need to replace the speakers in the front doors and tweeters in the a pillars. You could leave the rear doors stock, but why at this point.

With the B&O system, you are looking at replacing it all, or dont do it scenario, which makes the price to play start at around $2,000+ IF you know how to do it yourself. $3,000+ if you have to pay someone to do it for you.
 

ljn21

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Speakers are a personal choice. Find a shop and listen to them. From my perspective, Pioneer is not traditionally known as a good speaker company. JL, Focal are more logical choice for subs.



Because you have a B&O system, you are in a bit of a spot. Especially when it comes to adding a sub. The B&O systems has crazy aggressive bass management in place to keep Ford from having blown speakers come in for warranty work all the time. So as you turn the volume up, the bass goes down.

These means you really have no place to take a signal for the sub. And high level inputs are bad anyway.

So you are forced with the B&O system to use the ZEN A2B device that plugs into the factory can bus. The good news is, it is all digital, no signal processing at all. so you defeat the bass management.

The bad news is, you have to remove the stock amp, which means your mono amp will not be enough, you need an additional 4 channel amp for the front and rear doors, and at minimum you need to replace the speakers in the front doors and tweeters in the a pillars. You could leave the rear doors stock, but why at this point.

With the B&O system, you are looking at replacing it all, or dont do it scenario, which makes the price to play start at around $2,000+ IF you know how to do it yourself. $3,000+ if you have to pay someone to do it for you.

Are you sure? At least one person in this other thread seems to have done it with a 2018 BO.
https://www.fordraptorforum.com/threads/kicker-sub-upgrade.71923/

How about using a L2Ci to remove the signal processing,

Edit- sorry, dont want to across condescending, just confused now between the two threads...
 

dhmcfadin

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dhmcfadin

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Got it. Thx for confirming. Not too keen on doing any cutting or splicing. Was hoping there would be adapter harnesses available to avoid the cutting.
There isn’t one with that method. You will have to cut the sub connector off and solder on the leads to the lc2i.
 

goblues38

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Are you sure? At least one person in this other thread seems to have done it with a 2018 BO.
https://www.fordraptorforum.com/threads/kicker-sub-upgrade.71923/

How about using a L2Ci to remove the signal processing,

Edit- sorry, dont want to across condescending, just confused now between the two threads...


as stated..it is a cheap band aid way to do it. Doing it that way you are still dealing with the crappy B&O bass management strategy and high level inputs are bad.

signal processing is what it is. you are using an algorithm to make up information that is not there. not my idea of music and i stay away from it at all costs.
 

Tr4ckD4ys

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So tired of the B&O system once you hit 16+ on the volume knob... my iPhone plays better music at this level than the truck. Gonna change some things out tomorrow with a local shop - following some folks recommendations on the pioneer equipment and kicker subs.
 
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