Center channel speaker

[GTthree50]

Like many have said before, the center speaker ruins the stereo imaging and soundstage. Simply disconnecting the speaker was not an acceptable solution due to the voice for nav coming mainly from it. My solution was to clip the ground wire, add an inline switch that allows me to switch it on or off at will to regain any need function. Leave it off the rest of the time and what a big difference it makes.

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[Carbon Addict]

Did you try replacing it with a better speaker? That's the route I'm going to take.

 

[GTthree50]

No, I did not. Have read about that approach but it seems unusual to do that in a car, compared to the typical home surround system when you want vocals coming from the center of the soundstage. I have not ever seen high end car audio systems use a center voice channel either. It may be worth a try but I'm content with it at the moment. The bonus is it was essentially free, had a switch solderless connectors and wire already.

 

[Carbon Addict]

I'm going to try this center speaker: https://www.parts-express.com/boss-brs35-3-1-2-dual-cone-replacement-speaker--265-388

$11 all in. I already have a Boss shallow mount subwoofer that was under $50 and sounds great so I'm optimistic this little speaker will sound good even though it's dirt cheap.

 

[lemers]

When its time to upgrade all the speakers, what "plug and play" options are out there?

Looking for great sound, little to no cutting and modding, and wont break the bank.

 

[GTthree50]

When its time to upgrade all the speakers, what "plug and play" options are out there?

Looking for great sound, little to no cutting and modding, and wont break the bank.

I'm guessing nothing that will mate to the factory plug.

 

[lemers]

I'm guessing nothing that will mate to the factory plug.

Oh great, so Ford didn't use an industry standard for speaker plugs? :tsk:


Why do manufactures insist on things like that? It only makes upgrades and replacements harder for your customer.

 

[chipmaker]

U have to cut off the factory plugs. And depending what system u have may affect how easy choosing the right replacements will be.

 

[Wine dude]

There is a thread which now I can't find that had options with good fit, maybe 1 extra hole to be drilled and the wire adapter which I think came from crutchfied but of course I can't find it, but I don't think they did the center

 

[lemers]

There is a thread which now I can't find that had options with good fit, maybe 1 extra hole to be drilled and the wire adapter which I think came from crutchfied but of course I can't find it, but I don't think they did the center

Yeah all the stereo threads i remember were complete make over type threads. Head units, huge subs, and amps. I just want better speakers that would work with what Ive got.

 

[plc268]

You could use these and retain the factory plug:
https://www.amazon.com/Metra-72-5602-Speaker-Connector-Vehicles/dp/B016YIFQ7I

But in reality, it doesn't really matter. Cut the connector and put quick disconnect terminals on them.

 

[Wine dude]

Yeah all the stereo threads i remember were complete make over type threads. Head units, huge subs, and amps. I just want better speakers that would work with what Ive got.

There was one that was speakers only, the ones in the door, there was some discussion about the tweeters, the center was addressed as too difficult to get to, and some didn't change the back, and no sub woofer or head unit. They had 2 or 3 speaker options and the wire harness was addressed
Yes, I saw the big modification one as well, but this other wasn't drastic and they said it made a good impression

 

[GTthree50]

There was one that was speakers only, the ones in the door, there was some discussion about the tweeters, the center was addressed as too difficult to get to, and some didn't change the back, and no sub woofer or head unit. They had 2 or 3 speaker options and the wire harness was addressed
Yes, I saw the big modification one as well, but this other wasn't drastic and they said it made a good impression

The center speaker is easy to get to. Open the glove box and the small panel to the right of the opening gets pulled off, that allows the long panel that runs along the top of the glove box and houses the vents and gauges to be pulled off. Once these two are off it is just a matter of gently prying the speaker grille up until the clips release, then pull the grille toward you. It pays to work slowly as all clips are plastic, but I had it all apart for the first time in less than 5 minutes. At that point there are only two 5/32 screws that hold the speaker in.

What I am unclear about is the need of this speaker from a musical point of view. For the nav voice, OK but for music it make little sense. Many others have stated that the vocals come out of this speaker but I beg to differ. Unlike an AV soundtrack where most of the voices come from the center channel, an audio track is recorded in stereo. That means left and right and no such center channel, so this makes me wonder if Ford has any special processing to fake an additional sound channel? In any case, I find it to sound more like I think a car stereo should sound without the center filling in and washing out the stereo effect.

 

[Minn19]

The center speaker is easy to get to. Open the glove box and the small panel to the right of the opening gets pulled off, that allows the long panel that runs along the top of the glove box and houses the vents and gauges to be pulled off. Once these two are off it is just a matter of gently prying the speaker grille up until the clips release, then pull the grille toward you. It pays to work slowly as all clips are plastic, but I had it all apart for the first time in less than 5 minutes. At that point there are only two 5/32 screws that hold the speaker in.

What I am unclear about is the need of this speaker from a musical point of view. For the nav voice, OK but for music it make little sense. Many others have stated that the vocals come out of this speaker but I beg to differ. Unlike an AV soundtrack where most of the voices come from the center channel, an audio track is recorded in stereo. That means left and right and no such center channel, so this makes me wonder if Ford has any special processing to fake an additional sound channel? In any case, I find it to sound more like I think a car stereo should sound without the center filling in and washing out the stereo effect.

FWIW worth, I got an estimate from a professional installer for new speakers, amp and DSP. They would delete the center channel and said it would sound much better without it. And of course the upgraded everything else.

 

[ProblemHouston]

The problem with factory speaker setups is that the center driver is a lot smaller than the left and right and may not be able to reach as low as your left and right so male (and some) vocals will be all over the place. My first approach would be to install a better speakers throughout the car and add a potentiometer to the center so that I can control the volume. Back when I competed in IASCA plenty of guys were using centers but they had level and x-over control of them. Actually the top guys had either kickpanels, horns, centers or used time alignment. The center channel should actually help pull the image to the center in a car. With factory locations you are sitting closer to the driver speaker so your sound stage will be pulled more towards the driver side of the vehicle and the same goes for the passenger only way to fix that is adding a center or time adjustment and when you time adjust for the driver the passenger side is a mess.

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