B&O Unleashed finally fixed for $329?

[FORDTEXAS]

@SoundsGoodStereo
what is your guy’s take on this one?

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[Popplemer]

Can't beat $329...

 

[JJSnell]

Can't beat $329...

Agree....
George my audio guy said I can rip everything out and go Zen proc "but it's not worth it"...

 

[SoundsGoodStereo]

@SoundsGoodStereo
what is your guy’s take on this one?

For improving the rear speaker volume, this is a great option/solution. Signal-in - amplified and to the respective speakers. If you use a high-quality brand like Kicker, JL Audio, Alpine, Gladen-Mosconi, or Arc Audio, then you do not need a LOC, just speaker-level (High-Level) RCA signal into the amplifier, flip the amplifier switch to High, then you are good to go.

If you have the regular B&O, you can use the APH-FD02 for a no-splice connection. For the Unleashed customers, the factory rear speakers are run off the ACM in the dash, not the factory amplifier. You will want to use our Unleashed harness to make this happen. For the non-amplified guys, you will need a full-length T-Harness (Speaker Wire + Purchase Solder RCA Tips)

APH-FD02:
https://soundsgoodstereo.com/produc...-2019-ford-vehicles-with-b-o-amplified-system

Unleashed Harness:
https://soundsgoodstereo.com/produc...-t-harness-compatible-with-2021-ford-vehicles

2015-2020 Non-Amplified Harness:
https://soundsgoodstereo.com/produc...or-base-non-amplified-2015-2020-ford-f-series

2021+ Non-Amplified Harness:
https://soundsgoodstereo.com/produc...-t-harness-compatible-with-2021-ford-vehicles

RCA Tips:
https://soundsgoodstereo.com/products/straight-wire-rca-solder-tips

For adding a subwoofer using these channels or any door speaker channel:
I mean, it will produce sound, but the factory speakers only play limited subwoofer frequencies, and for a really good reason. A factory speaker playing 35hz at the same level as 100hz is a warranty issue for Ford. So they put a high-pass crossover on the interior door speakers and this limits the range. An amplifier does exactly what the name entails, it "Amplifies" exactly what it is given.

Example output of a factory amplifier to the rear door speaker:

35hz = 1v
45hz = 2v
55hz = 3v
65hz = 4v
75hz = 5v
85hz = 6v

The new amplifier will take this and amplify it evenly across the board, lets say it's 500w amplifier which equals a total of around 41 amps of output. It cannot put out more than this. If you amplify this signal above, here is what you end up with:

35hz = 7 amps = 84w
45hz = 14 amps = 168w
55hz = 21 amps = 252w
65hz = 27 amps = 324w
75hz = 34 amps = 408w
85hz = 41 amps = 500w

So, it will play but at a major sacrifice of output the lower the frequency. If you do it the right way and use a KeyLOC which has a signal correction module built inside (Fancy EQ - DSP), it will fix this and output this signal:

35hz = 6v
45hz = 6v
55hz = 6v
65hz = 6v
75hz = 6v
85hz = 6v

Then, guess what... Here is your new output of your 500w amplifier:

35hz = 41 amps = 500w
45hz = 41 amps = 500w
55hz = 41 amps = 500w
65hz = 41 amps = 500w
75hz = 41 amps = 500w
85hz = 41 amps = 500w

 

[JJSnell]

Yep he said I'm at 4v and therefore the gain is only set to about 33-35%. I asked if we can go to 50% gain and he said "no" as it distorts sound and can ruin the speakers. So out of a 75w amp (not 500w) I'm happy with the outcome.
Now that this little test has proven successful I'm half tempted to pull one of my two MHD900/5's out of my boat and put in the truck.

 

[Abraham5G]

So it's SO easy. ACM to rear speakers right? Disconnect speaker and connect wires to new wire running back to amp, splice in RCA jacks for input connection. Run second pair of new wires back to the speakers and connect. Boom....

Not sure if I'm following, my only experience with adding amplifiers is to subwoofers.

If I understand this correctly, disconnect rear door speakers, run speaker wire from door to amp, then run speaker wire from amp back to door speakers? No splicing at head unit required? Anyway you could put together a simple drawing/diagram? I would like to do the same with my system.

 

[JJSnell]

Not sure if I'm following, my only experience with adding amplifiers is to subwoofers.

If I understand this correctly, disconnect rear door speakers, run speaker wire from door to amp, then run speaker wire from amp back to door speakers? No splicing at head unit required? Anyway you could put together a simple drawing/diagram? I would like to do the same with my system.

Sure I'll do it tmrw morn.
Because there is no amplification or digitization of the rear doors, there is just the two speaker wires to the rear door.
It's straight analog and that's what many are not understanding. Right off the ACM it's analog to the non Amp'ed speakers. So all you are doing is amplifying the analog sound directly from the ACM. As SoundsGood said, it is not digitized\processed, just amplified.
So whether you splice at head unit or door, doesn't matter, just easier to do all the work on the door.

 

[AAWhyte]

Very cool @JJSnell. This was my next step. I bought the Soundsgood subs and that made a great improvement. Next was tackling the speakers in the doors, so maybe just the rear is the way to go. Looking forward to your diagram. Seems simple enough.

 

[Tremoring4fun]

Thanks for sharing this info, think I will do the same.

 

[Loki-Rex]

I was gonna go with JL in the front doors but JL didn't have a pair that fit, so I went with these instead:

Did having a 2 way speaker in the front pose any problem? The current DSP is set to run a pair of woofers only, so I assumed they needed to be replaced with woofers only. I was looking at the Kicker 6x9 components so that I didnt mess things up by adding a 2-way in its place

 

[JJSnell]

Not sure if I'm following, my only experience with adding amplifiers is to subwoofers.

If I understand this correctly, disconnect rear door speakers, run speaker wire from door to amp, then run speaker wire from amp back to door speakers? No splicing at head unit required? Anyway you could put together a simple drawing/diagram? I would like to do the same with my system.

I am not good at drawings, but yes, you nailed it.... Look at this and let me know if you have any questions?

*** I only drew one side of the truck, because I am lazy... but both sides would need to be done in the same way. ***

(COLORS ARE NOT TO COINCIDE WITH ACTUAL WIRING, COLORS USED ARE JUST FOR DIAGRAM LAYOUT)

@AAWhyte @Tremoring4fun @Popplemer @Iconic22F150 @Kidder

 

[JJSnell]

Did having a 2 way speaker in the front pose any problem? The current DSP is set to run a pair of woofers only, so I assumed they needed to be replaced with woofers only. I was looking at the Kicker 6x9 components so that I didnt mess things up by adding a 2-way in its place

No sir, I had the exact same Q to Crutchfield when I was talking to them before the purchase. Because those run through the B&O amp they are crossed over and configured for specific hertz. From what I understood was the tweeter is basically silenced via the B&O.

 

[FORDTEXAS]

For improving the rear speaker volume, this is a great option/solution. Signal-in - amplified and to the respective speakers. If you use a high-quality brand like Kicker, JL Audio, Alpine, Gladen-Mosconi, or Arc Audio, then you do not need a LOC, just speaker-level (High-Level) RCA signal into the amplifier, flip the amplifier switch to High, then you are good to go.

If you have the regular B&O, you can use the APH-FD02 for a no-splice connection. For the Unleashed customers, the factory rear speakers are run off the ACM in the dash, not the factory amplifier. You will want to use our Unleashed harness to make this happen. For the non-amplified guys, you will need a full-length T-Harness (Speaker Wire + Purchase Solder RCA Tips)

APH-FD02:
https://soundsgoodstereo.com/produc...-2019-ford-vehicles-with-b-o-amplified-system

Unleashed Harness:
https://soundsgoodstereo.com/produc...-t-harness-compatible-with-2021-ford-vehicles

2015-2020 Non-Amplified Harness:
https://soundsgoodstereo.com/produc...or-base-non-amplified-2015-2020-ford-f-series

2021+ Non-Amplified Harness:
https://soundsgoodstereo.com/produc...-t-harness-compatible-with-2021-ford-vehicles

RCA Tips:
https://soundsgoodstereo.com/products/straight-wire-rca-solder-tips

For adding a subwoofer using these channels or any door speaker channel:
I mean, it will produce sound, but the factory speakers only play limited subwoofer frequencies, and for a really good reason. A factory speaker playing 35hz at the same level as 100hz is a warranty issue for Ford. So they put a high-pass crossover on the interior door speakers and this limits the range. An amplifier does exactly what the name entails, it "Amplifies" exactly what it is given.

Example output of a factory amplifier to the rear door speaker:

35hz = 1v
45hz = 2v
55hz = 3v
65hz = 4v
75hz = 5v
85hz = 6v

The new amplifier will take this and amplify it evenly across the board, lets say it's 500w amplifier which equals a total of around 41 amps of output. It cannot put out more than this. If you amplify this signal above, here is what you end up with:

35hz = 7 amps = 84w
45hz = 14 amps = 168w
55hz = 21 amps = 252w
65hz = 27 amps = 324w
75hz = 34 amps = 408w
85hz = 41 amps = 500w

So, it will play but at a major sacrifice of output the lower the frequency. If you do it the right way and use a KeyLOC which has a signal correction module built inside (Fancy EQ - DSP), it will fix this and output this signal:

35hz = 6v
45hz = 6v
55hz = 6v
65hz = 6v
75hz = 6v
85hz = 6v

Then, guess what... Here is your new output of your 500w amplifier:

35hz = 41 amps = 500w
45hz = 41 amps = 500w
55hz = 41 amps = 500w
65hz = 41 amps = 500w
75hz = 41 amps = 500w
85hz = 41 amps = 500w

thanks for detailed response ??

 

[JJSnell]

For improving the rear speaker volume, this is a great option/solution. Signal-in - amplified and to the respective speakers. If you use a high-quality brand like Kicker, JL Audio, Alpine, Gladen-Mosconi, or Arc Audio, then you do not need a LOC, just speaker-level (High-Level) RCA signal into the amplifier, flip the amplifier switch to High, then you are good to go.

Thanks SGS, this is exactly what he did, even with the RCA, which threw me when he did it, but... It works. My only regret is not going bigger (more watts). It was a 'test' for me since so many people were so adamant it wont work... I still might swap the amp out for a 4/1.

 

[rpold150]

What about the right side rear? Do you do the same on that side?

I'm not an audiophile at all. In fact, I used to drive in silence for many years. With the new truck, I am listening to Sirius (yes I know that contributes to the poor quality), but I noticed that the B&O Unleashed just sounds like it's missing something and everything comes out of the center of the dash. My wife's '21 Grand Cherokee L has the McIntosh system and fills the vehicle with sound! Like you, I have no interest in investing 5-10K in audio, but this might be something worthwhile for my listening level. Thanks!

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