B&O sound system complete upgrade - Done ✅

[Ksjrb03]

Where were the speaker wiring harness adapters required?
At all the 4 inch speaker locations?
The Focal ACX 4” are currently on back order at Crutchfield.
I was considering substituting Alpine S-S40 for the rear roll bar pod speakers
Your thoughts
I have a factory B&O system and plan on only replacing the dash, pod and kick panel speakers.
No additional amplifier at this time. I'll leave the sub alone until I start the rear seat delete.

Correct, the amazon speaker harness is for all 4" speakers.

Crutchfield sends free speaker harness when you buy speakers from them, but they do not have a 4" harness for the Bronco currently. They do have one for the 6.5" speakers, and will send it and an trim ring if you buy from them.

As far as the Alpines, I tried a set from the shelf at Best buy, and was not a fan. They were quieter than the factory speakers, meaning higher volume needed for same sound. Less efficient, just didn't sound as good as the others. They were about $80, higher end models from them probably better but thats all I tried.

Sponsored

 

[PAULWESTSKI]

Correct, the amazon speaker harness is for all 4" speakers.

Crutchfield sends free speaker harness when you buy speakers from them, but they do not have a 4" harness for the Bronco currently. They do have one for the 6.5" speakers, and will send it and an trim ring if you buy from them.

As far as the Alpines, I tried a set from the shelf at Best buy, and was not a fan. They were quieter than the factory speakers, meaning higher volume needed for same sound. Less efficient, just didn't sound as good as the others. They were about $80, higher end models from them probably better but thats all I tried.

Thanks for the quick reply, the Focal ACX are on back order until the end of the month.
Do you have any recommendations for the pod speakers?
How about these, the specs are similar to Focal ACX
Hertz DCX 100.3
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_301DCX1003/Hertz-DCX-100-3.html?tp=102&l=T

Your expertise, and posting all of this information is a great community service.
It is greatly appreciated.

 

[Ksjrb03]

Thanks for the quick reply, the Focal ACX are on back order until the end of the month.
Do you have any recommendations for the pod speakers?
How about these, the specs are similar to Focal ACX
Hertz DCX 100.3
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_301DCX1003/Hertz-DCX-100-3.html?tp=102&l=T

Your expertise, and posting all of this information is a great community service.
It is greatly appreciated.

I have not tried any Hertz speakers, but I know those have been used by others and they like them. I would of tried them, but the Focals had just hit the market and decided to give them a try.

 

[akturbo]

@Ksjrb03 , thanks for the great write up and your info on the other audio threads! You convinced me to add a sub amp(maybe another for the rest of the speakers), since I'm opening up everything to install RSE steps and multi-zone LED lighting I may as well go all in! Now I wish I bought better (higher RMS) speakers, oh well. Thanks again!

 

[MnLakeBum]

Thanks for the quick reply, the Focal ACX are on back order until the end of the month.
Do you have any recommendations for the pod speakers?
How about these, the specs are similar to Focal ACX
Hertz DCX 100.3
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_301DCX1003/Hertz-DCX-100-3.html?tp=102&l=T

Your expertise, and posting all of this information is a great community service.
It is greatly appreciated.

I'll throw in my 2 cents as I sold car stereo equipment for a decade and last year replaced the entire system in my car including high end Focal components speakers and the matching $1,000 Focal 12" sub.

Hertz makes quality speakers and they are more efficient than the Focal 4" model you listed. 92dB vs. 88dB for the Focal. Every 3 dB requires double the power. IMO for the underpowered B&O system the Hertz is the better choice for all the 4" Bronco speakers as they will run louder in what is a very noisy vehicle. If you're adding an amp and replacing the entire system, efficiency is a less important factor.

I take delivery of my OBX with the B&O system hopefully next week and I'll be initially trying to just replace the speakers(no new amp)so I'll be looking for something like the Hertz that is very efficient. You should always match the efficiency(within 1-2dB) of all the speakers you are replacing in a factory system when you don't have the ability to easily change the gain for each channel like you would with an aftermarket amp.

Here's a chart on dB and power.

 

[PAULWESTSKI]

I'll throw in my 2 cents as I sold car stereo equipment for a decade and last year replaced the entire system in my car including high end Focal components speakers and the matching $1,000 Focal 12" sub.

Hertz makes quality speakers and they are more efficient than the Focal 4" model you listed. 92dB vs. 88dB for the Focal. Every 3 dB requires double the power. IMO for the underpowered B&O system the Hertz is the better choice for all the 4" Bronco speakers as they will run louder in what is a very noisy vehicle. If you're adding an amp and replacing the entire system, efficiency is a less important factor.

I take delivery of my OBX with the B&O system hopefully next week and I'll be initially trying to just replace the speakers(no new amp)so I'll be looking for something like the Hertz that is very efficient. You should always match the efficiency(within 1-2dB) of all the speakers you are replacing in a factory system when you don't have the ability to easily change the gain for each channel like you would with an aftermarket amp.

Here's a chart on dB and power.

Thanks for the information.

 

[MnLakeBum]

Thanks for the information.

No problem. Hertz does make quality speakers but all of us have personal preferences and I haven't heard the model you mentioned but I'm confident it's a big upgrade over the Bronco B&O.

The hard part about buying online is you really don't know until you hear the speakers. You can get a good idea by going to a local car stereo shop and listening to them in their sound room.

 

[Ksjrb03]

I'll throw in my 2 cents as I sold car stereo equipment for a decade and last year replaced the entire system in my car including high end Focal components speakers and the matching $1,000 Focal 12" sub.

Hertz makes quality speakers and they are more efficient than the Focal 4" model you listed. 92dB vs. 88dB for the Focal. Every 3 dB requires double the power. IMO for the underpowered B&O system the Hertz is the better choice for all the 4" Bronco speakers as they will run louder in what is a very noisy vehicle. If you're adding an amp and replacing the entire system, efficiency is a less important factor.

I take delivery of my OBX with the B&O system hopefully next week and I'll be initially trying to just replace the speakers(no new amp)so I'll be looking for something like the Hertz that is very efficient. You should always match the efficiency(within 1-2dB) of all the speakers you are replacing in a factory system when you don't have the ability to easily change the gain for each channel like you would with an aftermarket amp.

Here's a chart on dB and power.

This is all true on paper, but after testing many different speakers I ignore listed efficiencies for the most part. The focals were the loudest speakers at set volume level that I tried, but were not the highest listed efficiency. Using them in the rear, and them being louder than the JLs up front at same volume level, enhanced the horrible soundstage in the Bronco.

 

[Sherpa11]

Thanks for the quick reply, the Focal ACX are on back order until the end of the month.
Do you have any recommendations for the pod speakers?
How about these, the specs are similar to Focal ACX
Hertz DCX 100.3
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_301DCX1003/Hertz-DCX-100-3.html?tp=102&l=T

Your expertise, and posting all of this information is a great community service.
It is greatly appreciated.

anyone knowledgeable have opinions on the focal rcx 100 vs the acx 100? rcx is in stock and on sale

 

[Wamland]

This thread made paid for my subscription to this forum 10 times over. Thanks much can’t wait to try some of this out over the summer.

 

[VelocityBronco]

anyone knowledgeable have opinions on the focal rcx 100 vs the acx 100? rcx is in stock and on sale

The ACX-100 replaced the RCX-100. It's strange that Crutchfield says the ACX fits the Bronco and the RCX does not...

 

[PAULWESTSKI]

No problem. Hertz does make quality speakers but all of us have personal preferences and I haven't heard the model you mentioned but I'm confident it's a big upgrade over the Bronco B&O.

The hard part about buying online is you really don't know until you hear the speakers. You can get a good idea by going to a local car stereo shop and listening to them in their sound room.

I just ordered Hertz for all positions except the sub. That may be replaced at a later time.

Three pairs of these Hertz DCX 100.3 to fit the left, center, right dash, and rear roll bar pods.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_301DCX1003/Hertz-DCX-100-3.html

One pair of these for the left and right front kick panels. Hertz K 170. I don't plan to use the component tweeters.
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_301K170/Hertz-K-170.html

 

[BoMiltenberger]

As a total music system upgrade novice what would be the easiest and most effective upgrade?

 

[VelocityBronco]

Ordered the JL C1-400X for the 3 dash speakers and the Focal ACX-100 for the pods (out of stock, but should be here before the end of the month?). I almost went with the Polk DB402 for the pods, and still might if the Focals take too long to arrive.
@Ksjrb03 , thanks for putting in the work and finding a good solution.

 

[roofone2]

Ordered the JL C1-400X for the 3 dash speakers and the Focal ACX-100 for the pods (out of stock, but should be here before the end of the month?). I almost went with the Polk DB402 for the pods, and still might if the Focals take too long to arrive.
@Ksjrb03 , thanks for putting in the work and finding a good solution.

I've done the same. Thanks to those in this thread for the suggestions.

Sponsored