DIY stereo upgrade for under $500.00

[K223]

Nope. You have to use that Zen dsp. While you can run the stock door and pillar speakers, you will need an amp on them as well. So a 5 channel or a 4 and sub amp.

Seems very clear now.

 

[dhmcfadin]

So if I have followed this thread properly the Sub and Amp I was going to go out and buy to simply upgrade the sub is not possible with a 2018 B&O system?

Yes, you can upgrade just the sub with B&O. Use the sub signal coming out of the B&O amp to supply signal to your sub amp. To combat any eq roll off, utilize an amp from AudioControl that has Accubass built in. These amps are designed to eliminate this roll off. There is absolutely no reason to use the ZEN if you only want to install an amp and sub upgrade. DO NOT try to run an aftermarket amp and run your existing sub simultaneously. DO NOT utilize the stock B&O enclosure.

 

[dhmcfadin]

Nope. You have to use that Zen dsp. While you can run the stock door and pillar speakers, you will need an amp on them as well. So a 5 channel or a 4 and sub amp.

Seems very clear now.

You do not have to use the ZEN for just an amp/sub combo. I assure you.

 

[K223]

First off I have used ForScan to set my B&O sub to aftermarket and I do seem to avoid the roll off before that. It basically has more volume.

With that said are all sub base signals being passed less than 120-250-150hz to it? If you know.

Now I know what your mentioning passed high level signals to that amp you mention. Some will say it’s not the cleanest way to do things, but I also know this and I also know for sub bass this can work well, especially if you have a dsp or amp that can work and convert to low level. But based on my question above could you not uses any amp that can deal with high level signals? Or does this signal still going to lack spectrum etc, coming from the B&O?

I totally understand the Zen route for a full clean rework. I’m just finding this alternate sub method interesting if that’s someone’s only upgrade. I’m between the two at the moment, but may not want to limit further upgrades.

 

[Tonga3]

Yes, you can upgrade just the sub with B&O. Use the sub signal coming out of the B&O amp to supply signal to your sub amp. To combat any eq roll off, utilize an amp from AudioControl that has Accubass built in. These amps are designed to eliminate this roll off. There is absolutely no reason to use the ZEN if you only want to install an amp and sub upgrade. DO NOT try to run an aftermarket amp and run your existing sub simultaneously. DO NOT utilize the stock B&O enclosure.

So my plan was to upgrade the amp and put a new sub in the existing enclosure. You say "DO NOT" use the enclosure. Why can't the enclosure be used?

 

[dhmcfadin]

So my plan was to upgrade the amp and put a new sub in the existing enclosure. You say "DO NOT" use the enclosure. Why can't the enclosure be used?

Because the existing enclosure is only designed for the oem sub. By putting a new sub in an enclosure that it’s not designed for, you aren’t improving anything.

 

[dhmcfadin]

First off I have used ForScan to set my B&O sub to aftermarket and I do seem to avoid the roll off before that. It basically has more volume.

With that said are all sub base signals being passed less than 120-250-150hz to it? If you know.

Now I know what your mentioning passed high level signals to that amp you mention. Some will say it’s not the cleanest way to do things, but I also know this and I also know for sub bass this can work well, especially if you have a dsp or amp that can work and convert to low level. But based on my question above could you not uses any amp that can deal with high level signals? Or does this signal still going to lack spectrum etc, coming from the B&O?

I totally understand the Zen route for a full clean rework. I’m just finding this alternate sub method interesting if that’s someone’s only upgrade. I’m between the two at the moment, but may not want to limit further upgrades.

It’s a common misconception that high level is “cleaner” than low level. It doesn’t mean one signal is high quality or higher fidelity than the other. There is just a greater chance for noise with high level BUT if you have adequate power and ground with low resistance, it’s not something you have to worry about. Especially since we are talking about sub frequencies. A sub frequency is a bass frequency. A bass frequency is just a lower frequency. There’s not a set frequency that is labeled “sub”. We use crossovers to take a full frequency signal and tailor it to whatever speaker we are using.

In the case of using the b&o amp. The signal being sent to the sub already has a crossover applied. We don’t know what that crossover point is but we can assume it’s somewhere around 100 hz. The ensure that we are providing our sub the correct signal, we use the crossover on the aftermarket amp to limit frequencies above 80hz. This allows the sub to only play frequencies below 80hz and ensures the sub blends with the rest of the system properly.

You can technically use any amp that can handle high level input but you should always use a mono amp for a sub. A bass frequency below 80hz is almost always mono.

Not sure why only upgrading the sub using the existing b&o sub output limits you for future upgrades. If you decide to upgrade the rest of your speakers down the road, you just replace the b&o amp with the zen and then hook up your existing aftermarket amp accordingly. You are just removing one link in the chain and replacing it with another.

In regard the the factory eq out of the b&o amp, we know there is some form of bass management but its not something you will notice because the output of your aftermarket sub/amp is exponentially increased. Utilizing an amplifier with accubass or the equivalent makes the b&o bass management a moot point. I wouldn’t recommend forscan in any way. There is no proven documentation anywhere that details exactly what the acm changes do. There aren’t studies out there utilizing oscilloscopes and rta’s in combination with forscan. When someone says they changed forscan to “flatten” signal, that literally means they threw a dart in the dark.

 

[smurfslayer]

Because the existing enclosure is only designed the oem sub. By putting a new sub in an enclosure that it’s not designed for, you aren’t improving anything.

Meh. it’s an inexpensive / immediate option for the budget minded. I guess depending on needs, but it’s either cram an 8” into the stock enclosure - meaning a heat gun, maybe some wrap and a new sub or go full on MTI behind the seat enclosure or under the seat if you don’t mind losing storage area.

I assume there aren’t any significant other differences from the previous Sony system, so yeah only adding an amp and sub still helps, but it’s not audiophile type improvements. I’ve done the cheap kicker sub and kenwood amp and it was a huge improvement over the sony. And the MTI 10” was an order of magnitude better than that so it depends on the short and long term goals. As this is/was the ‘under $500’ thread, I disagree that the stock enclosure, shallow 8” with an amp won’t be an improvement.

 

[dhmcfadin]

Meh. it’s an inexpensive / immediate option for the budget minded. I guess depending on needs, but it’s either cram an 8” into the stock enclosure - meaning a heat gun, maybe some wrap and a new sub or go full on MTI behind the seat enclosure or under the seat if you don’t mind losing storage area.

I assume there aren’t any significant other differences from the previous Sony system, so yeah only adding an amp and sub still helps, but it’s not audiophile type improvements. I’ve done the cheap kicker sub and kenwood amp and it was a huge improvement over the sony. And the MTI 10” was an order of magnitude better than that so it depends on the short and long term goals. As this is/was the ‘under $500’ thread, I disagree that the stock enclosure, shallow 8” with an amp won’t be an improvement.

I’ve always been of the mindset that if I am going to do something, I’m going to do it right. Audiophile or not, you don’t have to spend a ton of money, build something custom, or make modifications to do it right. Utilizing the stock enclosure, in my opinion, is just lazy.

 

[smurfslayer]

Utilizing the stock enclosure, in my opinion, is just lazy.

I agree! you’re damn right I was being lazy, but there was also a substantial amount of apportioning money for other projects, and I really lacked a ‘plan’ for my audio when I started. I did look at some online ‘building a sub enclosure’ and assessed it was something best left to professionals or even amateurs possessing of more craftsmanship and skill than me.

Of course, if I had it to do again, I’d plan first, pick components and go. buy once, cry once.