How do I check for premium sound?

[Quick]

Is there any way to check if my '93 Explorer Sport has premium sound? I still have the original factory deck. Thank you.

 

[coloradobound]

Do you have all the manuals that came with your Explorer? I have the premiuim soundsystem, according to the stereo insert that came in the manuals. Otherwise, not sure how else to check.

 

[Exploder99]

you can pull the speaker and on the back will/should say "ford premium audio" . submit your vin# to your dealer maybe they can retrieve the specs or a copy of a window sticker.

 

[Mike 92 XLT]

All Explorers had "premium sound" as standard equipment. The optional system was the JBL system, which has the sub in the cargo area.

peace

Mike

 

[ChewieM16]

if u do have the premium sound system, i know for sure if u take off the rear passenger cargo-net panel and look in the body towards the front u can see an amp. this screwed me over when i tried changing the reciever. if u plan on changing the reciever, make sure u get a cable to bypass it or u wont get any sound. hope i helped!

-mike

 

[Quick]

What is the point of getting a new reciever if you have premium sound? Do you loose the value of the amp in the back? Or is there a way to get it to work. I have a wire coming off my JVC 750 saying.. "This is not a power output. Plug this in if you have an auto attenna, amp, etc" (something along those lines)

 

[Mike 92 XLT]

Your new receiver will really make the system sound better than the factory one. Now, I'm assuming that your JVC unit has a built in amp. What you need to do is go to a stereo store (or Crutchfield) and buy a wiring harness kit for the Explorer. It should be like 15 or 20 bucks. It will have two harnesses in it. One to connect your new head unit to the factory wiring in the dash, and one to bypass the factory amp, which is done at the amp behind the trim panel in the cargo area. If you don't bypass that amp, your just going to amplify an already amplified signal. Your JVC probably puts out cleaner sound than the stock Ford amp anyway. That wire on the back of your JVC unit is called a remote turn on lead. It puts out a small amount of voltage when the unit is switched on, which is used to turn on an external amplifier, or to raise a power antenna. If you have any more questions, let me know.

peace

Mike

P.S. You definitely don't have the JBL system, right? Those require a different adaptor that lets you utilize the factory amps.

 

[ChewieM16]

i have the premium sound system in my truck. with the stock reciever, it sounded very good. i bought the Pioneer DEH-5200 (highly recomended!) and bypased the amp. what difference!! the sound is crystal clear, it even sounds like i have a small sub in there! im assuming the JBL system has got to be better. its all about preference!

-mike

 

[regassert]

Bottom Line-Nothing beats a good aftermarket head unit. Not "premium", not the Ford JBL. $300 can get you a CD Receiver with 100db+ SIgnal to noise ratio, 25watts+RMS four channel power, and 4 or 8 volt RCA preamp outs. Very easily worth the money. Aftermarket amps will also utilize power more efficiently than Ford amps, fairly inexpensive Pioneer amps will blow your doors off with great, hrad hitting sound.

 

[dennymac]

premium sound

Originally posted by ChewieM16
if u do have the premium sound system, i know for sure if u take off the rear passenger cargo-net panel and look in the body towards the front u can see an amp. this screwed me over when i tried changing the reciever. if u plan on changing the reciever, make sure u get a cable to bypass it or u wont get any sound. hope i helped!

-mike

not exactly true..if you hook up the blue/white wire that was hooked up on you're factory wiring harness, usually to a blue or blue/white wire on you're aftermarket unit, it will work...this is the "remote turn on" wire for this amp..
....but, if you're running an aftermarket amp, you won't want to run the speaker wires out of it and thru this factory amp also...this will cause audible distortion...either bypass it as said before(which isn't that great because of the multiple wire splices and wire size changes) or better yet run seperate wires straight to each speaker from the new amp...

 

[Flounder]

I have a 1996 with a regular system (not JBL, no sub, with autoset button before upgrade). I have used a Pioneer FH-P404 head unit for about a year. However, recently I noticed the rear left speaker only puts out most lows, no highs, and the right almost no sound at all but a buzzing when I put the balance to the rear. I thought it was the speakers, so I bought two Infinity Kappas to replace the back and eventually I'd replace the front. However, I get the same result with the Kappas. I know it isn't the speakers, as they're brand new.

My question is, is there an amp in the rear for the stock system that may be causing this? If so, will buying a harness to bypass it solve this problem? The Pioneer unit has a built in 40x4 output, by the way...

If my car does not have an amp, what may be causing this? It is very frustrating...

 

[davesexplorer]

I have a 95 xlt,(No JBL) and i am planning to have a pioneer head unit installed by circuit city. They didn't say anything about an external amp. Whats this amps rating (If anybody knows), my pioneer head unit is 45x4 power, would it be worth it to put it in.th pioneer has 1 preamp outlet which i am going to hook up an amp and 2 subs to

 

[bender]

davesexplorer-
the factory system has an 80 watt amp behind the passenger side panel in the cargo area, therefore, 80 watts to 4 speakers is 20 watts per channel, your new system is much more powerful, they will need to run new speaker wire or bypass the amp.

 

[Chase47074]

Hey every one I was in the process of putting a new head unit Into my 03 xlt I wired it and there was no sound does this mean I have the factory amp and need to disconnect it.?