Another Base Audio System Upgrade Build - Slightly different approach

[wetdog]

If anyone has those back panels off does the seat belt retract un bolt with no electrical connections? I did a rear seat delete and I hate those belts I will never use them but don't want to cut them.
Also how difficult to remove rear panels?

Sponsored

 

[Dmorty217]

Great write up, I commend anyone who does the upgrade themselves and built the box to boot. I went with kicker KS 4” (4), kicker KS 6 3/4, kicker comp RT 12” sub in a down fire box and kicker key 200.4 and key 500.1 and Love it. What a difference it made, 1000xs better. I did pay to have it installed and it was right at $900 for install. I think the sound system upgrade is a must especially with the top down and doors off.

 

[22OBX]

Did you need any new equipment to maintain all features of vehicle, like sound alerts for parking or adaptive cruise? I had my installed and it keeps failing. The store keeps telling me the equipment installed to maintain all factory settings keeps failing. BTW, I paid 800 bucks for that piece alone.

I do not have adaptive cruise, and no issue with parking sensor so far. Not sure why sound equipment install would impact that. I will tell you it will set a code in the ACM when you cut or disconnect speaker wires. I go into Forscan and clear them after reconnecting. What did you pay $800 for?

 

[22OBX]

If anyone has those back panels off does the seat belt retract un bolt with no electrical connections? I did a rear seat delete and I hate those belts I will never use them but don't want to cut them.
Also how difficult to remove rear panels?

Let me check…my panel is still off.

 

[22OBX]

Great write up, I commend anyone who does the upgrade themselves and built the box to boot. I went with kicker KS 4” (4), kicker KS 6 3/4, kicker comp RT 12” sub in a down fire box and kicker key 200.4 and key 500.1 and Love it. What a difference it made, 1000xs better. I did pay to have it installed and it was right at $900 for install. I think the sound system upgrade is a must especially with the top down and doors off.

Thanks. 100% agree on the top down, I can have the top down now and not even know it as far as sound impact. That install price falls inline what I estimated above. Probably $2k installed and you have great sound…better than any factory setup.

 

[22OBX]

Let me check…my panel is still off.

@wetdog None of the panels I removed were that difficult to remove. Just always pull straight out, not at angles. Here is a pic. Looks like it just bolts through body. I don’t see a wire connected here. Probably one at the fastening end, not the retractable end based on that wire that looks like it runs 90 degrees out of the door sill under the back seat. The small one just below my hand.

 

[wetdog]

@wetdog None of the panels I removed were that difficult to remove. Just always pull straight out, not at angles. Here is a pic. Looks like it just bolts through body. I don’t see a wire connected here. Probably one at the fastening end, not the retractable end based on that wire that looks like it runs 90 degrees out of the door sill under the back seat. The small one just below my hand.

Great thank you so much im going to pull the panels tomarrow and be rid of those rear belts,this is what b6g is all about!
Thanks again for being the trailblazer and for the help

 

[22OBX]

this is what b6g is all about!

Welcome and yes, refreshing…

 

[djn3400]

Also for reference, I played with all Forscan settings prior to making my final decision. I can confidently say that there are equalization settings that do help sound, but there are none that remove the factory crossover signal to the rears. BUT…this can actually play to your advantage. The below is a RTA of the rear channel feed. You can see the bass roll off to the rear from 300hz down in the below photo.

Awesome work and great write-up, thank you for sharing!

Can you list what those Forescan changes are that help the sound? I've played with some settings, but they didn't seem to make any difference (and actually messed up the radio operation). I've made several changes for other things in Forescan, so I'm familiar with how to make changes, I just need to know which lines to change and what to change to.

For reference, I have base audio and swapped in Polk DB402's in the dash and Polk DB652's in the kick panels. I'm using the Key 200.4 in Bi-amp mode for the front stage and have time correction and EQ on. I fade everything to the front on the head unit, so I don't use the rear pods at all. I also plan to add a JL Audio ACP112LG-TW1 at some point for the lower end, but haven't gotten to that yet.

I did the pink noise set up and everything sounds good, but I'm wondering if I were to make the changes you mentioned in Foresan and then rerun the Key setup, if I'd get even better results since I'd presumably have a better/cleaner/flatter? signal going into the key.

Thanks for any input you may have!

 

[22OBX]

Awesome work and great write-up, thank you for sharing!

Can you list what those Forescan changes are that help the sound? I've played with some settings, but they didn't seem to make any difference (and actually messed up the radio operation). I've made several changes for other things in Forescan, so I'm familiar with how to make changes, I just need to know which lines to change and what to change to.

For reference, I have base audio and swapped in Polk DB402's in the dash and Polk DB652's in the kick panels. I'm using the Key 200.4 in Bi-amp mode for the front stage and have time correction and EQ on. I fade everything to the front on the head unit, so I don't use the rear pods at all. I also plan to add a JL Audio ACP112LG-TW1 at some point for the lower end, but haven't gotten to that yet.

I did the pink noise set up and everything sounds good, but I'm wondering if I were to make the changes you mentioned in Foresan and then rerun the Key setup, if I'd get even better results since I'd presumably have a better/cleaner/flatter? signal going into the key.

Thanks for any input you may have!

Honestly according to what I understand the factory EQ setting is flat. If you ran DSP you probably are getting the best you can with your setup.

ACM

0727-01-01

X*XX - XXXX - XXXX are the equalization settings.

Factory is 0901 in the first block and if you try 0-8 in the place of 9 (2nd number) you will hear some differences. I set mine using factory settings which should be flat.

You can also try 0900 in that block.

I can’t remember which one, but one of them you will lose occupancy mode.

I’m 100% pleased with how my strategy turned out.

 

[djn3400]

Honestly according to what I understand the factory EQ setting is flat. If you ran DSP you probably are getting the best you can with your setup.

ACM

0727-01-01

X*XX - XXXX - XXXX are the equalization settings.

Factory is 0901 in the first block and if you try 0-8 in the place of 9 (2nd number) you will hear some differences. I set mine using factory settings which should be flat.

You can also try 0900 in that block.

I can’t remember which one, but one of them you will lose occupancy mode.

I’m 100% pleased with how my strategy turned out.

Thanks! I previously tried changing 727-01-02 from the stock 0901-000D-0048 to.... 0001-00D-0048 because I read that the 2nd digit was the EQ selection option like you mentioned and that "0" in the 2nd digit was for "Flat." However, when I did that the radio would only play AM stations. Also, I found that changing the 4th digit from the stock "1" to a "0" is what causes the occupancy mode to disappear.

Like you said, I think I will just stick with the DSP setup in the Key that I got from the stock Forescan setup and call it a day.

Thanks again!!

 

[kreuselh]

By chance you don't have the measurements of the boards you mounted the amp and loc on do you? I'm still waiting on my bronco to get built but want to start building my own sub box. I think I've got my template measurements close from looking at pictures but would like to make sure. I'm going to put it where the b&o sub is.

By the way, good write up.

 

[22OBX]

By chance you don't have the measurements of the boards you mounted the amp and loc on do you? I'm still waiting on my bronco to get built but want to start building my own sub box. I think I've got my template measurements close from looking at pictures but would like to make sure. I'm going to put it where the b&o sub is.

By the way, good write up.

Thanks. Yeah…I’ll post them here in an hour or so. I used chip board to template the shape and then transferred to 3/4 mdf. I made the bottom support angle from flat bar and the top brace is a piece of angle iron cut down on my band saw.

 

[22OBX]

@kreuselh. Here you go. Take note you will have to remove the storage cubby to make room for the amp panel. I plan to form some metal speaker mesh to cover the opening.

 

[kreuselh]

@kreuselh. Here you go. Take note you will have to remove the storage cubby to make room for the amp panel. I plan to form some metal speaker mesh to cover the opening.

Thank you. I really appreciate it.

Sponsored