Explorer Audio upgrade(s)

[willied]

Sorry, I missed that question. No, there is not an update yet. So many other projects have my attention right now.

I hear ya. Just let us know if you ever get to it.

 

[JarHead1833]

I installed the Rockford fosgate 8 inch p3s shallow mount sub in my sport yesterday. It took me about an hour or so. Not to difficult of a project. I filled the box with polyfill to make the sub think it has more space. Sound wise it is a little tighter bass. Not really any louder bass wise, ford did a great job with the factory sub. I would love to have another one back there on the other side. I'm gonna see what is behind that panel and go from there.

 

[deewan]

Thanks for sharing your experience JarHead. Tighter and cleaner bass is about all I would hope for with a new driver. With a small factory enclosure and limited power, it's difficult to get higher pressure levels with an 8-inch driver.

The more I listen to the factory system, the more I know the entire system prolly needs to be upgraded. But, it isn't horrible for what it is.... a factory system. Knowing the time, effort, and cash to replace everything but the head unit are the things holding me back from diving head first into this project.

 

[JarHead1833]

Thanks for sharing your experience JarHead. Tighter and cleaner bass is about all I would hope for with a new driver. With a small factory enclosure and limited power, it's difficult to get higher pressure levels with an 8-inch driver.

The more I listen to the factory system, the more I know the entire system prolly needs to be upgraded. But, it isn't horrible for what it is.... a factory system. Knowing the time, effort, and cash to replace everything but the head unit are the things holding me back from diving head first into this project.

I will prob be doing a full upgrade except the head maybe next year. I found a great idea for 2 12 JL shallows. Without losing really any space back there.

 

[Jetskier]

So am I understanding this correctly...there is an amp - separate from the head unit - that can be switched out with a multi channel amp (like JL audio HD900/5 amp), which could be used to run new satellites along with a sub like the JL audio stealth box? If so, does this apply to all packages (I.e. navigation/no navigatio,XLT, Limited, Sport)?
Can anyone comment, if they know, the difference between the Tundra Crewmax Limited sound system vs the Explorer sound system? I actually think my Tundra sounds pretty darn good for a stock premium system and I was wondering how they compared.

 

[sciond]

I installed the Rockford fosgate 8 inch p3s shallow mount sub in my sport yesterday. It took me about an hour or so. Not to difficult of a project. I filled the box with polyfill to make the sub think it has more space. Sound wise it is a little tighter bass. Not really any louder bass wise, ford did a great job with the factory sub. I would love to have another one back there on the other side. I'm gonna see what is behind that panel and go from there.

Did it need to be a shallow mount?
what was the mounting depth available?
thanks

 

[deewan]

Yea there is an external amp, different from the head unit. However, I don't remember all the details about the different option packages and how many channels or if it has a sub. It is all listed on Fords site or if you have your Explorer handy you could check it out first hand.

So am I understanding this correctly...there is an amp - separate from the head unit - that can be switched out with a multi channel amp (like JL audio HD900/5 amp), which could be used to run new satellites along with a sub like the JL audio stealth box? If so, does this apply to all packages (I.e. navigation/no navigatio,XLT, Limited, Sport)?
Can anyone comment, if they know, the difference between the Tundra Crewmax Limited sound system vs the Explorer sound system? I actually think my Tundra sounds pretty darn good for a stock premium system and I was wondering how they compared.

 

[deewan]

Did it need to be a shallow mount?
what was the mounting depth available?
thanks

Yes the driver must be shallow mount. Even some shallow mount drivers are too deep to work. I'm out of the country so I don't have all my notes available, but I believe the stock driver was 2.75 inches deep

 

[mwoods269]

As I understand it, the Sony amp under the center console does not distribute full range to any of the 12 speakers so I think you would need a signal processor (I think thats the term) to pull it all together after the amp then on to the speakers which at that point you would probably replace.

I am looking in to this very same project as I am just not happy with the muffled lack of power the Sony has. OK for stock but not OK to the hype it had. Volume after 50% is worthless.

 

[deewan]

mwoods269 - just to be clear, in the Sony system there is no amp under the center console. There is only the head unit which simply acts like a signal processor or preamp. The Sony head unit distributes that preamp signal to the amp in the rear quarter panel. From that amp, wires run to the four doors, center channel, two rear pillars and two sub channels.

If the signal being sent from the head unit is not full range, I don't believe there would be any easy way to combine channels or make a channel full range. Once that information is gone, it's gone. You can't combine two channels (one low end and one with everything else) to get a full range signal back.

It's my belief that besides the center channel and PERHAPS the rear pillar speakers, full range sound is being sent to each door. In the front with a component speaker setup I'm guessing the 6x8 is getting full range and the tweeter up by the door handle has a resistor as a bass blocker to prevent it from being damaged. In the second row doors, they are full range. And then of course the sub only the low end.

 

[deewan]

Deewan,
You seem to be "the man" when it comes to upgrading the existing speakers in the Explorer. I just joined the forum and the Ford family this week with a 2013 Explorer XLT (with 202A package - includes the "Premium Soundsystem").

I am not real happy with the sound quality and was thinking about replacing all of the speakers and adding a sub (8 or 10 inch). I want to leave the head unit (radio) as is. It would be too big of a project to mess with the dash.

Any suggestions you or anyone on the Forum could make would be greatly appreciated. I am ok with adding a sub like the JL Audio Stelthbox http://www.jlaudio.com/car-audio-stealthbox-ford-explorer-ford-explorer-4dr-11-up but am unsure about the other speaker options.

I would like to be able to replace the speakers without having to add an amp for them. The sub of course will need an amp. I just unsure if the radio can push power to speakers with more wattage than the stock ones.

Specs on my speakers are (I do not know the radio specs)
Premium Plus 9 Speak 100W
-2x Door Handle Tweeter 25W 80hms (Size: 1")
-2x Front Door Fe Midwoofer 25W 40hms (Size: 6x9")
-2x Rear Door Fe Full Range 25W 40hms (Size: 6.5")
-2x 3rd Row Fe Midrange 25W 160hms (Size: 80mm)
-1x IP Center Channel Fe 25W 80hms (Size: 80mm)




Thanks,
John

Hi John. Welcome to the family.

I am not sure if I am "the man". Most of my speaker expert knowledge if for home audio hi-fi use, but I used to do car audio in high school. Also, I have only taken a look at the Song audio system in the Explorer. So please keep that in mind. I am not sure if your sound system has the same topology.

As you know, you will need to add an amp for the sub. Depending on the driver you choose, you will need a one of two channel amp for the sub. I would suggest a two channel amp and a dual-voice coil driver. That would allow you to splice into the right and left channels to send both channels low freq to the sub. Splice into the signal would still maintain the full bandwidth being sent to your right and left door speakers, and then having the sub spec amp use it's built in crossover to send only the low freq to the subwoofer.

Seeing as how most of the factory speakers are 4 Ohm, you can go ahead and drop in almost any aftermarket speaker as the majority of auto audio speakers are 4 Ohm. The thing you want to pay attention to when picking out your aftermarket speakers is the power handling and their sensitivity. If you are going to use the factory amps, pick a speaker that has a lower "peak" power and a high sensitivity. That will allow the lower powered factory amp to push the aftermarket speakers easier. But if you want a true improvement in sound, you will need to replace the factory amp with something more powerful.

I hate giving suggestions because everyone's budget and value they place on sound is different. But for a good value, my suggestion of a system upgrade would include:

Front Doors
Rear doors
I would leave the center channel and rear pillar speakers alone as I don't see much value in replacing them. I would leave them hooked up to the factory amp or power source and then add an amp for the doors and your sub.
For an amp for the complete system (including the sub)
And finally for your subwoofer. If you are handy at all, build yourself a custom box out of MDF, cover it will carpet or bed liner spray paint and pick a driver. For true value and GREAT performance, try Dayton drivers at Parts Express or anything there. Don't let prices fool you, most name brands are very overpriced. Make sure you secure the sub box in the cargo area so it doesn't slide around. I like the idea of a sub box because if you need to remove it for added storage when hauling something you can pop it out for a bit, then replace it.

I plan on revisiting my own upgrade within the next week or so to see what options are out there that may not have been when the Explorer was still fairly new to the world. But I think I will be upgrading the amp and door speakers. I'm unsure what I will do about the sub yet. I want it hidden, but would like more than what the factory cabinet can provide.

 

[richardacushing]

I have been looking at the JBL MS-8 Sound Processor. I would like to replace the factory amp with this unit. Take the factory amp out of the vehicle and put the MS-8 in its place using all factory wiring, without adding any aftermarket wiring. Could this be done?

Edit

I have been reading the manual for the MS-8 and it calls for 12 gauge wire for power and ground so I guess that these would needed to be added.

Also, The MS-8 provides 20w x 8 @ 4 ohms.

 

[mwoods269]

I believe the amp must speak MF T

 

[richardacushing]

Deleted

 

[mwoods269]

Yes. I was told the Sony amp is custom and speaks MFT. The signal processor must come after the sony amp and pull together a full range signal. I will be installing an amp off the factory sub line in the rear in a few weeks.

 

[deewan]

mwoods269. I am curious, what is meant by the Sony amp speaks MFT? Is someone suggesting that the amp is getting a unique signal type from MFT that the amp must decode? I guess that is possible, but I have no idea why Ford, or Sony, would do such a thing. Makes upgrading anything before the speakers impossible for 99% of the public.

 

[mwoods269]

Car audio shop told me the sony must stay as there is "communication from HU to sony" hopefully not but hooefully not. Still researching as I would like to get rid of that crappy sony as well. Maybe that pos has gain controls on it?

 

[richardacushing]

This is what I am thinking and I don't have the Sony system but that really should not matter. There are 3 separate parts to the audio system. 1. the MFT unit. 2. the CD/radio unit (Sony branded or Ford branded) and 3. the amp.

The MFT and the CD/radio unit are not one piece but are joined together with cables and communicate with each other. This way Ford can make the MFT independent of the type of CD/radio that is used. But, the CD/radio must be either the Sony type or the Ford branded type for the system to work. The amp on the other hand doesn't really matter since it would only be working with the CD/radio unit and is only receiving audio signals from the CD/radio.

Am I understanding this correctly?

 

[richardacushing]

I took a look at the factory amp. I have the non-Sony 8 speaker.

The vehicle has 7 wires entering the amp.

1. Solid yellow (RF -)
2. Solid purple (RF +)
3. Purple w/red stripe (Amp turn on)
4. Solid green (LF +)
5. Solid gray (LF -)
6. Gray w/red stripe (12 volt radio ?)
7. Black w/yellow stripe (unknown)(ground ?)

The vehicle also has 4 wires exiting the amp.

1. Solid white (LF +)
2. White w/brown stripe (LF -)
3. White w/orange stripe (RF -)
4. White w/purple stripe (RF +)

Does anyone know what these wires represent? And how can 4 wires leaving the amp power all of the speakers?

Edit

Added some of the wire functions. http://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp~TID~125888

7. I am just guessing.

Also added photo

 

[machine4321]

The amount of wires, in or out, does not make sense. I could see 4 pairs of wires being the input. It is likely the non sony system starts out as a simple fron L+R and rear L+R. The out on the amp should have at least 2 pair for the front doors (thats a minimum assuming the crossover network is located in the door to seperate the tweeters and woofer). A pair for the center, the rear could have some tricky wiring as the rear fader only controlls the"rears" (that would include the rear doors and 3rd row speakes). If they are wired in series than the amplifer may only have 2 pairs of wires for all 4 rears.

I cant see that happening as the wiring is much easier if it all gets home run back to the amp. This also gives them the abillity to set the levels and individual crossover points( 3rd row speakers dont produce much, if any bass. They are just for fill.