Upgrading stock GT350 Stereo and more

[crazyfish]

DO you need to tap into the signal from all speakers (at least F/R) or can you get away with just 2 channels?

Yes you can tap just 2 channels but what I found out today is even the base radio has lots of processing. So if you only tap 2 of the 6 channels you still will not get full 20-20khz range. Your system will lack and sound flat. The only way I was able to get full signal was to sum all 6 channels into a processor then out.

The rear deck speakers are on a 180 degree time align on base system delivering frequencies 500hz - 5khz for fill for front sound stage.
Front tweeters are 5-20khz and mid bass 500hz down. I am sure there is slight overlap but very complex setup for ending up with so crappy performance from stock setup.

I know ford could have done so much more with this setup.

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[crazyfish]

So my system is in and tuned to 65%. Reason is there is so much adjustment available and without a spectrum analyzer you can't get it to 90%+.

Here is my take on the audio system in the base and track car. To get full range signal you must tap ALL 6 channels of signal input and sum them together then out to amp. I have a mic coming and will use an app as a spectrum analyzer. I think this will work pretty good. I used my phone today and it worked just ok. As what I saw the rear channel carries lots of middle signal music info so just tapping fronts sounded good but added in rear and system exploded. Huge difference in sound range, clarity and fill. This is a must.

I built my system with the front to be main soundstage with Hertz 163.5 3 way components. This is my first time using Hertz based on reputation for being warm sounding not tinny. I put the midst in the dash as focal point. Sound is pretty good.

I put Alpine 6.5 pro coaxial in rear deck to add surround fill.

I wanted tight tight base so went with the PPI/Soundstream 13" shallow mount woofers because I have used them numerous times with great luck.

Decided to give the Alpine PDX-V9 4 channel amp a try and for interface I used the Audio Control DQ61 from stock head unit to amp.

Here the take on this setup. Strong Strong Strong. Solid bass with good midrange and decent highs. Audio Control DQ61 took a bit getting use to. Complicated to use. Overall pretty pleased with how this ended up.

What I would have done to keep costs down and have great sound. I would have used Audio Control LC6 interface then Alpine PDX-V9 amp. For speakers I would use 2 way components for front but something that sounds warm. Maybe Hertz, JL Audio or even some Soundstream/PPI. Rear deck good coaxial like the Alpine 6.5 pros. Subs use the Zen enclosure with 2 good fitting subs non ported. Your cost for a setup like this would cost you $1400-1700 and would sound great.

I bit off a little too much but all in all it sounds great. Just so much work. Not an easy task. I hope this helps anyone looking at doing a system.

The Alpine amp is incredible!!!! For the price probably the best power and sound quality. Hertz speakers good not as good as what I thought but a bit better than JL audio. PPI shallow subs, solid.

Just fyi

 

[JN66]

Thanks for the info! Would you use 2 8" and would you have them forward or rear facing for the Zen Enclosure?

 

[crazyfish]

Thanks for the info! Would you use 2 8" and would you have them forward or rear facing for the Zen Enclosure?

I would always fire the subs forward. Low bass carries low for feel but heading at you is better than away especially with smaller subs. I like tight tight bass. Not that boomy shaking bass that rattles windows. I like tight that is why I use those shallow mount 13"s. They are tight but just try to find a good sub that fits the Zen air space specs. Just fit the sub to the enclosure for best performance.

Hope this helps

 

[JN66]

It does thanks! I was thinking about this box: http://www.zenclosures.com/2015-Mustang-Subwoofer-Box-p/mustang15t2ff.htm

 

[crazyfish]

It does thanks! I was thinking about this box: http://www.zenclosures.com/2015-Mustang-Subwoofer-Box-p/mustang15t2ff.htm

This will work. I found these boxes after starting mine. I usually use 1/2" 7 ply fir for my boxes so they flex a bit. I then fiberglass all seams and reinforce the baffles. This has always worked for me but the Zen boxes look good.

Remember the bigger the sub lower the bass. Lower bass transmits further. Just make sure sub fits box spec.

I think you will be happy with the outcome especially since the stock system is lackluster.

 

[SpursFan]

Front tweeters are 5-20khz and mid bass 500hz down. I am sure there is slight overlap but very complex setup for ending up with so crappy performance from stock setup.

I know ford could have done so much more with this setup.

That explains why the sound system is all mid-range. The tweeters blare what should be coming from the door.

 

[crazyfish]

That explains why the sound system is all mid-range. The tweeters blare what should be coming from the door.

Yes this system from Ford is very complicated in design but poor in performance. It seems that the 3 shops in Chicagoland I went to were kind of offstandish on any guarantees of performance. One of their vehicles was a 15 ecoboost mustang premium and they were proud of the system they put in. It was all JL Audio driving 5 channels of amps total using the clean sweep. They said about $11k total. I listened to the system and I was not at all impressed. It seemed to lack something. I asked what they did and they tapped into the front only for signal processing and went from there. I could not give my car to anyone that couldn't back up the hype.

Since I have built numerous SEMA cars and trucks I decided to do it myself. Lots of work but definitely worth the outcome. I learned so much about this car's design, build quality and some engineering short falls.

If anyone has any questions I am happy to help.

 

[wildcatgoal]

Man if you were in Atlanta I'd get you sorted at one of four shops real quick. We have a few really great shops, including the one I moonlight at. On high end builds, we put your car in a separate bay and take our sweet time on it and it gets checked before leaving by a couple guys who have been in the car audio business since the T-Rex was roaming... like back when car audio equipment was actually good. If it doesn't sound good - and it should - then we figure out why. We've redone so many systems from "high end shops" that sounded absolutely hideous, despite having excellent or at least decent equipment. Hybrid Audio is based in Atlanta and the shop they have work done at is superb, as well. In theory you can even get Scott, the owner, to work on your car (he's tuned one of mine) and his brand is the winningest car audio brand there is (in audio competitions). Can't say I like the sound of his speakers (except he Clarus sub!) much but to each their own. He has a demo car that has the highest SQ judging score of any vehicle, so I'm told. You're jaw would drop if you saw this thing. I don't think he'll even do a demo of it, though, because then you're car, even totally done up, will sound like poop to you, haha.

 

[disneyfun1]

Yes this system from Ford is very complicated in design but poor in performance. It seems that the 3 shops in Chicagoland I went to were kind of offstandish on any guarantees of performance. One of their vehicles was a 15 ecoboost mustang premium and they were proud of the system they put in. It was all JL Audio driving 5 channels of amps total using the clean sweep. They said about $11k total. I listened to the system and I was not at all impressed. It seemed to lack something. I asked what they did and they tapped into the front only for signal processing and went from there. I could not give my car to anyone that couldn't back up the hype.

Since I have built numerous SEMA cars and trucks I decided to do it myself. Lots of work but definitely worth the outcome. I learned so much about this car's design, build quality and some engineering short falls.

If anyone has any questions I am happy to help.

When they did mine this week, they tapped into the system, i believe they used channels out, but maybe they did 6? they left the center dash speaker alone, so i can still hear it, obviously not as loud as the other ones since its not hooked up to the amp, its just enough that i hear it still and i think it works out good. They did say they were on the phone a while with ford making sure of all the wires and colors on the new car. It was dropped off at 9 am and supposed to be done at 5, i got there and they had only just taken everything out and wired the output to the line level out processor, took until midnight to get it all done with 3 of them working on it, i know, i stayed and waited for it! in the end, im happy with it.

 

[krt22]

Yes you can tap just 2 channels but what I found out today is even the base radio has lots of processing. So if you only tap 2 of the 6 channels you still will not get full 20-20khz range. Your system will lack and sound flat. The only way I was able to get full signal was to sum all 6 channels into a processor then out.

The rear deck speakers are on a 180 degree time align on base system delivering frequencies 500hz - 5khz for fill for front sound stage.
Front tweeters are 5-20khz and mid bass 500hz down. I am sure there is slight overlap but very complex setup for ending up with so crappy performance from stock setup.

I know ford could have done so much more with this setup.

Thanks

Is it possible to tap into all of the signals at the head unit or do you need to route wire from each speaker location?

 

[crazyfish]

Man if you were in Atlanta I'd get you sorted at one of four shops real quick. We have a few really great shops, including the one I moonlight at. On high end builds, we put your car in a separate bay and take our sweet time on it and it gets checked before leaving by a couple guys who have been in the car audio business since the T-Rex was roaming... like back when car audio equipment was actually good. If it doesn't sound good - and it should - then we figure out why. We've redone so many systems from "high end shops" that sounded absolutely hideous, despite having excellent or at least decent equipment. Hybrid Audio is based in Atlanta and the shop they have work done at is superb, as well. In theory you can even get Scott, the owner, to work on your car (he's tuned one of mine) and his brand is the winningest car audio brand there is (in audio competitions). Can't say I like the sound of his speakers (except he Clarus sub!) much but to each their own. He has a demo car that has the highest SQ judging score of any vehicle, so I'm told. You're jaw would drop if you saw this thing. I don't think he'll even do a demo of it, though, because then you're car, even totally done up, will sound like poop to you, haha.

Hey wildcatgoal, yes this stereo stuff is no fun anymore. Just too much work. I have been doing car audio since the late 70's. Put myself through college doing $50-100k systems 3-4 times a year for CES customers like Alpine, Pioneer, Universal, Orion, PPI and the sorts back in the 80's. Yes back then was modify the space and everything was straight forward as far as electronics. Now everything is computerized and runs on certain voltage parameters.

I own CRAZYFISH creative in Chicago. It is only a part time thing now. I have a full time corporate position but if you look into some of my SEMA complete Vehicle builds you will see why I question lots of others work. Don't get me wrong I would gladly pay someone but I find a lot of inferior talent. Granted I can't be everywhere but I looked at supposedly the best guys in Florida for builds, stereo, etc. And after dealing with them my opinion and levels of expectation have risen even higher. Just lots of money for inexperienced butchers. So on nice cars that are mine and friends I personally take care of those. Last real high end stereo was a friends Ferrari 599gtb that rocked 5 channels and 11 speakers, hidden radar jamming. Some on board telemetry control directly connected into the PCB for engine timing and fuel curves and suspension yaw control over ride. (active engine and suspension management). Just time is no longer available with being in a plane 100k miles a year and a vehicle for another 75k. Time is limited.

Look up CRAZYFISH nomad, ram 3500, past sema vehicles under CRAZYFISH and you will see what I mean.

 

[wildcatgoal]

Best Florida shop I know is Octave Car Audio in Orlando... but then you'd have to go to Orlando. Best shop in the USA, IMO, is Simplicity in Sound in San Francisco perhaps tied with Musicar Northwest in Portland, Oregon.

 

[JN66]

Crazyfish - that Nomad is beautiful haha. I looked it up.

I will have questions in a few weeks

 

[GT P-TREE]

Wish you were closer [MENTION=20297]crazyfish[/MENTION], I'd throw some coin at you to do my system if you were willing Know of any good shops in the Hampton Roads (Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake) area?

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