B&O sound system complete upgrade - Done ✅

[zone23]

So I have ordered these from Crutchfield anyone have any input I'm going to use them in the rear for now and if they sound good I'm thinking of using them in the dash as well:

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_20646CC44/Kicker-46CSC44.html

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[Rwhite692]

For those of you that have been using the Kicker Key 500.1 and are feeding it from the line level signals from the B&O sub, aren't you experiencing the roll-off where the B&O DSP cuts back the sub volume, pretty dramatically, at about volume level 14 and higher? I spoke to Kicker and they indicated that the Key (DSP) adaptive function of the 500.1 can't make up for this....They recommended feeding the 500.1 using the front kick panel speaker line level inputs, instead....

The reason I ask also, is because of what I have been reading about the B&O system on the F150 Forums (There are a LOT more F150 users and resulting shared knowledge of dealing with upgrading of the B&O)....and also, this thread:

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/b-o-stereo-upgrade-save-some-money.76034/

 

[Ksjrb03]

For those of you that have been using the Kicker Key 500.1 and are feeding it from the line level signals from the B&O sub, aren't you experiencing the roll-off where the B&O DSP cuts back the sub volume, pretty dramatically, at about volume level 14 and higher? I spoke to Kicker and they indicated that the Key (DSP) adaptive function of the 500.1 can't make up for this....They recommended feeding the 500.1 using the front kick panel speaker line level inputs, instead....

The reason I ask also, is because of what I have been reading about the B&O system on the F150 Forums (There are a LOT more F150 users and resulting shared knowledge of dealing with upgrading of the B&O)....and also, this thread:

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/b-o-stereo-upgrade-save-some-money.76034/

No absolutely not. No roll off to speak of, at least up to 25 or so which is highest I’ve ever gone. Will rattle the windows next to my driveway.

 

[Rwhite692]

No absolutely not. No roll off to speak of, at least up to 25 or so which is highest I’ve ever gone. Will rattle the windows next to my driveway.

I don't doubt that, because the 500.1 will step up the output level.

But, I probably should have added what Don at SGS explained....at Volumes above 14, The Key 500.1 DSP is processing the frequencies that are output from The B&O after it has cut them, along with performing the roll-off of the speaker level sub output level. So, the Key function is trying to adapt to, and correct for, frequencies that aren't there (on the sub speaker level connections) after B&O DSP. This is why SGS uses the front kick panel speaker level inputs, to feed the 500.1

 

[silentd74]

@Ksjrb03
I want to thank you for your write-up and the numerous others here on B6G. I tackled my B&O system this weekend and I'm pretty happy with it. I've been studying for months and finally got everything together.

I went with the JL C1 4" in the dash corners, PRV 4" in the center, JL C2 6.5 Component woofers in the kicks (with the JL crossovers), and Kicker KS 4" in the rear pods. I then added a Kicker Solo-baric 12" (shallow) in a truck box which I modified into a down-firing enclosure (the down-firing version was on backorder). The sub is powered by a Kicker KEY500.1. During the process of installing a Plug n play kits wiring harness at the DSP/Amp I was able to tighten the factory sub enclosure. Mine was barely snug let alone tight, and had a horrible tinny sound.

I initially disconnected the B&O sub but ended up reconnecting and got a little more mid out of it. My only complaint is panel rattle from the B&O sub. When I was testing without it connected there were no discernable rattles.

I'm undecided on the B&O sub. I might add another 500.1 and the Kicker CompR 8". I also have the 1" JL C2 tweeters and mounting plates to try out in the front corners but I kinda like the more 3-way setup I have with the 6.5 woofers and 4" coaxials. The Coaxials and PRV center have a 300hz blocker soldered on.

I knew I wanted a larger woofer but not something to take up half of my cargo space (4 door) and still have somewhere I can set my top halves on.

@Rwhite692
If the bass roll off is there, it's minimal. My sub is set with the KEY500.1 gain tone and I have not added the sub volume knob yet. I don't notice much of a difference between 14 and 25. Without the B&O sub connected, I can go to 30 without any distortion. At 22 the panel rattle is annoying with the B&O connected. I'm getting my signal at the DSP, not it's output.

@zone23
As long as those Kicker CS tweeters do not protrude (manual says they don't) they should be ok. I went with the KS series for more power handling down the road. I'm running in surround mode and certain sounds do come through on the rears. I'm hoping to go to 6.5" pods with mid-bass drivers up there though for more accurate sound stage at some point. Then there will be a multi-channel amp, DSP, etc.

For replacing all of the B&O speakers except the sub, and adding a larger powered sub it's pretty impressive. It isn't the bass of my 20 Edge ST that is B&O plus (2) Kicker CompR 12" on 1000W RMS @ 2ohms, but for 500W and (1) shallow mount 12 it's pretty damn good.

Next up, B&O Bronco #2 (the wife's). Hers may only get the KEY500.1 and 8" CompR in lieu of an added sub / box.

Thanks B6G for all of the insight.

 

[Rwhite692]

If the bass roll off is there, it's minimal. My sub is set with the KEY500.1 gain tone and I have not added the sub volume knob yet. I don't notice much of a difference between 14 and 25. Without the B&O sub connected, I can go to 30 without any distortion. At 22 the panel rattle is annoying with the B&O connected. I'm getting my signal at the DSP, not it's output.

I think that the roll-off of frequencies and output level at the B&O sub high level outputs matters a lot less, for those that are just upgrading the existing B&O sub by replacing it with a better 8" driver. I can promise you, now having tested it both ways, that the frequency roll-off on those outputs is plainly evident, if you are running a larger sub. Hence, as mentioned earlier (and as confirmed by SGS who has done literally hundreds of B&O system upgrades), you want to use the high level outputs that go to the front kick panel speakers as these are not modified by the B&O DSP. After you did the gain match, Did you run the full Key Setup w/Frequency Sweep?

 

[silentd74]

I did do the KEY set up sweep after gain matching. I'm also taking my input signal pre-dsp/amp, not at the stock sub outputs.

 

[zone23]

Post this maybe someone is in my shoes. So my B&O 10 speaker pods and sub sounded like total garbage and when I say that I mean the speakers had a buzz anytime a song had any bass at all. So the first thing I did was replace the rear pod speakers with some 4" CS kickers they sound way, way better but this didn't totally solve my problem still had a buzz from the bass. So I read some stuff on here and in one of the videos they talked about adding poly fiber to the sub box, so I did this and it is an improvement but still had some buzzing. So I went around and started tightening all the bolts in the sub area and sure enough a lot of them weren't tight. So by tightening all the bolts I have the factory sub sounding pretty good for what it is (which ain't much). I'm still thinking of replacing the sub cause it's just not good but I don't know that replacing it while using the stock amp will be worth it.

TLDR: If you sub is buzing check and make sure the bolts around the sub box are tight maybe use some lock tight on them.

 

[Rwhite692]

I did do the KEY set up sweep after gain matching. I'm also taking my input signal pre-dsp/amp, not at the stock sub outputs.

Ah, I thought you were doing the same thing as the OP, feeding the Key 500.1 from the high level stock sub outputs.

 

[rutherk1]

I started my overhaul of the B&O system a couple months ago, and finished buttoning it up this weekend. It’s been a long journey of trial and error, and parts returned or wasted, but I’m thrilled with the final results. I have contributed to many threads along the way, but wanted to consolidate it all into a completed build thread as I get many questions about what I’ve done.

I’ll start out with why I got started on this project. To put it bluntly, I think the B&O system is pretty bad for a “premium“ system. It’s pretty much lacking in every way, low power, muddy highs, boomy rattly bass, and really bad soundstage with most all of the sound coming from the windshield. The speakers are cheap, paper, and half of them are the same speakers used in the base system.

I would rate the system 4/10 stock, and 15/10 after upgrades. This rating is based solely on my expectations/experiences of a factory “premium” system with cost as a factor. From the factory it severely missed expectations, after upgrades it blows away my expectations, as it should. The sub kicks. I haven't had a system that can rattle the mirrors since high school. I won’t be rattling mirrors, but I could if I want

I will list the parts ”I” used. Wiring diagrams and shop manuals for removal/install are attached.

Parts

JL C1 4” - $99 pair x2
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_13699040/JL-Audio-C1-400x.html

JL C1 6.5” - $149 pair
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_13699042/JL-Audio-C1-650x.html

Focal ACX 4” - $109 pair
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_091ACX100/Focal-ACX-100.html

Kicker Comp R 8” 4ohm DVC sub - $89
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NFHJZNP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Kicker Key 500.1 amp - $270
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084HLH77B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Kicker wired remote bass control - $39
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08D3TVFBX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

right angle extension wire for bass control knob - $11
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0793KZYXD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

25’ 8guage copper amp wire - $25
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079RZF94M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

8 gauge amp fuse/battery connector - $9
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071ZZZK5W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1

8 gauge ring terminal for ground - $7
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0747M3SYQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4“ speaker wire harness adapter - x3 - $12.99 each pair
search Amazon

Kilmat sound deadening sheets - $35
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082Q2J2T4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Total - $979.97

Dash Speakers

There are three 4” speakers in the dash. I used JL C1 for all three. I originally tried Focal ACX, but found them very “bright”. I ended up using the Focals in the rear pods and the JLs in the dash. This combination works great, as the bright Focal pods allow more rear fill, that was canceled out having Focals in the dash as well. This combination makes huge improvements to the overall soundstage, actually having some rear fill is an amazing improvement. Don’t skip the center channel! It’s is the workhorse up front, especially if you use surround mode.

Replacing these speakers is pretty straightforward, remove trim panel, unbolt speaker, attach harness adapter, reinstall. Shop manual attached if you need it. I highly suggest a nice set of panel removal tools so you don’t scratch up the plastic. I tossed some kilmat underneath each speaker, trying to make the hollow space underneath more of a pocket.

The center channel is a little tricky, you need to remove a screw on each side of the “accessory ready” bolt, remove that, then you can remove the speaker cover panel.

Kick Panel

I used JL C1s here as well. Honestly a 2 way speaker is not needed here in the kick panels. The DSP/amp filters out highs, this is a place you could cheap out a bit If you want. The C1s came with a trim ring mounting adapter that worked great. Crutchfield also sent a Metra adapter that I did not use, and also sent a wiring harness adapter that I did use, both free. I used Kilmat behind these speakers as well. Removing the panels is easy enough, but it’s kind of an awkward spot to work in. There is a foam section below the speaker housing you will need to make a slit in and feed the wiring through. Button everything up with zip ties. Shop manual attached.

Rear Pod Speakers

As mentioned before I used Focal ACX back here. They work great to provide some much needed rear fill. These are the easiest speakers to replace. Pop the cover off by squeezing both sides and it will pop right off. Unscrew speaker, install wiring harness, reinstall. I filled the entire cavity with kilmat again. Shop manual attached.

Sub/Amp

This is where things got interesting. I first tried to just swap the sub speaker, and long story short that was a huge fail. I tried two different subs. A $300 Rockford P3 that popped and clicked, underpowered to say the least. A $19 Pyle sub worked, but wasn’t much if any improvement over the stock sub. I took a pause here as life got busy. Then got re-interested by @cmcbronco and his great thread on installing the B&O sub enclosure on a base system. Lots of great info here.

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/b-o-sub-installed-on-base-bronco-…-sorta….37207/

I ended up going with a Kicker Comp R 4 ohm DVC sub and Kicker key 500.1 amp. I wired the sub parallel to get 2 ohm at the amp. The beauty of this amp is you can use the speaker wires going to the factory sub as high level inputs. This will also work for the power on, so no need to find a trigger on circuit. I called Kicker and confirmed the sub wires coming from the factory amp will work for high level inputs, no line output converter needed. They said this is exactly what this amp was designed for.

The Comp R sub fits the factory enclosure great, but you need to pry the plastic trim ring off with a screwdriver. No modification needed to the enclosure with this sub. Shout out to @SCTWNB for the great mounting location for the amp, I wouldn’t of thought of this location myself. It’s mounted to the roll bar, snugged in there next to sub enclosure. It is a bit tricky, but take your time, mark your holes, drill some pilot holes. Use double sided mounting tape to hold it up for install and cushion it from the body. If you plan to use this location pay close attention to where i have it, any higher and the PATS antenna mounted on the quarter panel will interfere. A right angle adapter is needed for the remote volume wire, which I installed under the HVAC controls. Wire runs down the passenger side wire channel, up kick panel, behind glovebox.

I ran 8 gauge power wire across the cargo area behind rear seats, down floor wiring panels under door, up front kick panels, and through grommet in the firewall. Fused at battery, and connected to one of the spare spots Ford gave us. Need an M5 or M6 nut here, depending which you use. Ground is wired To the factory ground found right above sub. I cut the factory sub wires that are sealed in the grommet in sub enclosure, and connected them to the high level inputs on the amp. Cut off the RCA ends, and connected them with butt connectors, make sure you get polarity correct! Wiring drawing below. I drilled holes in the same grommet to run 14g speaker wire to the sub. Apologies for the lack of installation pics on most of this, I will grab some and update later if needed.

I ended up stuffing the enclosure with PolyFil. This really helped, the bass is less boomy, hits harder and tighter if that makes sense. I had to re-adjust my preferred settings afterwards, it makes a difference. Someone that doesn’t want to bother with a sub/amp should try adding polyfil to the oem sub. I bet it helps alot.

Rattle Battle

Anyone with the B&O system knows the sub is a rattle machine at higher volumes. I had the rear panels off no less than 5 times prior to upgrade finding and fixing rattles. I had my doubts if it could ever be rattle free with an aftermarket sub and amp. I am declaring 98% victory on rattles. For my everyday listening music and volumes it’s 100% victory.

I did so much fighting rattles it’s impossible to remember and list it all. My method was simple, play certain 90s gangsta rap songs with repeated bass frequencies on loop that generate rattle everytime. Loud. When neighbors were out that turned to bass frequency sweeps and loops I found online. Play loud and go around using your ears to pinpoint and your hands to feel and absorb. What I ended up with is Kilmat in the entire cargo area, 3 rolls of cloth tape wrapping wires, connectors, insulating behind pins, wiring under rear seats, etc. Used Kilmat to insulate behind most things touching the body. Suspect panel clips were replaced (and several broken). Be diligent in your battle and you can win!

Panel clips and part #s

Wiring drawing

11/14/22 Edit to add modified drawing, showing wire changes color after the green connector

Shop Manuals for removing trim

Cool beans.

Im about to replace my dash speakers. My old bronco that was non B&O, I used a 199uF filter capacitor to block any “bass’ that the speaker can’t handle.

I noticed that the B&O system that I have uses the exact same dash speakers (sweet) that have a built in capacitor. Did you use a capacitor with your new 4 inch speakers? I have a feeling that the B&O amplifier is crossed over already and the 4 inchers in the dash that have a built in capacitor are just usual ford off the shelf BS.

Looks nice.

 

[Ksjrb03]

Cool beans.

Im about to replace my dash speakers. My old bronco that was non B&O, I used a 199uF filter capacitor to block any “bass’ that the speaker can’t handle.

I noticed that the B&O system that I have uses the exact same dash speakers (sweet) that have a built in capacitor. Did you use a capacitor with your new 4 inch speakers? I have a feeling that the B&O amplifier is crossed over already and the 4 inchers in the dash that have a built in capacitor are just usual ford off the shelf BS.

Looks nice.

Correct, the B&O DSP handles that for you, just swap speakers.

 

[rutherk1]

Correct, the B&O DSP handles that for you, just swap speakers.

Nice. Thanks for the quick response.

I always hated having a cheap O capacitor dangling around in the dash.

 

[zone23]

Cool beans.

Im about to replace my dash speakers. My old bronco that was non B&O, I used a 199uF filter capacitor to block any “bass’ that the speaker can’t handle.

I noticed that the B&O system that I have uses the exact same dash speakers (sweet) that have a built in capacitor. Did you use a capacitor with your new 4 inch speakers? I have a feeling that the B&O amplifier is crossed over already and the 4 inchers in the dash that have a built in capacitor are just usual ford off the shelf BS.

Looks nice.

I did in the front 3 speakers I used 4” kickers and the guy from the audio store recommended 100v 47uF so that’s what I used. Sounds awesome. The rear pods I used the same speakers no cap but I’m considering turning off the built in crossover and using caps in the rear as well.

 

[John_Sawgrass_Ford]

This is a great post. I just received my Bronco Wildtrack and been researching how to upgrade those stock B&O speakers…

 

[Hossfire]

I picked up my Lux Wildtrak Monday. As most people have reported, the stock B&O is meh. I have replace the corners with Herz DCX 100.3, which are an improvement. (The B&O dash coaxials are not the weakest element of the stock system). I also found that I liked the sound better moving the fader a little to the back. On the screen, I have the center more on the front seat head rest.

The pods and L/R dash went smoothly. No clips broken or scratches due to an inexpensive nylon trim panel tool kit from Harbor Freight. My next post is where I can use some help:

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