GT350 9 Speaker Upgrade

[thill444]

Yep, another one of those threads. I have owned my GT350 since November and love the car. We all get it, the sound of the engine is intoxicating. And I do love the sound the engine makes But I also love audio too and for much of the year I am not running with the windows down (I have dedicated winter and summer tires and drive the car year round).

As much as I love my GT350 (it's an 18 with the electronics package, so the 9 speaker system) I hate the sound system. It's downright terrible. No mids. No sub so no bass.

I am not a bass head but I like clean and clear sound and I like good mid bass.

For the record, I am a big home theater nut. Built mine own with 13 speaker ATMOS setup and 2 big subs, butt shakers, and lots of amps. I use EQ and am a fan or REW. Not really an expert in the car audio world but I can learn.. But I am a big fan of EQ. It can make or break a good system.

TLDR section :
I have been considering options (I am planning on installing it myself) and here is where I am. Would love some thoughts and opinions from the group, especially anyone who has gone down this path and determined it's worth it or not.

Option 1. Barebones. Get a good LOC, a decent mono amp, and 2 decent 6.5" subwoofers for the rear deck. Lots of=people have done this (Autofanatic had a big video for his GT350 before it was taken down). All in around $350. I would lose the rear fill speakers but I am fine with that. Pros. It's the least expensive option. Cons. I still have crappy stock speakers but this might be "good enough".

Option 2. All in option. New 3 way speakers ($300-400). 8 channel DSP (DSR1) + 2 amps. 2 6.5" rear subs. I am ditching the rear fill speakers for subs, and ditching the center channel. With proper harnesses, accessories, etc this is the most expensive and will be just under $1K all in. Pros = mid, tweet, subs all active system. Cons = $$. Will it be worth it?

Option 3. Halfway there model with room to grow. New 3 way speakers ($300-400 range) and 6 channel DSP+amp combo ($300-400 range) or DSR1 and a 5 channel amp. No rear subs for now. It would be all about the front sound stage. Kill the center channel. I can add the rear subs later and an additional amp. Price = $700-750ish. Pros = All active tweet, mid system with full EQ. Leaves me with room to grow later. Cons = no bass.

Option 4. Another option I am really toying with is ditching the 3 way and going with a 2 way component system + DSR or some other DSP + amps, and then the rear subs + accessories. This reduces speaker cost and amp cost and puts me right around $700ish. Pros = all active system with EQ, cheaper than 3 way. Cons = no 3.5" mid driver.

I toyed with the idea of just going 2 or 3 way component speaker and ditching the DSP. Just go LOC to amp. I just know me and, while I am sure it would be better than stock, I want the EQ options that a DSP brings.

Personally I am leaning option 3 or 4. I need some help deciding between a 2 or 3 way. Also I know some people will advocate for a dedicate sub in the back but think the dual 6.5" rear deck subs are more than enough for me and it greatly keeps the price down.

Sorry for the book. Hopefully this helps others but I value opinions and thoughts.

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[thill444]

So I am going to share some more thoughts. I have tried JL Audio component speakers on several cars now and just did not love them. They were the midrange in terms of cost and model lineup. I also have sampled a few of the Focal mid line speakers and find them similar to JL Audio in that they are more in your face.

I have installed silk dome tweeters most recently in our Wrangler and in an ND Miata (that got traded in for the GT350). I prefer a more laid back sound and not quite as forward.

I have heard Hertz in the past and they were more top choice until I scored a crazy deal on some JL Audio C-5 650's. But I have been reading tons of good things about Morel and it seems that their sound signature lines up exactly with my tastes (they tend to favor midbass and are a more laid back tweeter).

Any thoughts on Morel? My concern is I would need to go 2-way and then find a 3-4" midbass component speaker that will work. I think I may have found a few options as long as they can fit. I really want to keep the midrange 3.5" speaker a woofer (not a 2 way /coax with a tweeter). Adding another tweeter to me seems counterproductive although I might be able to just tune it out.

 

[JZTRK]

In my 2016 gt350 I added a pair of kicker comp 6.5 dvc subs in place of the rear deck speakers and used a line out converter to feed a class D amp for them at low to mid volume they were great the second you turned it up on a song that had good bass or a kick drum it just rattled the rear deck and that's all you would hear even with dynamat. the rear deck is super thin you could see it flexing. I took it to a high end stereo shop locally and he said that was common with the S550 and that he recomended a clean sweep for a good base to build on a set of good 2ways for the doors and a single 10'' would be more than enough.
now My 19 with the B&O thumps pretty hard and put my 16 to shame. if I was not worried abut a potential rattle I would pull a door apart to see the difference in the doors the 16 had kind of a hollow sound when closed and the 19 R has a solid thud

 

[thill444]

In my 2016 gt350 I added a pair of kicker comp 6.5 dvc subs in place of the rear deck speakers and used a line out converter to feed a class D amp for them at low to mid volume they were great the second you turned it up on a song that had good bass or a kick drum it just rattled the rear deck and that's all you would hear even with dynamat. the rear deck is super thin you could see it flexing. I took it to a high end stereo shop locally and he said that was common with the S550 and that he recomended a clean sweep for a good base to build on a set of good 2ways for the doors and a single 10'' would be more than enough.
now My 19 with the B&O thumps pretty hard and put my 16 to shame. if I was not worried abut a potential rattle I would pull a door apart to see the difference in the doors the 16 had kind of a hollow sound when closed and the 19 R has a solid thud

Thanks for your response. I’m glad to hear the BO option is better than the crappy 9 speaker option.

Well I pulled the trigger. Morel Ultra 602 components, two 6.5” subs (Tang Band) and 2 replacement midrange woofers from Parts Express.

Going full active with a DSR1 Mustang Maestro cable along with dual 4 Chanel amps. I got great deals on everting. The DSR1 is on sale at Best Buy for $202 and cable was $29. I had some reward zone points and shaved another $25 off.

Ordered the sound dead Ing material and all other supplies at Amazon. Should have everything in a few weeks and I will post results. Watching lots of videos on the DSR1 and it’s very powerful. Some people on this forum had issues but they have released some firmware updates so hoping it works out. If not it will go back and I will either get a Minidsp, or JL Audio TWK88.

I’m not feeding a ton of power to the rear subs (they are rated 50watts RMS). With full active and DSP I should be able to control them pretty well in terms of gains.

Gonna be a lotta work installing all this, but I’m looking forward to it as my day job is in front of computers all day.

 

[Adams]

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/my-custom-audio-build-jl-audio-audiocontrol.139061/

Check out my build for ideas. I’d say DSP is most valuable thing overall for great sound.

 

[thill444]

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/my-custom-audio-build-jl-audio-audiocontrol.139061/

Check out my build for ideas. I’d say DSP is most valuable thing overall for great sound.

Wow, awesome build. You took it to the next level, thanks for sharing. Very clean too.

I have everything ordered. I am going 3 way up front full active, DSP, and two 6.5 subs on the rear deck. I am going to sound deaden and wrap as much as I can in the rear and sides to help reduce vibrations and rattles and also improve sound quality.

I ended up finding some good deals on the DSP, speakers, and amps. If the 6.5's either don't sound good for bass or I want/need more, I will just pull them out and go with a true subwoofer like a JL Audio Stealthbox down the road. In all honesty, I am just not a big bass person for the car but I do like good midbass.
Hoping the Morel components speakers fully active with a DSP fit the bill. I was not able to listen to them before buying but I did buy them at Crutchfield so if I don't love them I will send them back and swap for something else.

 

[UserName]

I run Morel mids and tweets from the Elate series and they are pretty sweet if you like a laidback sound. Don’t let laidback infer they don’t get down though as they will get crazy loud with clean power. The DSP will make a huge difference once it’s all tuned well.

 

[Adams]

Wow, awesome build. You took it to the next level, thanks for sharing. Very clean too.

I have everything ordered. I am going 3 way up front full active, DSP, and two 6.5 subs on the rear deck. I am going to sound deaden and wrap as much as I can in the rear and sides to help reduce vibrations and rattles and also improve sound quality.

I ended up finding some good deals on the DSP, speakers, and amps. If the 6.5's either don't sound good for bass or I want/need more, I will just pull them out and go with a true subwoofer like a JL Audio Stealthbox down the road. In all honesty, I am just not a big bass person for the car but I do like good midbass.
Hoping the Morel components speakers fully active with a DSP fit the bill. I was not able to listen to them before buying but I did buy them at Crutchfield so if I don't love them I will send them back and swap for something else.

Keep us up to date on how it turns out. Morels are great from what I’ve heard. What amps are you using?

 

[thill444]

Keep us up to date on how it turns out. Morels are great from what I’ve heard. What amps are you using?

I was going to order dual Pioneer 4 channel amps (I have used them in the past and liked the quality, performance, and cost). But I watched some Youtube dyno tests of amps and am taking a chance on dual class D Taramp 4 channel class D amps. Lots of power for the money and if I don't like them I will return them or sell them and get the Pioneer or something else.

I have spent many years with home theater amps (very expensive, and cheap pro audio style ones) and my personal opinion is power is power as long as it can deliver the proper power at the proper impedance level. I have done some some big home theater gatherings (20+ people) where we did double blind tests between $20K+ amps and $250 pro audio amps and what we found was that most people could not tell a difference and those and many votes were split between the two. Lot's of surprised people in the crowd when they realized they picked the cheaper pro amp

 

[thill444]

Almost have everything. DSR1 comes soon, but I am waiting on sound deadening (Amazon is taking much longer) and I realized I don't have a 4 gauge crimper so ordered that yesterday.

I am going to start tearing into the car this weekend. Make an amp rack, and get a lot of the connectors soldered and run the power and ground wires but not connect them to the battery or ground.

I care about weight so I am going easy on the sound deadening and just hit a few key areas like the back deck and a few spots in the doors and trunk. Been watching lots of videos on Youtube and have some good ideas on best methods. I did order some speed wire and I will be Tessa tape for some wires and lots of zip ties.

Getting excited.

 

[thill444]

I have the interior trim and trunk pieces all removed. Very easy and straightforward.

My original thought was to remove the factory amp and put the DS1 there. I got the two bottom bolts of the factory amp plate off but it’s bolted somewhere else and I can’t seem to easily find where..

Any tips removing the factory amp? Any tips or tricks? I can easily mount the DSR1 nearby but it won’t be as clean.

 

[thill444]

Got it out but that sucked... But perfect mounting spot for the DSR1.

 

[thill444]

Oh and future reference the bottom bolts on the factory amp were 1/4” and the top one on the left was 5/16. Once you get all the bolts out you have to really finesse it out. It’s a super tight fit but just be patient. I had to use a small ratchet with an extender.

I’m going to use industrial strength Velcro for the DSR1. Or some 3M double sided tape. And maybe a screw, but not even sure I can get a screw driver in there.

 

[thill444]

Made some good progress today. Was able to run the main power cable. I can’t fully connect it yet as I am waiting on a 0-8 gauge crimper. But the wire was run. It’s pretty easy, I had to remove the front side passenger wheel so I could access the fender liner. From there you just cut a small slit in a rubber boot and pull your cable through.

I ran the wire up through the top (there is a factory hole you can access from the removed fender liner and it places the cable right near the battery). I did destroy one push pin (I had to pull like 8 of them), but overall it’s a straightforward job. Some pictures below.

Next I took the front driver door panel off. Man, that was not as easy as I thought. I had one cable that would not release even when pushing in both release tabs. I ended up having to pull some wire grommets so I could move the panel far enough to the side. Also the door release cable (not sure what to call it) is a huge PITA. Had to watch a few videos on how to remove it. Took way longer than I thought but the passenger side will be much easier now tomorrow.

For the good news the midrange 3.5” speaker replacement from Parts Express was the perfect size. There is not much depth for this speaker and I was able to use the stock trim and factory harness with zero modification. Very happy about that. I just had to solder the new wires to the harness but it was straightforward, See pics.

I love Crutchfield. With my Morel components they shipped me the Metra harness that connects to the factory harness and new brackets/spacers. I did have to do some minor mods to the new spacer but it all worked out perfect. I don’t want to add a ton of weight, but I did add some sound deadening to the inside panels for both woofer and midrange, and I also added some to other areas of the door. I did add more after I took pictures. But I’m not covering the whole door. I also used foam to the front and back baffles for all the speakers. I went ahead and put the front door mostly back together but I’m confident everything was wired correctly and I did check polarity.

Tomorrow I plan on doing the passenger side and then get my amp rack painted and start wiring and soldering everything up. Monday I want to knock the tweeters out and then Tuesday get the rear deck sound deadened and hook up the rear subs. I’m hoping to have it all done by Thursday or Friday depending on work, which has been very busy.

More to come! The YouTube videos abs forum posts have been super helpful.

 

[UserName]

I’m a bit concerned that you have the power wire going through bare metal holes. Are you planning on adding any protection for the wires in these spots to prevent the wire from having it’s casing rubbed/cut through and grounding out? Also, do you have a fuse on the power wire within 18” of the battery just in case of a short? Other than that, it’s looking good!

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