S650 Aftermarket Sound System

[Gregs24]

B&O isn’t very respected amongst audiophiles. It’s a mass market name with an its main recognition being it’s Scandinavian design.
Now, if they said McIntosh, Mark Levinson, Krell or possibly JBL it might be different.
I can’t remember anything that B&O ever made where its sound quality was the focus over design.
I never understood why Sony, Kenwood or Pioneer never worked with OEM to build a killer systems.

Ford and Sony worked together for years

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[IPOGT]

Ford and Sony worked together for years

But have they ever done a killer system?

 

[Q6543]

But have they ever done a killer system?

because ford is like, we will need 100,000 of your best speakers for .83 cents apiece

what sort of subwoofers can you supply for 1 dollar and 76 cents on the first 50,000 and then $1.14 in the 2nd 50,000 in Q3.

supplying OEM is a cutthroat game.

 

[goodlettjr]

because ford is like, we will need 100,000 of your best speakers for .83 cents apiece

what sort of subwoofers can you supply for 1 dollar and 76 cents on the first 50,000 and then $1.14 in the 2nd 50,000 in Q3.

supplying OEM is a cutthroat game.

And then only purchase half of what they asked you to build.

This is exactly how grey market parts such as sensor and stuff make it into the field. OEM sensors in someone else private labeled bag. Hurts the supplier tremendously.

 

[Smaaron]

My wife’s grand Wagoneer has a McIntosh audio system. We drive it when we want to listen to music and it’s nice, but I have no problems with the 9 speaker system in my GT. It seems like the engine in the GT would drown out a great audio system anyway.

 

[Vaporblue]

Well, as sorry as I am to hear the B&O system is disappointing, I'm glad to read it as I opted against ordering that package and now feel better about the decision. Thanks for posting this walkthrough. Maybe someone will do something similar for the 9-speaker (because if the B&O is disappointing, I'm sure the 9-speaker will be, too).

I think it sounds pretty dam good, it’s not awesome but it’s clear, and pretty loud and better than the Bose system in my wife’s Tahoe by a lot…

 

[djcwardog]

Knowing that I would have to do a custom install featuring my AudioControl D-6.1200 DSP amp, I am considering my options for the 300A base 6 speaker audio in mine. The door panels actually have grilles molded in for the midrange driver location so they can stay. A set of Focal 165AS3 3-ways for the front and ACX 165 for the rear deck await…. I’ll skip center channel this time as I like how my car has a simple blank plate to cover that place in the dash. I suspect that the ACM in the 2024 Mustang has the new form factor for its plugs like that on the F150 2021+, both vehicles running Sync 4. The trucks use an ACM that mounts straight down into the dash, not a “slide-in” like old car stereos and the S550 cars. I wonder if Ford still has a “slide-in” form factor for the S650 ACM? I bought the harness linked below from Crutchfield for my 2023 F250SD (7.3 Godzilla, reg cab long bed 4x4, a beast!) and I plan to pull the ACM out of my new Mustang just to put eyes on it and confirm that it, too, is a non-amp new form factor audio head unit, for which this same harness might work.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_541LPHFD31/PAC-LPHFD31-LocPro-Advanced-T-Harness.html

Crutchfield has yet to examine one of our cars so I may well be the one to send them photos If I do mine soon enough. I’ve also noticed that my car has two separate screens for dash and center display instead of one larger screen like I saw in a 401A car the other day. I wonder if the display quality is different between the two arrangements? Finally, I was able to install and code (Forscan) an ACM from a 2021 F150 to get XM Radio and HD Radio into my 2023 F250SD. If I can source the ACM for a 301A or better Mustang, I’ll try it here too. I can’t find diagrams or part numbers yet though.

To say that the new B&O sound system in the 2024 Mustang GT Premium wasn’t very impressive would be an understatement. I was hoping that Ford stepped it up with all of the new electronic enhancements in the S650 but ….

I tapped into the factory subwoofer wiring for the input into the AudioControl LC2i Pro Line Output Converter. This will provide the desired low frequencies for the subwoofer amp.

The bass roll off in the factory B&O system starts at volume level 22. You will hear no increase in bass out of the subwoofer after volume level 22. That is where the AccuBASE feature of the AudioControl LC2i Pro Line Output Converter comes into play. It will fill in the subwoofer bass after volume level 22.

I did not reconnect the factory sub. I just bolted it back into the factory spot so that you wouldn’t see the ugly cut outs in the carpet.

I also placed sound deadening material all around the trunk area to avoid any unwanted rattles and improve overall sound quality.

 

[LCDRChemEng]

B&O isn’t very respected amongst audiophiles. It’s a mass market name with an its main recognition being it’s Scandinavian design.
Now, if they said McIntosh, Mark Levinson, Krell or possibly JBL it might be different.
I can’t remember anything that B&O ever made where its sound quality was the focus over design.
I never understood why Sony, Kenwood or Pioneer never worked with OEM to build a killer systems.

Agree for the most part, especially about Pioneer, but I'm not so enthused about the names you tossed out. McIntosh and Krell, especially, are like royalty in the audio world, but where it counts they're not that different - and sometimes not as good - as other names. I'll take a Marantz anytime over a McIntosh and save the money. JBL used to be king of the hill until they went mass market and started churning out garbage.

I'm kinda old school, and have not done any shopping recently, but I think JL Audio, Polk, and Pioneer could make really good drivers for the mustang. I also wonder what would it take to get Bob Carver to jump into car amplifiers. His tracking down-converter amps (Sunfire) are perfectly suited due to their compact package and low heat. Couple that with Audissey and DSP controls and you have the makings of a reference audio system. Hey, a guy can dream...

 

[LCDRChemEng]

How high does it have to be to bring the sub to life?! It's already uncomfortably loud at like 15+ volume and my sub is still barely noticeable. It's definitely a weak sub... Really my only complaint and plan to change.

To each his own I concede up front, but IMHO you should not ever "hear" the sub. The bass tones should be coming from the main drivers, even the thump. Call it personal preference, but you should not even know where the sub is, it is not to be heard, only felt. A good pair of 6x9s or 10" drivers should give you everything down to 40Hz, and the sub should only pick up the really low and subsonic part.

THE problem with the S650 B&O rig as I see it are the rear deck speakers. They're just not there at normal volume. I'm not looking for soggy boom, I like bass to be melodious and tight, but the B&O has very little presence until the volume is cranked up to loud, which is not my cup of tea.

 

[Tim_CO]

I'm sort of late to the show here and a little off topic, but has anybody succeeded in trying to add the OEM subwoofer to the s650 EcoBoost Premium OEM 9 speaker system?

I just bought a 2024 EcoBoost Premium Convertible. I'd like to add an OEM sub if it's possible. I started a new post on it, but it's not getting any traction. Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks - Tim

 

[Stangerous]

Don’t w

I'm sort of late to the show here and a little off topic, but has anybody succeeded in trying to add the OEM subwoofer to the s650 EcoBoost Premium OEM 9 speaker system?

I just bought a 2024 EcoBoost Premium Convertible. I'd like to add an OEM sub if it's possible. I started a new post on it, but it's not getting any traction. Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks - Tim

Don’t waste your time and money with the factory sub, it’s trash. Better off getting a decent line converter, amp and sub. The B&O sub is little more than a paper cone. I replaced mine with a Pioneer and added the line converter and amp. The two downsides to these cars, imo, is road noise and the sound system.

 

[Tim_CO]

Don’t w
Don’t waste your time and money with the factory sub, it’s trash. Better off getting a decent line converter, amp and sub. The B&O sub is little more than a paper cone. I replaced mine with a Pioneer and added the line converter and amp. The two downsides to these cars, imo, is road noise and the sound system.

I know the OEM sub isn't ideal, but it's better than what I've got.

 

[Stangerous]

I know the OEM sub isn't ideal, but it's better than what I've got.

I get it, but even on eBay the factory enclosure isn’t cheap considering what you get, either way you go you’ll need an amp and line converter to power it.

 

[Stangerous]

I know the OEM sub isn't ideal, but it's better than what I've got.

Just finished my sub upgrade and it sounds 100% better. The worst part is running the power supply. I kept the factory enclosure, added a Pioneer sub, LC2i Pro and SKAR amp. For under $350 you can’t go wrong.

 

[Tim_CO]

Just finished my sub upgrade and it sounds 100% better. The worst part is running the power supply. I kept the factory enclosure, added a Pioneer sub, LC2i Pro and SKAR amp. For under $350 you can’t go wrong.

It looks tight. Nice job!

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