2015+ Mustang Audio Setup ???'s

[Angrey]

Forscan! Much simpler solution and makes the alpine unit rock!

It's looking this way. I'm just terrified of it. I have an N-guage permanently plugged into the OBD. Does that matter? Can someone walk me through the executive summary on what devices to get and what tweaks to make in the code? Or is it easier to find someone else who does this (at a shop)

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[OF5.0]

Forscan! Much simpler solution and makes the alpine unit rock!

While that will work, it won’t fix time alignment, set crossover points, or improve the equalization. The DSR1 can do that.

 

[Angrey]

While that will work, it won’t fix time alignment, set crossover points, or improve the equalization. The DSR1 can do that.

I would prefer to run the DSR1, but not at the cost/weight/complexity of adding another amp.

The whole point of me choosing the alpine powered system was simplicity and compactness (getting both the amp and the woofer in one small and simple package).

I'm trying to get the most sound out of the entire system without going full on woofer in the trunk and rack and a zillion components.

Would there be a way I could jury rig it so that the rear deck speakers bypass the DSR-1 and use the factory wiring/signal from the OEM head unit? I'd rather have it all untuned fully than lose the entire rear of the car.

 

[Cathul]

If you source all the plugs and connectors yourself you could make your own harness.

 

[Superspirit]

I would prefer to run the DSR1, but not at the cost/weight/complexity of adding another amp.

The whole point of me choosing the alpine powered system was simplicity and compactness (getting both the amp and the woofer in one small and simple package).

I'm trying to get the most sound out of the entire system without going full on woofer in the trunk and rack and a zillion components.

Would there be a way I could jury rig it so that the rear deck speakers bypass the DSR-1 and use the factory wiring/signal from the OEM head unit? I'd rather have it all untuned fully than lose the entire rear of the car.

I have the alpine unit along with replacement speakers and have been very satisfied with my system. I have added a dsp but the system sounded really good with just a speaker change the Alpine unit and the bass roll off removed via forscan.

 

[Superspirit]

It's looking this way. I'm just terrified of it. I have an N-guage permanently plugged into the OBD. Does that matter? Can someone walk me through the executive summary on what devices to get and what tweaks to make in the code? Or is it easier to find someone else who does this (at a shop)

Several thread's on here about how to do it and what codes to change. I found this to be the most informative thread when I first got my mustang. https://www.mustangecoboost.net/threads/how-to-fix-factory-audio.14905/

 

[Angrey]

Several thread's on here about how to do it and what codes to change. I found this to be the most informative thread when I first got my mustang. https://www.mustangecoboost.net/threads/how-to-fix-factory-audio.14905/

Jesus, it might as well be in Greek to me. So did you use the wireless OBD connector (which isn't available but I'm sure I could find one somehwere) or is the cheaper wired one with USB sufficient?

 

[OF5.0]

I would prefer to run the DSR1, but not at the cost/weight/complexity of adding another amp.

The whole point of me choosing the alpine powered system was simplicity and compactness (getting both the amp and the woofer in one small and simple package).

I'm trying to get the most sound out of the entire system without going full on woofer in the trunk and rack and a zillion components.

Would there be a way I could jury rig it so that the rear deck speakers bypass the DSR-1 and use the factory wiring/signal from the OEM head unit? I'd rather have it all untuned fully than lose the entire rear of the car.

You could just use the DSR1 to send the front, rear, and subwoofer outputs to the Alpine amps. You wouldn’t need any additional amplifiers since you would use the passive crossovers from the front component set and rear coaxials. This scenario still allows EQ, crossover points (high pass for the front and rear speakers, low pass for sub) and time alignment for the rear coaxials and sub. You would only lose time alignment for the front speakers and you avoid using Forscan.

 

[Cathul]

You would do time alignment to the midbass drivers in this case.

 

[Angrey]

You could just use the DSR1 to send the front, rear, and subwoofer outputs to the Alpine amps. You wouldn’t need any additional amplifiers since you would use the passive crossovers from the front component set and rear coaxials. This scenario still allows EQ, crossover points (high pass for the front and rear speakers, low pass for sub) and time alignment for the rear coaxials and sub. You would only lose time alignment for the front speakers and you avoid using Forscan.

This seems like the optimal trade off. I might drop this off at an installer to achieve as I'm swimming at this point. I'm a little hazy on the layout and whether the DSR-1 is in between the head unit and the Alpine or vice versa. I thought the point of the Alpine was plug and play in between the speakers and the head unit to simply give it some more juice.

So if I'm understanding you correctly, the signal will go through the T connector into the DSR-1 and then the arrangement you described INTO the Alpine which then connects to the factory wiring distribution out to the speakers? Is that accurate?

 

[OF5.0]

This seems like the optimal trade off. I might drop this off at an installer to achieve as I'm swimming at this point. I'm a little hazy on the layout and whether the DSR-1 is in between the head unit and the Alpine or vice versa. I thought the point of the Alpine was plug and play in between the speakers and the head unit to simply give it some more juice.

So if I'm understanding you correctly, the signal will go through the T connector into the DSR-1 and then the arrangement you described INTO the Alpine which then connects to the factory wiring distribution out to the speakers? Is that accurate?

Stock radio to dFO2/DSR1 to Alpine. Connect the Alpine system like page 10 of the Alpine system’s owners manual (the aftermarket headunit flow diagram).

The DSR1 should be set up like this:

 

[Angrey]

Thanks guys, you guys are awesome and most helpful. Thank you for being so patient, I'm sure many of my questions are basic and annoying.

I think in theory the Alpine is 5 channel (4 channels at 45w and one sub channel at 120w). So my question is, does the Alpine sub input need two or just one connection from the DSR?

Another dumb question, if I buy new component tweeters, they come with crossovers, do those need to be installed? If yes, is there an OEM crossover that needs to be removed or is that achieved through the head unit as some sorta filter?

 

[OF5.0]

Thanks guys, you guys are awesome and most helpful. Thank you for being so patient, I'm sure many of my questions are basic and annoying.

I think in theory the Alpine is 5 channel (4 channels at 45w and one sub channel at 120w). So my question is, does the Alpine sub input need two or just one connection from the DSR?

Another dumb question, if I buy new component tweeters, they come with crossovers, do those need to be installed? If yes, is there an OEM crossover that needs to be removed or is that achieved through the head unit as some sorta filter?

The Alpine subwoofer amp has left and right inputs, so I would use them both from the DSR1.

With the setup described above, you need to use the new speakers’ passive crossovers for both the woofer and tweeter.

The 9 and 12-speaker systems have the crossovers (typically capacitors) mounted on or near the speakers. My guess is that the 6-speaker system’s front components are run in parallel. You would need to install the new crossovers just before the point where the speakers start to run in parallel ( analogy alert! think of the letter Y). The bottom of the Y is the output from the Alpine amp. That signal is fed as the crossover‘s input. The outputs from the crossover are then fed independently to their respective branch (woofer or tweeter) of the top of the Y.

Regarding your questions, the only stupid question is the one that you were afraid to ask. We try to help as much as we can.

 

[Angrey]

Thanks! You guys are awesome.

After speaking with a shop about custom rings, I decided to keep it simple and just go with the Powerboost kit. If I'm not going to be running crazy power to everything, there's no need to overshoot and buy expensive components that won't sound right being underfed.

I have to stay true to my original goal which was a little more power, some clarity and simple/compact, so here's what we ended up with.

Alpine psu
RF DSR-1 (with dF02 connector)
Powerboost component set (6.5's and tweeters)
SX165 Neo (rear coaxial)

 

[MegaG]

Just an FYI, the KTP-445U can be bridged to 90W x2 @4 Ohms in addition to running the front stage active using the 45W x 4 option. Either option still meets your goal of "little more power, some clarity and simple/compact"

One option would be to spend more on the front stage which matters the most (investing the cost of the rear speakers towards the front speakers) and drive them with 90W and see if you even miss the rear fill. Some people do and some if not many don't.

I am assuming when you said Powerboost above you meant Powerbass. IMHO, it seems backwards to be spending quite a bit more on the rear stage then the front stage. The Powerbass eases installation but who are the speakers primarily for, the driver or the passengers in the rear? In the end its your decision but I thought I would respectfully offer one perspective. As other's pointed out in this thread there are other speakers that go in pretty seamlessly some which may be more efficient at using the power that's available to them.

There is a way to run the fronts on your Alpine amp and the rears on the factory radio's internal amp but I won't get into it since it does require Forscan changes and a modification of the Alpine harness but neither are really difficult IF you wanted to take a chance on a strong front stage and add rear fill if you actually missed it. I just mention it so you know you have an out without having to buy another amp if you decide to try front stage only and need to add the rears back at a later time.

Some people try to test having no rear fill by running their factory radio with the balance all the way forward for an extended period of time but you are still on factory power so it really doesn't represent what it would be like with a proper front stage. The factory front stage just doesn't fill the cabin the way 90W with good speakers would and its why I think many people still think they need it, the front is too under powered allowing you to miss the rears. Many of the best sounding systems I sat in during an SQ competition last year didn't have rear fill at all. I realize you are not building a high end system but there is something to be learned about where it may be best to put your money. One approach let's you build on an install if you decide to get more into the car audio part, the other approach may cause you to start over discarding most if not all of what you did the first go around and no harm no foul if you never move forward with more but in the long run I believe you will only be as happy as the strength of the front stage. Lots of threads about people upgrading only parts of their system and being disappointed rather then addressing DSP, power, and speaker quality all at once.

I will say this though, I picked up two used KTP-445U in new condition for $65 each. Ironincally, I bought these from an SQ guy who wanted to experiment with rear fill and pulled them out when he decided he didn't need the rear fill.

Although I am setting my system up with more power then these, these were cheap enough that I want to do a little car stereo lab with these and do some A/B comparisons, run with and without rear fill, bridged and unbridged, etc...

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