2018 B&O Play System

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PyroRaptor413

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1986 to 1989 Ford ****** borrowed lights

I usually dont have my system on because I love listening to all 8 cylinders just ****** the tailpipe...Something GEN2 guys dont understand with that ***** fart of an exhaust. :baby:

Why are you salivating over here in the GEN2 section over Stock horse power, performance, and technology your GEN1 can't compete with but yet you read our posts and daydream that you may acquire one someday. GEN1's look awful, with headlights that were borrowed from a 1989 Ford ****** and explain why the need for the "8 cylinders just ****** the tailpipe sound you desire, much needed sound to distract from its looks. Just make sure you drive at night so we can hear and not see. And the toggle switches with the toggle AUX's by the right knee.......AWFUL.
 
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BBQPorkins

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It took you almost 3 months for that? I can see you're the big toe around here...lol
 

ovrlnd

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Picked my truck up on Saturday and have been testing out the system with everything from chamber music to hip hop, with a healthy dose of jazz, electronic and rock in between. As you'd expect with a fairly simple system, there's not much resonance in the bass or mid range which makes it difficult to balance the sound for a wide range of music. I can get it sounding pretty darned good with classical, jazz, rock, etc. just by bumping up the bass to about ¾ and setting the fade about the same amount to the rear, but anything that's bass driven will get a bit muddy with those settings. Knocking the bass back 2 or 3 notches helps but I think the system's just too small to get punchy bass. Makes me wish though that the truck had some equalizer presets - no love for the equalizer with the kids these days.

I also wish there was a loudness function, since the music sounds pretty thin at any volume level below 15 or so.

Overall though, I think it's nice for the price.
 
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lawdog

lawdog

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Picked my truck up on Saturday and have been testing out the system with everything from chamber music to hip hop, with a healthy dose of jazz, electronic and rock in between. As you'd expect with a fairly simple system, there's not much resonance in the bass or mid range which makes it difficult to balance the sound for a wide range of music. I can get it sounding pretty darned good with classical, jazz, rock, etc. just by bumping up the bass to about ¾ and setting the fade about the same amount to the rear, but anything that's bass driven will get a bit muddy with those settings. Knocking the bass back 2 or 3 notches helps but I think the system's just too small to get punchy bass. Makes me wish though that the truck had some equalizer presets - no love for the equalizer with the kids these days.

I also wish there was a loudness function, since the music sounds pretty thin at any volume level below 15 or so.

Overall though, I think it's nice for the price.

Thanks for your review, and congrats on the truck. Let us know if anything changes/improves after break-in.
 

ss_raptor

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To all the audiophiles can you tell me what are my best options to add some bass to the B&O system? I don't want to start ripping into the sound system just yet, but I'd like to add some very nice bass. I'd like to upgrade the rest of the system down the road on top of what I put in now.
 

Racingislife

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2nd request for how to add some bass to the B&O

I'm in the same boat. The B&O system is pretty good and I could probably live with it with some reasonable bass. Would appreciate some input on how best to add it.

To all the audiophiles can you tell me what are my best options to add some bass to the B&O system? I don't want to start ripping into the sound system just yet, but I'd like to add some very nice bass. I'd like to upgrade the rest of the system down the road on top of what I put in now.
 

ss_raptor

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I'm in the same boat. The B&O system is pretty good and I could probably live with it with some reasonable bass. Would appreciate some input on how best to add it.

Adding a JL stealth box and JL amp in a few weeks. With installation and a few other things, it was about 2k. GUys at the shop liked the sound of the B&O and said this setup should work out very well.

---------- Post added at 09:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:15 AM ----------

ON the B&O system let's say your listing to Sirrus and then you want to switch to Spotify through Bluetooth. When I play that song on Spotify it will not switch the source automatically, I have to manually switch the source from the head unit. Is this normal behavior? I have another car that will switch the source automatically.
 

thinkrevolutionx

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Couple of questions, as someone about to take delivery of a 2018... i've always been a bit of an audiophile. Nothing crazy, but I enjoy a good HT, a good system in a car etc. The upgraded oem system in my bmw was great, didn't need to touch it (light on bass is about it but it was a lease so I didnt play with it) i've got a GMC canyon right now with the bose system, better then I thought it would be tbh, but could stand better speakers.

I intend to keep the raptor forever, so i'm going to go hard or go home. I'd also like to attempt to do upgrades myself, with a DIY ability of "medium" at best. That being said;

I've heard the kicker sub in the 802A is actually decent. For those that have it, do you feel it's necessary to upgrade/add to it?

How powerful is the stock amp? Could I feasibly replace the speakers all around (mid-high end components up front) and still get clear sound? Or are we talking amp upgrade.

Is it possible to "plug and play" an amp replacement - or are we talking level outside of DIY ie; shop work at this point if it goes that far.

I'm going to sound deaden everything as I take it apart, all the more reason that I want to tackle it myself, but I don't want to get in over my head.
 

troverman

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I have not heard the 18 B&O...mine is a 2018 but it has the base 7-speaker system.

That said, I owned a 2016 F-250 King Ranch diesel with the "10-speaker Sony" and then traded that for a 2017 F-350 Lariat Ultimate diesel also with the "10-speaker Sony."

I found the earlier-gen Super Duty (the 2016) to have the superior sounding stereo. For one thing, the current Sony system uses a crappy mid-range speaker and sticks a cheap paper whizzer tweeter on top of it and calls it "2 speakers" when in reality it is just a 2-way tweeter. Of course, its located in the bottom of the door where a woofer might be appropriate but not a mid/high combo speaker. The OLD generation actually had a stand-alone tweeter mounted high in the rear door, and the mid-woofer was located in the small area behind the rear seat back.

The 2017 Sony system sounds OK up until about volume level 15. Then, on bass-heavy tracks the amp intentionally starts soft-clipping either because the speakers can't take more power or because the amp cannot supply it. Either way, listening to music above that volume level becomes very UN-enjoyable.

The old-gen system would play louder without clipping. Neither system was great, but I immediately preferred the old one the day I traded in my 2016 King Ranch for my 2017 Lariat Ultimate.

So now I'm driving an 800A Raptor with the basic XLT 7-speaker stereo, and one thing I'm pleased to note is that you can turn it up much louder without clipping. Of course, there is pretty much a total lack of bass...but that's to be expected with a base system. I could probably add a hide-away sub and it would sound better than the Sony...

As for the new B&O, I wonder if it really is actually different at all. Yeah, different name branded on, but sizes and locations of everything...including amps and sub...are identical. Now, the 2017 Sony system used a sony-branded amp and sub...but the door speakers all said Ford / Made in Mexico...so I wonder.

Last note - many people here have nothing positive to say about Sony in general, but Sony has produced some excellent products over the years. I bought a Sony bookshelf audio system closing in on 20 years ago...with a 3-disc carousel changer, remote control, and double tape deck. The speakers were 3-way including 6" metallic-coated woofers with butyl rubber surrounds. That system sounded (and still does) awesome! Plays loud and clear.

I'd say as most people have noted that we will have to be satisfied with an 'adequate' system in our trucks. The problem is, even though we can explain away the high price for a hundred other reasons...these trucks are high priced. A $60k pickup should have a very good sound system. You can now spend nearly $100k on a Super Duty Limited pickup. It uses this same 'adequate' B&O system. My opinion is that the extremely pricey trim levels should have a truly unique audio system...not limited to using the same speakers and architecture from a base work-truck level trim.
 

PyroRaptor413

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As most of you know, Ford is ditching the ***** Sony systems in 2018 to partner with Harman-owned B&O Play for its upgraded sound systems. Ford and Harman are promising an improvement over Sony, but does anyone know particulars about the F-150/Raptor system yet? I've seen reports of a 675w, 10 speaker description, I'm assuming single sub and a center channel.

I ask because the only hard info I've been able to find on actual components was in these two articles on the debut of the system for media in the Fiesta:

Ford reveal exclusive partnership with B&O PLAY: Your car audio will never sound the same again (review) - FLAVOURMAG

Media Discover B&O PLAY Sound System in All-New Ford Fiesta at “Science of Sound” | HARMAN

This article says the 2018 Expedition will have a 12 speaker B&O Play system:

2018 Ford Expedition Is The Ultimate Towing Machine! : Auto News : Auto World News

I was on the fence about buying a late 2017 or ordering a 2018, and the option for a better stock sound system may tip the scales for me. The press review (shocker) was positive, but who knows. What have y'all heard/seen? Could it be any worse than the Sony?
I hear they are also deleting the ability to decide what color your ambient lighting will be.
 
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