Need Mach MP3 info

[kifferarri]

After a few hours, me and the search button have concluded that the thread I'm looking for does not exist anymore
I have a 2002 XLT that had the 6 disc changer and the four basic speakers... That little sucker piled up, so I went in search of a new HU.
I decided to try and keep everything "looking" stock so as not to draw random thieves walking by. I searched and found a 2003 Mustang Mach MP3 radio on ebay. Did more digging and found it would work perfectly, plug and play! This sucker sounds great with the kenwood speakers I put in as well.
After installing though, I noticed that after about 1/2 volume, the radio starts to cut back on the bass. Did some digging and found a thread on here saying it was a normal function to try and save the speakers from wrecking themselves (I cant find this thread anymore it had a lot of good info on it).
What I'm looking for is a way to bypass this function, does anyone know about this? I'm not afraid of opening up the HU, being a licenced ford tech I just need some insight/schematics.
Thanks all

 

[DjDom]

Now that you mention this, I think all head units do this.

I assume there's some sort of limiter on the bass within the radio. However, removing it will blow your speakers much sooner.
The 6x8 door speakers won't give you much bass, especially at high volumes. If you want bass, install a subwoofer. It's very easy to put in a sub/amp in the back, even with the factory head unit.

 

[kifferarri]

I will be putting a sub in, just not at the moment (will be putting a 8inch kenwood where the factory one goes, and will put up pics. Should look damn next to factory ). For earth shattering bass, I know I need a sub (my stang has 2 10 inch kenwoods with a 2600 rms amp in a sealed box, as well as kenwood speakers and amps powering them all. I have done my research and experimentation). Right now I'm not concerned with blowing my windows out with bass, I just want the bass to stay constant. As for speakers, I have already replaced them with some nice high end kenwood kfc-p680c, those custom components for fords/mazda. Great bass until it cuts back on it at half volume. This is the first HU that I have run into that does this (the old 6 disc didn't do it, neither have any other factory or aftermarket ones that I have had experience with). My concern is also when I do put a sub in, it will still cut back the bass still because of the head unit.

 

[DjDom]

I will be putting a sub in, just not at the moment (will be putting a 8inch kenwood where the factory one goes, and will put up pics. Should look damn next to factory ). For earth shattering bass, I know I need a sub (my stang has 2 10 inch kenwoods with a 2600 rms amp in a sealed box, as well as kenwood speakers and amps powering them all. I have done my research and experimentation). Right now I'm not concerned with blowing my windows out with bass, I just want the bass to stay constant. As for speakers, I have already replaced them with some nice high end kenwood kfc-p680c, those custom components for fords/mazda. Great bass until it cuts back on it at half volume. This is the first HU that I have run into that does this (the old 6 disc didn't do it, neither have any other factory or aftermarket ones that I have had experience with). My concern is also when I do put a sub in, it will still cut back the bass still because of the head unit.

Now that you mention it, at half volume, my speakers cut out the bass too.. so I always listen at the 4/10 mark.
Did you play with the bass/treble adjustment on the radio?
Other than that, I wouldn't know where to look in the radio itself.

 

[kifferarri]

Yeah, I've played with all the external adjustments, and from what I can tell there doesn't seem to be anything on the back to play with... Doing a little more research, but I just might go with a 5 channel kenwood amp to power the speakers and sub... Not really solving for what I was after, but a way around it I guess.

 

[DjDom]

Yeah, I've played with all the external adjustments, and from what I can tell there doesn't seem to be anything on the back to play with... Doing a little more research, but I just might go with a 5 channel kenwood amp to power the speakers and sub... Not really solving for what I was after, but a way around it I guess.

Even if you change the amp, it's the headunit that's limiting the bass, not the amp. So you'd still have the same problem..

 

[kifferarri]

I currently don't have an amp in there now, I mean to add one. The amp will also allow louder volumes at a "lower" volume setting (on the HU). So I would essentially never have to go past the half mark and have the HU limit the bass. Still would like to just take that limiter out or disable it lol.

 

[DjDom]

I currently don't have an amp in there now, I mean to add one. The amp will also allow louder volumes at a "lower" volume setting (on the HU). So I would essentially never have to go past the half mark and have the HU limit the bass. Still would like to just take that limiter out or disable it lol.

You seem to know what you're doing, however, I just have one thing to add.
You currently have an amp in the head unit, most likely. Adding a secondary amp between the head unit and speakers will not really help you too much. However, if you add an audio processor in between the two, you would get much clearer and better sound.

 

[kifferarri]

I have never really played with an audio processor before. Could you explain what they are/how they work? Is it similar to a line out convertor?