Advice for Adding an Amp for Mids/highs

[Kbobk]

I have searched and read and read some more but would really appreciate someones advice on what the current best practice is for amping the door speakers/A-pillar tweet?

Truck is a 2018 w/ the B&O option.

I swapped out all the factory speakers w/ the Pioneer replacements and have been running them off the factory amp. I have a small amp driving a 12" under the seat which works fine. My issue is the mids/highs sound so flat and don't get very loud.

I have read about the using ForScan to switch a line out (I have ForScan and don't have a problem making doing this change), but then it seems you need to add a processor as well. I am keen to keep it as simple as possible, but it hurt my ears how uncrisp and flat the system sounds.

I am leaning toward buying a decent 5 channel amp and running all the mids/highs and the sub off a single amp. But I am not sure if the LOC are working well enough, or if doing the ForScan change is the better route. I don't want the factory system to clip the highs/lows as I turn it up.

Can anyone who has gone down this path chime in and help point me in the right direction?

 

[Guy]

As you may know I did similar. Changed the speakers and redid the factory sub.

I have a 17 with a Sony. It sounds much better but the issue is of course the signal.

It sounds like a major project to get the other speakers set up with an amp...

The easiest way seems to be a signal processor and then piggybacking an amp,
But to do it has been beyond my reach.

I’d love a write up from one do the experts on what to buy and where to put it...

I have searched and read and read some more but would really appreciate someones advice on what the current best practice is for amping the door speakers/A-pillar tweet?

Truck is a 2018 w/ the B&O option.

I swapped out all the factory speakers w/ the Pioneer replacements and have been running them off the factory amp. I have a small amp driving a 12" under the seat which works fine. My issue is the mids/highs sound so flat and don't get very loud.

I have read about the using ForScan to switch a line out (I have ForScan and don't have a problem making doing this change), but then it seems you need to add a processor as well. I am keen to keep it as simple as possible, but it hurt my ears how uncrisp and flat the system sounds.

I am leaning toward buying a decent 5 channel amp and running all the mids/highs and the sub off a single amp. But I am not sure if the LOC are working well enough, or if doing the ForScan change is the better route. I don't want the factory system to clip the highs/lows as I turn it up.

Can anyone who has gone down this path chime in and help point me in the right direction?

 

[Kbobk]

I am also considering the PAC AmpPro, but just spoke with their tech support and they haven't confirmed if it will work with the 2018 B&O. I am not sure if it is really any different from the 2017 Sony. As the Sony is confirmed that it works. Another option is the Rockford DRS1. The DRS1 takes the input from most any source (RCA, Speaker, etc) and adds a DSP before it goes to the amp.

I have looked through the F150 forums too and can't seem to find a clear cut answer on the best way forward to add an amp for the mids/highs. It shouldn't be this hard to get a decent sounding stereo...

 

[Guy]

Right....

But if I understand it correctly....

For a signal processor to then go to an amp.... you have to tear apart the dash, grab the signal, and then amplify it on the other end?

In my simple mind.... I’d like to be able to grab the signal either going into the Sony amp or coming out of the Sony amp, hit a DSP... amp it... and then grab the existing speaker wires in the same location and supply the doors, dash, center.... so the only wire pull is the power cable for the dsp and amp....

But I get the hunch that realistically it’ll still sound crummy. I need to hear from folks know more. I could handle that job.... but I’m not ripping apart the dash and running wire bundles.... not worth all that to me.

I am also considering the PAC AmpPro, but just spoke with their tech support and they haven't confirmed if it will work with the 2018 B&O. I am not sure if it is really any different from the 2017 Sony. As the Sony is confirmed that it works. Another option is the Rockford DRS1. The DRS1 takes the input from most any source (RCA, Speaker, etc) and adds a DSP before it goes to the amp.

I have looked through the F150 forums too and can't seem to find a clear cut answer on the best way forward to add an amp for the mids/highs. It shouldn't be this hard to get a decent sounding stereo...

 

[Kbobk]

Right....

But if I understand it correctly....

For a signal processor to then go to an amp.... you have to tear apart the dash, grab the signal, and then amplify it on the other end?

In my simple mind.... I’d like to be able to grab the signal either going into the Sony amp or coming out of the Sony amp, hit a DSP... amp it... and then grab the existing speaker wires in the same location and supply the doors, dash, center.... so the only wire pull is the power cable for the dsp and amp....

But I get the hunch that realistically it’ll still sound crummy. I need to hear from folks know more. I could handle that job.... but I’m not ripping apart the dash and running wire bundles.... not worth all that to me.

I am pretty certain the signal can be grabbed at the amp behind the seat with either the ForScan mod or the AmpPro or DSR1. Shouldn't be a need to pull the dash apart.

 

[smurfslayer]

I am pretty certain the signal can be grabbed at the amp behind the seat with either the ForScan mod or the AmpPro or DSR1. Shouldn't be a need to pull the dash apart.

If you look at the for scan sheet, there’s a link to a guy who got this to work and thats what he had to do, tear the dash apart. It would be nice to get rid of the stock “processing”, including the bass roll off but i just don’t know the full effect of updating those for scan settings and doing nothing else.