B&O system sounds horrible

[Jmax]

I know there are a lot of threads out there that discuss speaker upgrades/installs but none seem to be clear about the B&O system. I think my B&O sounds horrible, well worse than my 2014 explorer. I want to upgrade my speakers but don’t want to turn it into a crazy project. For now I’m putting an additional 12 inch punch in the bed (which has done the trick in the past as it masks many problems) and adding focal performance 165ac 6.5 in boxes to go under the rear seats (my crazy idea to get more mids and sound in general in the rear). I have read comments on the head unit only sending high signal or maybe the opposite, is there a certain speaker line to tap off of for a two way rear, I was thinking the two pillar mounted speakers but again don’t know if they did something with the system signals where that is not a good idea.
my installer discouraged me to change out the B&O because it was all made to perform together. He said I need to go to an audio control route if I do change them out but it is really difficult to get the factory deck to sound right.
I understand some of the b&o speakers are crappy paper cones. Does anyone have details to what ones are crap paper and other ones that are decent? And spec details? Why can’t I buy speakers with the same or similar specs and just put those in. I realize I can add amps for interior speakers but can’t I just swap the speakers with like spec but higher quality to see if that does the trick?
My knowledge of Audio is from installing 25 years ago, basic science, everyone replaced head units and added amps, speakers, subs, crossovers… and all was good! Has technology advanced so much that if I changes these out it will sound worse or am I being scared off by audioheads that think anything under 4K is a junk system. Don’t get me wrong, I love great sound but I am in my 40s with a wife and kids that like to complain out wind and base, so I want a great sounding system with the top off but don’t want to spend 1/10 of the cost of my BADSAS…
I would love others constructive insight! Much appreciated!!!

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[Wannabe Techie]

Hate to tell you this, but I'd ditch the B&O and start over. Kicker Key amps made a huge difference for me. The B&O set up doesn't hold a candle to about a $1k upgrade/replacement. You will have enough power, clarity, and bass if you replace your speakers and you won't have to give up space under your seats and sacrifice folding them. SInce you have the B&O sub, you can just pop that sub out and get another 8" to replace it. Although a bigger one in the trunk would be nice... I got a downfiring sub with a shallow mount and it sounds great.

With summer here, a great reliable stereo with the top off makes a huge difference.

 

[Jmax]

Hate to tell you this, but I'd ditch the B&O and start over. Kicker Key amps made a huge difference for me. The B&O set up doesn't hold a candle to about a $1k upgrade/replacement. You will have enough power, clarity, and bass if you replace your speakers and you won't have to give up space under your seats and sacrifice folding them. SInce you have the B&O sub, you can just pop that sub out and get another 8" to replace it. Although a bigger one in the trunk would be nice... I got a downfiring sub with a shallow mount and it sounds great.

With summer here, a great reliable stereo with the top off makes a huge difference.

Great, so just to clarify. You simply replaced the speakers with like size and didn’t worry about the specs and no additional amps or anything?

 

[Migs1313]

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

This thread has everything you need to upgrade the B&O and not spend a ton of money maybe 600-700 hundred

 

[thenewjs]

I rented a SoftTop 2021 with B&O and thought it was good.

 

[Wannabe Techie]

Great, so just to clarify. You simply replaced the speakers with like size and didn’t worry about the specs and no additional amps or anything?

I replaced all the speakers and added a Kicker Key 200 for the speakers and then I added a Kicker 500 amp for the a 12" shallow downfire sub. (Honestly, overkill sub. Sounds great but a lot of bass.) So if you do a Kicker Mono 500 dedicated amp to an 8" sub in your B&O sub enclosure, I bet it would sound great.

 

[Wannabe Techie]

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

This thread has everything you need to upgrade the B&O and not spend a ton of money maybe 600-700 hundred

Yeah good info here and you already have a head start like I mentioned b/c the enclosure is already there.

 

[Snowdogyyz]

I replaced all the speakers and added a Kicker Key 200 for the speakers and then I added a Kicker 500 amp for the a 12" shallow downfire sub. (Honestly, overkill sub. Sounds great but a lot of bass.) So if you do a Kicker Mono 500 dedicated amp to an 8" sub in your B&O sub enclosure, I bet it would sound great.

You added an amp to the front speakers in the B&O system? Everything I’ve read says you need an adapter system ($600+) to add an amp to the B&O and retain controls and functionality.

 

[Jmax]

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

This thread has everything you need to upgrade the B&O and not spend a ton of money maybe 600-700 hundred

Sorry but this isn’t clear… so replace all speakers without sub or any other adjustment other than fab? Why does it seem like most are using kicker? Seemed like a step-wise approach, but I don’t see any method to the madness…. Talked about some details on highs and lows but didn’t clearly explain… at the end of the day if I replace just the speakers will it sound way better…. Generally speaking…. Nervous I will replace incorrectly or make a mistake… I would like to do it right the first time to do it correct but yet not go crazy..

 

[Erock]

Just putting the kickers in the rear pods makes an incredible difference. To me, the B&O sounds hollow, but the added highs from the coax kicker helps with that. I’m putting a set of 3way components in the front, so I can’t speak as to the difference the kickers would make up front. However, I was under the impression that the fronts were just a little mid instead of a coax, but when I was putting the mid’s from my 3ways I discovered that they are actually a coax… I just couldn’t hear the tweeters. IMO, just the mid’s from the 3ways sounds better than the B&O coax’s do, so I’m pretty sure the 3ways are gonna sound great once I’m finished.

I went with a little bit different kicker than most folks are using. They are using a 35W and I chose a 75W because I’m gonna add my amp later and it’s a 75w per channel.

 

[Erock]

47KSC404. The kickers I’m using.

 

[pony2bronco]

I did a 5 speaker focal acx upgrade for cheap, the difference is really night and day. Fronts are everything I hoped for and more. Rear pods do still feel drowned out a bit from the front seat and I'm not sure how to fix that, but overall super happy with the change.

 

[Jmax]

I did a 5 speaker focal acx upgrade for cheap, the difference is really night and day. Fronts are everything I hoped for and more. Rear pods do still feel drowned out a bit from the front seat and I'm not sure how to fix that, but overall super happy with the change.

Did you only replace the speakers?

 

[pony2bronco]

Did you only replace the speakers?

Just a straight swap of the 3 front and 2 rear pods.

 

[mpeugeot]

Sorry but this isn’t clear… so replace all speakers without sub or any other adjustment other than fab? Why does it seem like most are using kicker? Seemed like a step-wise approach, but I don’t see any method to the madness…. Talked about some details on highs and lows but didn’t clearly explain… at the end of the day if I replace just the speakers will it sound way better…. Generally speaking…. Nervous I will replace incorrectly or make a mistake… I would like to do it right the first time to do it correct but yet not go crazy..

I replaced the front 3 speakers with Morel Maximo Ultra Coax 402 Mk II, the kick panel speakers with Morel Maximo Ultra Coax 602 Mk II, and the rear pod speakers with Morel Maximo Coax 4 speakers. I could not tell the difference between the Morel Maximo Coax 4 and the Maximo Ultra Coax 402 Mk II - however, Crutchfield was out of the Coax 4, so I went up to the Ultra Coax 402 Mk II for the front speakers.

Overall, it sounds pretty good and much better than it did with the factory speakers. The kick panel speakers were well worth upgrading.

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