How many ways to upgrade 9-speaker system?

[MD18EcoStang]

This 9-speaker system is garbage. Amazing that it's actually the mid-level option. The 6-speaker systems in my 14 Fusion and 18 F-150 are so much better. The Mustang system just lacks punch. I'm not looking for all-out performance, just some real mid-range and some actual bass.

I've read a ton of threads and I'm only getting more confused... Should I replace ALL the speakers? Just replace some and disconnect others? I've never liked center speakers for stereo - makes no sense to me. I'll definitely be adding a sub, and there's also the Forscan EQ disable I've read about. Other than for a sub, I don't see myself adding amplification. Suggestions? I can do the install myself, and looking to keep total expenses under $500 excluding the sub.

Sponsored

 

[MD18EcoStang]

Btw, a sub will be the last thing I add, so the goal is to improve the full range of the system BEFORE adding a sub. In my mind, the sub fills in the low end that the other speakers can't quite reach.

 

[br_an]

Alternatively, switch to using only the AM band and the lackluster quality issues become moot.

 

[PoCoBob]

I changed all the speakers except the two on the A pillars. I went with Kenwoods which was what Crutchfield recommended if doing a speaker only swap. The 3 1/2" factory speakers are garbage, the 6" in the lower doors aren't bad from the factory and the two on the deck lid are also garbage. I'm still undecided if I needed to change the ones in the lower doors or not. It sounds a lot better now when the car is shut off, as soon as you start the car the tone of the exhaust drowns out most of the bass. I think you'll be chasing that issue unless you do a sub.

I did the Forscan equalizer thing and drove with it that way for about four months. Then one day I put it back to the stock settings and I couldn't tell any difference so I left it set to stock. Maybe the system still isn't good enough for that to make any difference in the sound quality or my 63 year old ears are the problem. But I'm done fiddling with it. I wish I had got the B&O system but I didn't and I'm not spending any more money on it than I already have.

 

[demon67]

I'm starting with the 3.5"s in the door and will replace more if needed. I'm also planning to place a sub in the trunk which will help tremendously. Like you, I've read conflicting information about not replacing the tweeters or the 6.5"s in the door. I am going to take it one at a time and play it by ear (pun intended)

I've already used Forscan to wipe the equalizer preset and be able to use the rear signals for the future amp / sub.

 

[Mike Pfeifer]

Here’s what my experience has been. Got my mustang in late March and came from a MINI with Harman Kardon system. Immediately noted the 9 speaker system was not good as it was. I read a bunch about it, lots of conflicting info, as you probably already know. I felt the midrange was really messed up, not exactly sure how. I ended up buying the PowerBass OE replacement kit that was designed for the 6 speaker system. It consists of a 4 ohm lower door woofer and a 4 ohm A pillar tweeter. I replaced them and gave it a few weeks to get an idea what was different. I was still not satisfied. The midrange problem was still there. Not sure if the bass was any better, frequency response wise, but it was way worse dynamics wise. In fact it was having a weird “plopping” sound during sharp transients, like a quick bass drum. This around 20-22 on the volume. Sounded like the amp was falling over on those bass hits and that wasn’t like that before. I ended up getting an OBD USB adapter and setting up ForScan so I could modify my DRL lights and while I was in there did the “EQ Flatten” mod that people mentioned a few times in other threads. I was skeptical as to what it would do as there was a lot of guessing as to what was really happening when turning it off and why. What a difference! This absolutely changed the entire thing for me. I was considering gutting the entire system and rolling my own amps and DSP. Now I’m actually pretty happy with it, with the understanding it still needs a sub.

But…

The issue of the plopping bass was still there. I had this suspicion digging at the back of my brain about the impedance of the speakers. See, the tweeters are 8 ohm from the factory and the replacements are 4 ohm. The factory 8 ohm tweeters are wired in parallel with the 3.5 which are also 8 ohm, bring the total circuit impedance to 4 ohms. The replaced tweeter, being 4 ohms brings the circuit to 2.667 ohms instead. I wasn’t sure if this really had any effect at the volume and frequencies being used, but decided to swap the factory tweeters back in just to see. The plopping bass was gone! So the impedance mismatch of a separate amp output channel definitely caused a problem in the woofer channels. I only have a basic understanding of how audio amplifiers work, but I suspect the amps power supply circuit is not robust enough.

So, I would suggest to do the EQ thing first before doing anything with speakers and give it a few days. If replacing speakers, keep the impedance in mind and do not deviate from factory. This means if you replace the 3.5s, you should disconnect the A pillar tweeters to keep the impedance at 4 ohms (good luck finding an 8 ohm 3.5 inch replacement speaker or tweeter). I have yet to add a sub, but it’s on my list. I also want to replace the rear deck speakers as I think there is some improvement available there.

Good luck.

 

[GTthree50]

My attempt for better sound conceptually involved new everything. I began with new drivers up front. Morel Virtus 603, and swapped some old Boston Pros I had laying around in the rear deck. That second part was likely a waste of time (maybe Forescan tweaks could improve) but the front in conjunction with disconnecting the idiotic center speaker made a tremendous difference. So much so that adding higher powered amps and a sub have not seemed like much of a priority.

 

[LFG_Cory]

I am in the process of upgrading the 9 speaker system. I disconnected the center speaker. Over the weekend I did the FORscan EQ 0000 31 and it made a considerable difference in the clarity of the stock speakers. If you're keeping the stock speakers and adding an amp/sub, this may be the way to go. The stock speakers sound much much better after doing the FORscan.

I am replacing the 3 component doors with Focal https://www.focal.com/en/car-audio/...ons/performance/access/component-kits/165-as3

The rear deck with Focal 165AC

Rockford 1000W 5 channel amp

Audio Control LC7i

Kicker https://www.crutchfield.com/p_20648TP102/Kicker-48TRTP102.html?tp=112

Sponsored