2023 Bronco Total Speaker Upgrade Notes

[sleidel]

I am happy to finally join this group. I have 2 questions for you jasonstephens37221. I have a 2023 bronco with the 7 speaker system. I upgraded all 7 to the kickers you suggested and both the key 200 and 500. Would I be correct to say I don't need to modify anything with Forscan because I have the 7 speaker setup? Can you share the dip switch settings for your key 200? I feel like my front speakers are bumping better then the 6.5" sub. Thank you for all your help. Great write up.

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[jasonstephens37221]

I am happy to finally join this group. I have 2 questions for you jasonstephens37221. I have a 2023 bronco with the 7 speaker system. I upgraded all 7 to the kickers you suggested and both the key 200 and 500. Would I be correct to say I don't need to modify anything with Forscan because I have the 7 speaker setup? Can you share the dip switch settings for your key 200? I feel like my front speakers are bumping better then the 6.5" sub. Thank you for all your help. Great write up.

Nice! I didn't modify any of the dip switch settings. I did go into the FORScan settings and make the changes I noted to increase the power by setting them to Speaker from Speaker/Tweeter. Also, the Speaker/Sub option for the rears, but believe there was a secondary setting I labeled in Green font that also works. One of the biggest improvements was to turn off the EQ within the FORScan, which really increased the sound. I set the gain to the amp around 50% while having my bass controller knob turned all the way up, allowing me to be able to send as much bass to my sub. I typically have the bass controller knob set around half way, but sometimes I need to adjust up/down depending on the song. As for the dips, I followed what the guy in one of the videos that left to default, which were all down or up (can't remember) with either the first or last dip being the opposite of all the others. So the first four were in the down position, the last dip would be in the up position, if you follow. Just can't remember if it was the first or last dip but all the others were the opposite. Like I said, I didn't adjust any, so if you see the same, you should be in good shape.

 

[sleidel]

Nice! I didn't modify any of the dip switch settings. I did go into the FORScan settings and make the changes I noted to increase the power by setting them to Speaker from Speaker/Tweeter. Also, the Speaker/Sub option for the rears, but believe there was a secondary setting I labeled in Green font that also works. One of the biggest improvements was to turn off the EQ within the FORScan, which really increased the sound. I set the gain to the amp around 50% while having my bass controller knob turned all the way up, allowing me to be able to send as much bass to my sub. I typically have the bass controller knob set around half way, but sometimes I need to adjust up/down depending on the song. As for the dips, I followed what the guy in one of the videos that left to default, which were all down or up (can't remember) with either the first or last dip being the opposite of all the others. So the first four were in the down position, the last dip would be in the up position, if you follow. Just can't remember if it was the first or last dip but all the others were the opposite. Like I said, I didn't adjust any, so if you see the same, you should be in good shape.

Thank you brother. I will try the forscan settings.

 

[jasonstephens37221]

Thank you brother. I will try the forscan settings.

you're welcome!

 

[justjoshinu]

I’m seeing a 2-ohm and a 4-ohm option for the 8” Kicker sub. Which would you recommend going with?

 

[KirchTX]

I haven’t installed an amp yet and I’m new to speaker upgrades but from what I understand, higher end amps can remove a factory EQ curve so it can process how it sees fit but the kicker doesn’t have that capability so if you’re going with a kicker key amp you should definitely remove the factory EQ in forscan.

I wasn’t sure how the kicker key DSP would work if you added a sub so I asked kicker and they said it wouldn’t work right and don’t recommend doing that. I wish they just made a 5 channel amp.

 

[jasonstephens37221]

I’m seeing a 2-ohm and a 4-ohm option for the 8” Kicker sub. Which would you recommend going with?

you get more wattage with the 2-ohm. Meaning if your sub is rated at 600 watts, connecting it via 2-ohm you'll get the full 600 watts. If you connected via 4-ohm you'd only get 300 watts max power

 

[jasonstephens37221]

I haven’t installed an amp yet and I’m new to speaker upgrades but from what I understand, higher end amps can remove a factory EQ curve so it can process how it sees fit but the kicker doesn’t have that capability so if you’re going with a kicker key amp you should definitely remove the factory EQ in forscan.

I wasn’t sure how the kicker key DSP would work if you added a sub so I asked kicker and they said it wouldn’t work right and don’t recommend doing that. I wish they just made a 5 channel amp.

I agree...5 channel amp would be nice! I've had my system for a month now up and running and absolutely love it! sounds so good and so much fun when riding around

 

[justjoshinu]

you get more wattage with the 2-ohm. Meaning if your sub is rated at 600 watts, connecting it via 2-ohm you'll get the full 600 watts. If you connected via 4-ohm you'd only get 300 watts max power

Thank you for the info! Did you use any base blockers for the dash speakers and if so do you mind sharing a link for them?

 

[jasonstephens37221]

Thank you for the info! Did you use any base blockers for the dash speakers and if so do you mind sharing a link for them?

I did not use any bass blockers since I upgraded to the 4" kicker speakers. I'm not sure what sort of difference that would make as I wanted as much bass to come through while on the road with the top off. Its loud and clear, great highs and mids, and those speakers seems to handle all I throw at them too

 

[derichio02]

No modifications are needed if you remove the plastic trim ring around the sub.

I thought this was only true with the B&O system which comes with a larger sub. For the 7-speaker system you would likely have to enlarge the hole to 7” from what I’ve seen.

 

[colonelburke]

Hey Jason, thanks for the info. I dont have access to forscan, but my dealer said they can do it. Do you happen to know what the setting is they will see to turn the sub on? I did the 6.75/Fusion amp install yesterday and just replaced the 4” speakers all around. Thanks

 

[derichio02]

Hey Jason, thanks for the info. I dont have access to forscan, but my dealer said they can do it. Do you happen to know what the setting is they will see to turn the sub on? I did the 6.75/Fusion amp install yesterday and just replaced the 4” speakers all around. Thanks

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/how-to-forscan-audio-speaker-mods.71145/

 

[DeaconBlues]

I just did the same speaker swap on my 2023 Big Bend, and have been very pleased with the big difference it made. However, my battery light came on a few days later and the Ford app told me it was a "charging system fault'. So I plugged in FORScan to get a DTC and was given the following:

I went with the exact same Kicker speakers and 200.4 amp mentioned at the beginning of this thread, with the only difference being a Ford Fusion amp plugged into the factory sub harness. None of the factory wires were cut. I used a headunit harness for the 200.4 amp, pigtails for all speakers, and reused the factory harness for the sub that was on my dummy one.

I'm convinced it's the ACM changes I made and it's as simple as me mistyping a very obvious variable in the 727-01-01 or 727-01-02 strings. Here's what I currently have everything set to:

Any help correcting this would be greatly appreciated!

 

[SkyKing]

Question. I have the 200.4 and 500.1 setup with plugnplay harnesses. When I was doing the Key 500.1 setup (playing the sweep and gain matching tracks), the sound was blasting through my main speakers. But the directions say that no sound should be audible during these steps. What am I doing wrong?

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