OEM upgrade w/ on non B&O under $1k?

[staying_tuned]

Hey folks, I'd love to tap into the hive mind and get a recommendation for upgrading the speakers on my 23' non B&O XLT while adding a sub. I've got about 100 sq./ft. of deadener left over from previous projects and planned to deaden the truck over the winter as part of this.

A few notes on what I'm aiming for:

- My ears are shot or modern stereos are simply loud enough for me, not sure which but I don't need much (if any) additional volume on the mids & highs. They are just extremely muddy.

- Would love to inject a very healthy a dose of bass while hoping to null out any factory bass roll-off etc.

- I would like to be in the $1k total range including any ease-of-install adapters/LOC etc.

I briefly started down this path on my own with the forum's posts leading me to SGS's Kicker KS series offering for component speakers, this kit in particular to be specific and then the Kicker HS10. I've read a bit about Kickers KEYLOC and it seems pretty clever. That was a while ago before I got side-tracked chasing boost so I'm unsure what has come out and where things stand now as far as best bang for the buck/ease-of-install/etc.

Hoping to catch any trailing cyber monday or black friday deals although I won't be able to install for a month or two.

Thanks in advance for any insight!

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[ThumperF150]

I’m old with bad hearing. Stock radio sounded like a pocket transistor radio to me in my 24 RCSB. So…..

Kicker Key 200.4 and
Plug and Play harness from @Hush Car Audio

Kicker KSS670 Speakers/Tweeters and 51HS10 sub under pass seat from Sonic Electronics

Amazon Basic sound mat in doors with Sounds Good Stereo block off plates and tweeter mounts.

Looks factory until you move pass seat forward and look behind it, then you can see sub.

Did is all myself and this was my first ever full stereo install/upgrade. It was not horrible. I would have paid to have it done (Local shop wanted about $1100 for everything - parts and labor - but I wanted the experience and I doubt they would have been as careful and clean as I was.)

Sounds sooooo much better. For me is was worth every penny and minute it took.

 

[Jmitchelltfo]

That will be a tough budget to stick to if you want to fix the factory roll off.

I would definitely recommend looking into the options on the Provo beast youtube channel. He has several installs on non-B&O F150's that look solid and you should be able to use those for ideas on how to get the best bang for the buck.

Sound treating your doors will be a huge key though, and having sound deadener already will help your budget too. DIY block off plates would be helpful or you could spend a couple extra bucks and buy them from MTI or SGS. Check out duct seal for another budget option to help with speaker adapters and all the nooks and crannies in your doors and other speaker locations like the dash or A pillars if you decide to try and run a two or three-way setup.

Good luck!

 

[ThumperF150]

Personally, I think “budget” for a sound system has a lot of wiggle room because everything does not need to be purchased at one time. You said $1,000. Im guessing that’s what you have now. Since an upgrade is done in stages anyway, you could prob stretch that $1,000 into more over a couple of months. Example, decide on everything you want now. Then, go buy door speakers, block off plates and sound mat and install all of that. That alone might be enough. If not, the next month buy amp and harness and install those with sub wires run. The next month buy and install sub. So you end up over your initial $1,000 budget but it does not hurt because it was spread out.

Thats what I did. Bought components on sale weeks apart over a couple of months.

 

[staying_tuned]

Personally, I think “budget” for a sound system has a lot of wiggle room because everything does not need to be purchased at one time.

Honestly it's more about the opportunity cost elsewhere and being realistic about what I can truly benefit from. My ears can no longer appreciate the ultra crisp fidelity of something like a high-end morel/audison/focal (if they are still great) but my body & brain can sure as $hit easily & accurately quantify what more horsepower does for me and I've still got gobs of runway in that regard from a future planning and cost-allocation standpoint.

 

[ThumperF150]

Honestly it's more about the opportunity cost elsewhere and being realistic about what I can truly benefit from. My ears can no longer appreciate the ultra crisp fidelity of something like a high-end morel/audison/focal (if they are still great) but my body & brain can sure as $hit easily & accurately quantify what more horsepower does for me and I've still got gobs of runway in that regard from a future planning and cost-allocation standpoint.

Same here and my budget was also $1,000 because I can’t hear well enough to justify $2-3000. I went over by a couple hundred but it was not noticeable in my lifestyle as the cost was spread out. I’m still only at $1,200-$1,300 and I think the added cost of sound mat and block off plates and P&P harness was all money well spent for ME.

 

[ThumperF150]

Also, let me throw out another “old dude with bad hearing” idea. My last truck was a 2006 Tundra. I finally decided I needed a BT capable head unit. Swapped out the factory for an aftermarket with more power and bypassed the factory amp. No other changes. HUGE improvement in sound and base. I mean HUGE.

So, while I upgraded everything in this truck, I’ve wondered if simply adding the Kicker 200.4 amp would have been enough.

Just another option.

 

[staying_tuned]

You said $1,000. Im guessing that’s what you have now. Since an upgrade is done in stages anyway, you could prob stretch that $1,000 into more over a couple of months. Example, decide on everything you want now. Then, go buy door speakers, block off plates and sound mat and install all of that. That alone might be enough.

I'm digging this approach quite a bit because I don't have to jam up the truck for a week+ when I install it and like the layering as needed. It would allow my OCD brain to feel like the doors were "completed" before moving onto something else later as needed.

If I were to go this route what would be a set of components that the factory head-unit can drive? I'm certain a dedicated multi-channel amp is a no go and if the sub is powered/encapsulated yeah, no trouble installing it later. I've been pushing off FORScan but the list of nice-to-haves that it offers is really adding up. Can FORScan alone mitigate the negatives on the OEM baked-in EQ to where if I have components (with dedicated cross-overs, a proper set) and block-off plates & deadener it would sound pretty fantastic at least in the mid and high range?

 

[Riddick]

This is just my opinion but if you upgrade your door speakers I HIGHLY encourage you to buy an aftermarket amp. The stock head unit does not supply enough power for aftermarket speakers. They will lack mid and low bass from being under driven. The kicker key 200.4 amp is awesome and paired with door speakers sounds fantastic.

I would start with door speakers and a kicker key, this will be a huge step up from OEM. You can always comeback later and add a sub.

 

[ThumperF150]

I'm digging this approach quite a bit because I don't have to jam up the truck for a week+ when I install it and like the layering as needed. It would allow my OCD brain to feel like the doors were "completed" before moving onto something else later as needed.

If I were to go this route what would be a set of components that the factory head-unit can drive? I'm certain a dedicated multi-channel amp is a no go and if the sub is powered/encapsulated yeah, no trouble installing it later. I've been pushing off FORScan but the list of nice-to-haves that it offers is really adding up. Can FORScan alone mitigate the negatives on the OEM baked-in EQ to where if I have components (with dedicated cross-overs, a proper set) and block-off plates & deadener it would sound pretty fantastic at least in the mid and high range?

Yeah, most of this is way above me and my very limited knowledge of sound systems so I can’t even offer an opinion or idea.

Thats why everything in my upgrade is Kicker. I just assumed they designed it all to work well together and to my ear it does.

 

[HammaMan]

Play your cards right and you'll end up with an 8 channel DSP. Only need to use the 2 front doors as signal. https://www.ebay.com/itm/305375798007
$1k isn't much to work with these days.

 

[Jmitchelltfo]

Play your cards right and you'll end up with an 8 channel DSP. Only need to use the 2 front doors as signal. https://www.ebay.com/itm/305375798007
$1k isn't much to work with these days.

Yeah.....I started out with a simple sub/amp and two weeks later I had 4 grand worth of gear in the garage, building my amp rack to go with a 3-way active setup with 12's under the rear seat.

 

[staying_tuned]

Ok got my order squared away, thanks a ton for all of the feedback y'all. Ended up with:

- Kicker HS10
- Kicker Key 200.4
- Kicker CSC693 (6x9 coax) -> Front Door
- Kicker 46CST204 (tweeter) -> Front Pillar
- 6x9 adapter/mount plates & speaker adapter plugs
- PNP Harness wired for the above to retain stock rears, includes amp wiring etc. from PNP kits.

Total: $996.99 with a current kicker discount, with shipping $1037.97

I went slightly over budget with shipping but I feel like I got a heck of an upgrade over factory for this price-range. Photo below is the configuration from a wiring/amp/sub standpoint. I should have everything by end of next week.

Thanks again for the assist y'all!

 

[Riddick]

From the sounds of it you're going to run the amp in bi-amp mode? If so, does the harness from plug and Play kits include separate wires to run to the tweeters?

 

[staying_tuned]

From the sounds of it you're going to run the amp in bi-amp mode? If so, does the harness from plug and Play kits include separate wires to run to the tweeters?

Nah we discussed bi-amp if I had gone with better speakers, he said Kicker's CS line does very well with lower wattage and that if I wasn't looking for lots more volume, I'd be very happy with them. I don't need louder, just cleaner with some additional punch. OEM+ basically.

Once Kicker rolls out more DSP amps I'll get around to upgrading the rears and likely go to a 100x4 DSP when offered if I want more wattage. The way I look at it the only thing I'll need to upgrade should I want to get to the next level will be the amp which is also the easiest thing to access & swap. I cannot believe how small they are these days.

I've got gobs of deadener and I just ordered SGSs block-off plates so I'm going to treat the doors nicely to get the most out of the above.

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