DIY stereo upgrade for under $500.00

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sean1968

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Here’s a link to my sound deadening album. I don’t show the acoustical foam but here is the link to what I use. Cut it into 4x5 squares and stick it inside the door. It helps with resonance inside the door.

https://www.parts-express.com/sonic...nd-damping-material-with-psa-18-x-24--260-535

https://imgur.com/a/9FQwDIg
THAT is impressive. Nice work! I was just thinking about this because my stock speakers are making the door panels rattle like crazy. Wow!


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smurfslayer

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isnt all a series pioneer speakers coax? not component?

I think what @dhmcfadin is trying to do is save you some money and time here. The a series in the rear doors is fine with the stock amp, and will work if you decide to amp the system later. For the front, he’s suggesting you get a different kind of speaker; a component set with the door speakers and the tweeters being separated. They have extension (?) wiring to better locate the tweets. You would then pull the factory tweets, and use the component pieces in place of them; basically pulling the “front” channel. You get a better quality tweeter and a cleaner sound up front.

This is a slightly more expensive and slightly more labor intensive upgrade, but not terribly so. You can score decent components from online retailers like Crutchfield for a couple of bills. Yes, you bust the $500 budget, but you do that with a sub plus amp plus speakers and adding insulation.

You really need to listen to some music with a complex track, particularly rhythm guitar under a solo or similar. The front imaging on the F150 is very poor. Tracks I’m used to hearing subtle chords or progressions disappear in the muddy signal processing of the (sony) amp and it’s bothersome. If you haven’t really heard a good or better stereo, it’s difficult to understand some of this and to be fair, coax’s are “good enough” if that’s all you’re planning on doing. But, if you are going to do an amp / signal processor - and it will make the truck stereo sound a world better - component sets will produce far better sound.
 

dhmcfadin

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I think what @dhmcfadin is trying to do is save you some money and time here. The a series in the rear doors is fine with the stock amp, and will work if you decide to amp the system later. For the front, he’s suggesting you get a different kind of speaker; a component set with the door speakers and the tweeters being separated. They have extension (?) wiring to better locate the tweets. You would then pull the factory tweets, and use the component pieces in place of them; basically pulling the “front” channel. You get a better quality tweeter and a cleaner sound up front.

This is a slightly more expensive and slightly more labor intensive upgrade, but not terribly so. You can score decent components from online retailers like Crutchfield for a couple of bills. Yes, you bust the $500 budget, but you do that with a sub plus amp plus speakers and adding insulation.

You really need to listen to some music with a complex track, particularly rhythm guitar under a solo or similar. The front imaging on the F150 is very poor. Tracks I’m used to hearing subtle chords or progressions disappear in the muddy signal processing of the (sony) amp and it’s bothersome. If you haven’t really heard a good or better stereo, it’s difficult to understand some of this and to be fair, coax’s are “good enough” if that’s all you’re planning on doing. But, if you are going to do an amp / signal processor - and it will make the truck stereo sound a world better - component sets will produce far better sound.

Either way, I would strongly advise against coax in the front doors regardless of your past exposure to anything sound quality. Installing tweeters is very easy to do and you will absolutely benefit from having higher quality speakers in the doors and a-pillars despite the oem tweeter positioning. Grab a good set of components. For your price range, the Morel Maximo 6 are a phenomenal value. Amp or no amp, a good set of components in the factory location will sound night and day different.
 

amg55driver

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I am no where near audiophile like you folks... haha hell if i change these speakes to Dual walmart specials, i would be like “danggg it sounds good....” hahaha

I listen to pop2k, coffee house, and hip hop nation. Hahhahahahahh
 

lawdog

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You shouldn't need the crossover in a B&O, maybe with the Sony. In the B&O, the tweeters come directly off the amp with their own sognal, not split/crossed over with the mid-bass 6x9 in the door.
 

dhmcfadin

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You shouldn't need the crossover in a B&O, maybe with the Sony. In the B&O, the tweeters come directly off the amp with their own sognal, not split/crossed over with the mid-bass 6x9 in the door.

With b&o, the tweeters come from the headunit not the amp. Use the provided crossovers inline with each tweeter. There is a cubby below each a-pillar for the crossover.
 
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