B&O Speaker Upgrade Recommendation

[MoxeeFordTuff]

Techobrien ——

I just stumbled onto this thread and am left wondering what route you went? I recently ordered an MTI behind the seat bundle with JL 10’s and now I’m going down the rabbit hole on the rest of the system. Currently working on sound deadening doors and going to order block off plates as well. Tons of good info on this thread so far. Looking hard at the JL C1 series due to the high sensitivity rating. I will probably wait until I get my subs bumpin before I pull trigger on door speakers but I’m thinking 10-20% louder and a little clearer would be fine with me. Maybe someday do the KEY upgrade but that’s a ways out. I’m approaching 50 how loud do I really need it? Huh??!?!!

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[HammaMan]

Techobrien ——

I just stumbled onto this thread and am left wondering what route you went? I recently ordered an MTI behind the seat bundle with JL 10’s and now I’m going down the rabbit hole on the rest of the system. Currently working on sound deadening doors and going to order block off plates as well. Tons of good info on this thread so far. Looking hard at the JL C1 series due to the high sensitivity rating. I will probably wait until I get my subs bumpin before I pull trigger on door speakers but I’m thinking 10-20% louder and a little clearer would be fine with me. Maybe someday do the KEY upgrade but that’s a ways out. I’m approaching 50 how loud do I really need it? Huh??!?!!

Loosen the rear seat bolts enough to move the seats, pull them forward and tighten them back down. You can use the subs or have the seat bottoms folded up, can't use them w/ seat up as they'd fire into the seatback as they move back as the bottoms fold up.

 

[MoxeeFordTuff]

HammaMan thx for the advice. I heard that online as well and reached out to Jim w MTI before purchase and he assured me they would bump fine with seat folded up. I hardly ever have the seats folded down at least on drivers side. Any advice on fishing through the firewall? Looks like you gotta remove fuse block to get a good angle at grommet nub…Any advice is appreciated.…Are you happy with your setup?

 

[Los150]

If you want good sound out of your system, install whatever speakers are within your budget and get a Kicker KEY200.4 along with the PAC APH-FD02 harness from @SoundsGoodStereo. It will be the best $320 you ever spent on your truck, and the improvement even with the stock speakers will blow your mind. They also have speaker and sound treatment packages.

Is it a direct swap with the factory amp or what? I'm curious now. I think the B&O Unleashed sounds good for a factory system but if I can make those 18 speakers sing even better, I'll bite.

 

[HammaMan]

If they said to play the subs with the seats up, they're lying -- don't, they'll burn up or get damaged one. Until I loosened the bolts on the seats and moved them forward on the bolts they couldn't even fold up.

I took out the fuse box which is a process. Access to the connectors is obtained by removing the passenger fender liner. There's another route if you remove the side vent and go out through the fender (look for gromets around the antenna under the dash). You might be able to reach around from the engine bay. I used 2ga welding cable for my run -- heavy duty, quality stuff.

 

[MoxeeFordTuff]

If they said to play the subs with the seats up, they're lying -- don't, they'll burn up or get damaged one. Until I loosened the bolts on the seats and moved them forward on the bolts they couldn't even fold up.

I took out the fuse box which is a process. Access to the connectors is obtained by removing the passenger fender liner. There's another route if you remove the side vent and go out through the fender (look for gromets around the antenna under the dash). You might be able to reach around from the engine bay. I used 2ga welding cable for my run -- heavy duty, quality stuff.

Thanks for the info!
I’ll assume you are happy with the subs other than the seat folding?

 

[techobrien]

Techobrien ——

I just stumbled onto this thread and am left wondering what route you went?

I've been meaning to get back to this thread to report my results. BUT, the overall summary is

Speakers
Fronts and Tweeters: Kicker KS 6x9 Component
Rears: Kicker KS 6.5" Coaxial
Center: Kicker KS 3.5" Coaxial

Sound Treatment
SGS Block off plates
SoundSkins Speaker Ring Kit

Key Findings
The B&O 8ch front tweeters are 4 Ohm, not 8 Ohm. 1" KS Tweeters dropped right in to the factory mounts with minimal modification of the mount. The Metra 72-5605 is the correct harness adapter for the tweeters. This shows compatible on Metra's site, but not on Crutchfield for the '21 (but does show now on the '22). Crutchfield sent it to me for free after I asked about it. I used an in-line 4 kHz 18 db/dec crossover (DD-TXO-HP18) which was much smaller than the crossovers included with the KS. Slipped into the A-pillar well with no issues.

B&O 8ch center speaker is 4 Ohm, not 8 Ohm. Kicker KS was a great replacement and is less sensitive than stock, dulling the over-presence. The extra tweeter in the coaxial is not an issue. No 4 Ohm resistors or 8 Ohm speaker needed. Wiring harness that worked for me was below:

iJDMTOY 18-Inch Plug-N-Play Third Brake Light Extension Cable Harness, Compatible with Jeep 2007-2018 Wrangler JK JKU
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089292V5C

I have both a spare 4-Ohm 3.5" Kicker KS (they come in pairs) and an (spare KS350 is spoken for) 8-Ohm Dayton Audio PS95-8 3-1/2" + mounting plate if anybody is interested. I believe this would be for the Standard 7 speaker setup which does seem to be an 8-ohm speaker per other threads.

My stock rear speaker cones were physically warped and causes the voice coil to rub. I don't think the construction of paper cones is suitable for the factory install location given the propensity of Ford doors to have moisture in them and with how hot car doors get. Maybe this is just a bad batch, but I'm not surprised they failed.

The Metra 82-5606 mounting plates didn't fit the Kicker KS and I used the Kicker mounting adapters instead. I trimmed off the extra break-away tabs and still required a little dremel action to get the fit right, but they're very stout. Overall, the metra adapters are pretty flimsy and poor quality compared to the ones that shipped with the Kickers. I used the Metra in the rear though because it made a better seal with the door.

Conclusion

Yes, the volume is slightly lower at equivalent levels but I can get it plenty loud without any discernable distortion. No, I'm definitely not squeezing every drop out of the Kicker KS's but they are in no way anemic on the stock B&O amp. I'm VERY happy with the overall results:
- Improvements to bass and midbass
- More oomph from the rear speakers
- Surprising amounts of clarity improvement from the new tweeters
- Center channel presence is greatly reduced (but I do prefer it as opposed to disconnected installed). It no longer sounds like a shopping mall speaker.

For ~$700 and a weekend of time I'd do it again in a heartbeat. As a straight up replacement for blown stocks I would definitely recommend the KS's over paying ~$100 for stock replacements that probably would just fail again.

But, it does sound like you're willing to do a more comprehensive upgrade than I was willing to embark on, and the KS's might not be the best selection if you're adding an amp since you don't need high(er) sensitivity speakers and you might be OK with 6.5"s in the front since you added subs. Maybe something like the C3's would serve you better?

I did really like the JL lineup, but the aluminum tweeters on the C1's were just too harsh for my ears, and I was pretty sure the C3's (silk tweeters) would be underpowered and are not sensitive enough on the stock amp. I did also like the JBL offerings, but they don't have 6x9 component's for the front. I did find that in general 6x9's had a lot more bass / mid-bass than equivalent 6.5" so the KS was a kind of sweet spot for me (high sensitivity, 6x9 component for the front, matching 6.5 coaxial for the rear, silk tweeters).

The only thing I wish I would have done differently is 6.5" components in the rear instead of coaxials, and cut a spot for a tweeter in the door. I think it would have made a big improvement to the sound stage in the rear. I think someone else here on the forum did this (Link: https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/b-o-8-speaker-system-rear-door-speaker.22134/post-425337)

I'll post some photos of my install when I get some more time. Folks might be interested in my rivnut install of the SGS plates.

Good luck!

 

[techobrien]

Here's some photos of my install. I'll post up the materials used in a subsequent post.

M4 Rivnuts installed

1/2" Foam Gasket installed around perimeter of SGS Panels and speaker openings

Installed plates and speakers with foam rings

Modified Kicker brackets for 6x9's

In-line tweeter with connectors soldered

Tweeter brackets - Needed to shave down the inner ridges to get the 1"KS to snap in
Blacked out the KS with a sharpie

3.5" Dash speaker using a backing ring and foam to seal the back

 

[techobrien]

Parts List


Speakers
Fronts and Tweeters: Kicker KS 6x9 Component KSS690
Front Brackets: Metra 82-5606 Used Kicker brackets instead
Tweeter harness: Metra 72-5605
Rear Speakers: Kicker KS 6.5" Coaxial 51KSC6704
Rear Brackets: Metra 82-5605
Front / rear speaker harness: Metra 72-5602
Center: Kicker KS 3.5" Coaxial KSC350
Tweeter High pass filter: DD AUDIO TXOHP18
Center harness: iJDMTOY 18-Inch Third Brake Light Extension Cable Harness
Dash Speaker Plate: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6473998

Sound Treatment and misc hardware
SGS Block off plates
SoundSkins Speaker Ring Kit SSK-RINGV3
M4 chromate coated Rivnuts for for 0.5mm to 2mm material thickness
M4 x 8mm SST flat head screw
1/2" Gasket Tape (1/8" thick)
Wiring loom tape

Edit: Added link to 3d printed dash speaker plate

 

[LN7]

Here's some photos of my install. I'll post up the materials used in a subsequent post.

M4 Rivnuts installed

1/2" Foam Gasket installed around perimeter of SGS Panels and speaker openings

Installed plates and speakers with foam rings

Modified Kicker brackets for 6x9's

In-line tweeter with connectors soldered

Tweeter brackets - Needed to shave down the inner ridges to get the 1"KS to snap in
Blacked out the KS with a sharpie

3.5" Dash speaker using a backing ring and foam to seal the back

Quick question for you regarding the 3.5" Dash speaker.

I disconnected the factory center dash speaker as it was dominating the sound stage, and I have been happier since it was removed. With the upgraded speaker - have you been pleased with the sound stage in the driver seat?

Trying to decide if I should just leave it disconnected or consider upgrading it to the Kicker KS series....

Thanks.

 

[techobrien]

Quick question for you regarding the 3.5" Dash speaker.

I disconnected the factory center dash speaker as it was dominating the sound stage, and I have been happier since it was removed. With the upgraded speaker - have you been pleased with the sound stage in the driver seat?

Trying to decide if I should just leave it disconnected or consider upgrading it to the Kicker KS series....

Thanks.

I personally still enjoy the extra "presence" that the center channel provides vs having it unplugged, but with the low sensitivity of the 3.5" KS (88dB) it's no longer overbearing like the factory center speaker was. I listen to a lot of podcasts so the vocal clarity is nice coming from up top vs a little muddier from the door speakers. I run my fade 1-2 clicks to the rear.

Some other members here have installed an 8-Ohm speaker instead (Dayton Audio PS95-8 3-1/2") and reported similar findings, but the factory was 4-ohms so I stuck with the KS. I think the volume output would be pretty similar (4 Ohm at 88 dB vs 8 Ohm at 85.56 dB).

Here's one example: https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-f-150-today-🙋🏻‍♂️.1314/post-181117

 

[LN7]

I personally still enjoy the extra "presence" that the center channel provides vs having it unplugged, but with the low sensitivity of the 3.5" KS (88dB) it's no longer overbearing like the factory center speaker was. I listen to a lot of podcasts so the vocal clarity is nice coming from up top vs a little muddier from the door speakers. I run my fade 1-2 clicks to the rear.

Some other members here have installed an 8-Ohm speaker instead (Dayton Audio PS95-8 3-1/2") and reported similar findings, but the factory was 4-ohms so I stuck with the KS. I think the volume output would be pretty similar (4 Ohm at 88 dB vs 8 Ohm at 85.56 dB).

Here's one example: https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-f-150-today-??‍.1314/post-181117

Thanks for responding.

I just finished sound deadening all 4 doors today:

- NVX Pro, then Noico Red CCF, then Luxury Liner Pro on the outer skins
- Soundskins on the inner door
- Soundskins speaker kit around the speakers
- Soundsgoodstereo block-off plates

About a week ago I had upgraded the 4 door speakers to Kicker KS - which made a noticeable improvement in sound quality by themselves. With today's work, the sound is significantly better.

I think I'll order the KS center speaker and give it a try.

Did you need a bracket or wiring adapter for the center speaker?

Thanks again!

 

[Sig Oris]

That's fair, and I'm an engineer by trade so over-scrutinizing specs is my day job. But I think there are good and bad choices for replacing the stock speakers right? Like you said, without doing a overhaul with amps / DSP / LOC / etc I'm not going to get a whole lot more out of a $1k speaker than a $100 speaker. So then there is a "best bang for the buck" suitable speaker that is going to play nice and maybe in the future with an amp I'd get more legs out of it. Like an 85 dB sensitivity speaker requiring tons of power to drive properly is going to be a poor choice for the stock B&O Amp or even low-power external amps. So then what would be a good choice? I'm just trying to make a good selection based on information available (specs and user experience). I'm not expecting to have a high performing system with perfect SQ or windows-down ear-busting volume so I fully understand I'm not getting that out of just a speaker swap. I also don't want to pick parts that are going to make it sound worse than stock, like make the rear coaxials even quieter than they were or make the front center speaker more prominent than it already is.

I've gotten some really helpful feedback so far like
- Kickers aren't good for mid-low end
- Aluminum tweeters are going to be sharper than silk or other fabric
- Fitment of 3/4" vs 1" tweeters
- Aim for high sensitivity (still a little fuzzy on what "high" means" like >92dB?)
- Center speaker isn't important. Go for a low-sensitivity or unplug it

I suffer from the follow affliction “ paralysis by analysis “ and I understand it’s common among engineers.

 

[techobrien]

Thanks for responding.

I just finished sound deadening all 4 doors today:

- NVX Pro, then Noico Red CCF, then Luxury Liner Pro on the outer skins
- Soundskins on the inner door
- Soundskins speaker kit around the speakers
- Soundsgoodstereo block-off plates

About a week ago I had upgraded the 4 door speakers to Kicker KS - which made a noticeable improvement in sound quality by themselves. With today's work, the sound is significantly better.

I think I'll order the KS center speaker and give it a try.

Did you need a bracket or wiring adapter for the center speaker?

Thanks again!

If you don't want to cut / splice your factory harness, you'll need the adapter below, cut in half and use one side to plug into your harness and the other into your speaker. I haven't found a Metra equivalent, but this one works great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089292V5C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The 3.5" speaker pretty much drops right in without any adapter needed. There is a plastic alignment "nub" that you can cut off to make it fit more level. I did put a 3D printed backer ring with foam gasket just to seal up the back of the speaker to the enclosure. Here's the link if you're interested: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6473998

 

[SlammedZero]

I've been meaning to get back to this thread to report my results. BUT, the overall summary is

Speakers
Fronts and Tweeters: Kicker KS 6x9 Component
Rears: Kicker KS 6.5" Coaxial
Center: Kicker KS 3.5" Coaxial

Sound Treatment
SGS Block off plates
SoundSkins Speaker Ring Kit

Key Findings
The B&O 8ch front tweeters are 4 Ohm, not 8 Ohm. 1" KS Tweeters dropped right in to the factory mounts with minimal modification of the mount. The Metra 72-5605 is the correct harness adapter for the tweeters. This shows compatible on Metra's site, but not on Crutchfield for the '21 (but does show now on the '22). Crutchfield sent it to me for free after I asked about it. I used an in-line 4 kHz 18 db/dec crossover (DD-TXO-HP18) which was much smaller than the crossovers included with the KS. Slipped into the A-pillar well with no issues.

B&O 8ch center speaker is 4 Ohm, not 8 Ohm. Kicker KS was a great replacement and is less sensitive than stock, dulling the over-presence. The extra tweeter in the coaxial is not an issue. No 4 Ohm resistors or 8 Ohm speaker needed. Wiring harness that worked for me was below:

iJDMTOY 18-Inch Plug-N-Play Third Brake Light Extension Cable Harness, Compatible with Jeep 2007-2018 Wrangler JK JKU
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089292V5C

I have both a spare 4-Ohm 3.5" Kicker KS (they come in pairs) and an (spare KS350 is spoken for) 8-Ohm Dayton Audio PS95-8 3-1/2" + mounting plate if anybody is interested. I believe this would be for the Standard 7 speaker setup which does seem to be an 8-ohm speaker per other threads.

My stock rear speaker cones were physically warped and causes the voice coil to rub. I don't think the construction of paper cones is suitable for the factory install location given the propensity of Ford doors to have moisture in them and with how hot car doors get. Maybe this is just a bad batch, but I'm not surprised they failed.

The Metra 82-5606 mounting plates didn't fit the Kicker KS and I used the Kicker mounting adapters instead. I trimmed off the extra break-away tabs and still required a little dremel action to get the fit right, but they're very stout. Overall, the metra adapters are pretty flimsy and poor quality compared to the ones that shipped with the Kickers. I used the Metra in the rear though because it made a better seal with the door.

Conclusion

Yes, the volume is slightly lower at equivalent levels but I can get it plenty loud without any discernable distortion. No, I'm definitely not squeezing every drop out of the Kicker KS's but they are in no way anemic on the stock B&O amp. I'm VERY happy with the overall results:
- Improvements to bass and midbass
- More oomph from the rear speakers
- Surprising amounts of clarity improvement from the new tweeters
- Center channel presence is greatly reduced (but I do prefer it as opposed to disconnected installed). It no longer sounds like a shopping mall speaker.

For ~$700 and a weekend of time I'd do it again in a heartbeat. As a straight up replacement for blown stocks I would definitely recommend the KS's over paying ~$100 for stock replacements that probably would just fail again.

But, it does sound like you're willing to do a more comprehensive upgrade than I was willing to embark on, and the KS's might not be the best selection if you're adding an amp since you don't need high(er) sensitivity speakers and you might be OK with 6.5"s in the front since you added subs. Maybe something like the C3's would serve you better?

I did really like the JL lineup, but the aluminum tweeters on the C1's were just too harsh for my ears, and I was pretty sure the C3's (silk tweeters) would be underpowered and are not sensitive enough on the stock amp. I did also like the JBL offerings, but they don't have 6x9 component's for the front. I did find that in general 6x9's had a lot more bass / mid-bass than equivalent 6.5" so the KS was a kind of sweet spot for me (high sensitivity, 6x9 component for the front, matching 6.5 coaxial for the rear, silk tweeters).

The only thing I wish I would have done differently is 6.5" components in the rear instead of coaxials, and cut a spot for a tweeter in the door. I think it would have made a big improvement to the sound stage in the rear. I think someone else here on the forum did this (Link: https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/b-o-8-speaker-system-rear-door-speaker.22134/post-425337)

I'll post some photos of my install when I get some more time. Folks might be interested in my rivnut install of the SGS plates.

Good luck!

Good stuff!!! Thanks for the detailed write-ups. I’ve been toying with the idea of upgrading my speakers for a couple weeks now. While I know it’s not going to be a mind-blowing difference, it’s great to hear the new setup holds up better at higher volumes. That’s one of my biggest gripes with the B&O system: it just can’t keep its composure when cranked up. Some days, you just want to blast your music, but the stock system gets muddy and struggles to keep up. This definitely gives me food for thought.

Anyway, I really appreciate the info you posted in this thread. Posts like yours are exactly what make forum boards worth visiting.

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