Audio System "Enhanced" Engine Sound and your Subwoofer

[Zaph]

Update: Got an answer from Safewireless. They didn't know if the harness worked for the 2019+ Ranger. He said:

"The harness works with the 2019 F-150 non amplified radio, you will need to contact any Ford dealer parts department with your VIN# to confirm if the same radio is used in your Ranger. Returns are always okay."

Sponsored

 

[4rd SVT]

https://plugnplaykits.com/collectio...7-2018-f-450-2017-2019?variant=13971704086571

Has anyone pulled the radio assembly out & taken any pics of the connections or the harness itself?

I'm tempted in ordering this "Plug-N-Play" harness kit with the Pioneer micro-amp & LC2i for a sub-amp addition. BUT it's for the F-150/F250 OE base radios which sorta look similar to the Rangers except for the CD-player.
Then ditch the OE speakers for some quality 6.5" component speakers for the front & rear doors.... cause I'm guessing the speaker openings are no longer the traditional Ford 6x8's.

My main delay is it's been too-cold lately to spend any real time disassembling the dash panels to access the LCD screen & radio assembly....plus I'm afraid something might "snap" from yanking on the trim panels while it's flat out cold too.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


AGAIN FORD- WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH NOT INCLUDING AN AUX PORT???


Also I'm going to install a Metra FM-Modulator because I'm still Low-Tech & have all my music & playlists on several of my old-fashion ZUNE mp3 players.... because Ford decided to not offer/support a basic AUX connector in these new vehicles.


https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=Metra+44-FMMOD03+&_sacat=0

I tried spending the time to re-create playlists using "File-Explorer" creating files on the flash drive by copy-and-paste method.... Which does NOT work for me... some strange reason it defaults to automatically alphabetize each mp3 file & doesn't show individual playlists I create when I plug in the flashdrive into the Ranger.

Plus Microsoft LOCKED their software/programing so I can't connect my ZUNE players through the USB port... get the "device not supported" screen display.

Also need to find out what type of antenna connection is being used so I can order the correct adapters....

Guessing probably the euro-version ones....

https://www.amazon.com/Metra-2002-U...modulator&qid=1582289580&s=electronics&sr=1-9

 

[4rd SVT]

Oh, after searching-

Found the OE front & rear are 5-1/4" speakers...

Depending on the aftermarket brand, looks like a spacer maybe needed for installing the fronts...

 

[4rd SVT]

So I watched the entire install video & I'm not quite understanding the use/function/install of Audio Control LGD.

https://www.audiocontrol.com/car-audio/accessories/ac-lgd/


Looking at 16:43 mark in the video:

So this installer is running the OE front & rear speakers as "high-level inputs" directly to the Kicker Amp.

And these LGD's are being wired in between the radio and Kicker Amp, right?

Plus, I typically install the passive-crossovers [component-speaker] under the seat next to the aftermarket amp to get some air-flow.
My opinion, I would think that all the electronics [in general] will be too hot under the dash; especially in the summer...

 

[Zaph]

Class D amps need a load to operate properly. If it means anything to you, the load is used to damp the LC output filter and prevent the filter-chokes from generating excessive voltages. And the majority of car amps are Class D these days because they can be smaller and run cooler.

Those wiring straight to an amp will need something like this. Those paralleling off the rears for a signal for subs will not.

I'm pretty confident I will be keeping the door drivers and installing new pillar tweeters with custom designed filters. The tweeters will be Scandinavian made Seas models.

Yeah it's still cold as hell here too. Hard to work in the garage and really dig in. One of these years I need to install a garage heater.

 

[Edsel]

Your Auto Start-Stop defaults to On every time you get in

This is required by the EPA/mileage police. Go to any high performance car forum where the vehicle has AS, you see the complaints.

Why? Well, the mileage figures are predicated on AS buying you just a squirt or two of gas every time you stop. If you turn it off, you defeat this. For carbon emissions purposes, 'they' do not want you to turn it off.

Why don't they just force it on all the time? 'They' may do that someday, but for now it could be a safety issue and in heavy traffic it is not only a nuisance, but also rough on the engine.

Embrace the AS, learn to live with it until you go all-electric

 

[Ed Venture]

Update: Got an answer from Safewireless. They didn't know if the harness worked for the 2019+ Ranger. He said:

"The harness works with the 2019 F-150 non amplified radio, you will need to contact any Ford dealer parts department with your VIN# to confirm if the same radio is used in your Ranger. Returns are always okay."

Okay - I ordered up the Safewireless harness from Amazon. Hopefully I get it in time for the weekend so I can dig in and see if it fits.

Ed

 

[Fawnbuster]

Love my B&O system, zero engine noise and more than enough base.

This is the 1st factory radio system I've owned that I didn't have to tweak to suit my ears. Only thing I may do later is sound dampening the inner and outer door frames

Subscribed!

Another member replaced the B&O sub with a slim JL but didn't provide any further info.

Let's figure this B&O system out.

 

[Edsel]

So I watched the entire install video & I'm not quite understanding the use/function/install of Audio Control LGD.

First I thought that video was great, thanks.

Second, has anybody done the 'Engine Noise' test discussed in the video? It looks like our Rangers may just have engine noise coming out of the front speakers, so tapping into the rear for a subwoofer should not be an issue. One caveat is the ANC system, which is going to be influenced by a subwoofer addition. The question will be if it has enough headroom in the feedback gain to accommodate it. Frankly, it should because the Lariat's have the B&O sub.

Third, you can think of the LGD unit like an impedance matching network. In fact, this may be why some think they are hearing injected engine noise out of rear speaker tap subwoofers when nothing is actually there.

 

[RaptorBKK]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post here on this forum, I live and work in Thailand and have a 2020 Raptor with basic audio system, 4 channels, 6 speakers and no amp.
I am currently purchasing everything for a full audio upgrade, retaining the factory head unit with sync 3, my Raptor has ANC and the enhanced engine sounds.

I recently installed a temporary JBL underseat sub box with a Audio Control LC2i and took the signal from the rear speakers, straight away I had a unbearable droning from the sub and had to turn it off, I assumed it was feedback from the ANC but it also increased and decreased in volume with the throttle which made me think it was also linked somehow with the enhanced engine sound thingy.

Have spent the last few weeks scouring the net, watching 5 Star Car Stereo youtube videos of F150 builds and taking to local car audio shops, most of which has not helped.

All of the local audio shops I talked to had no knowledge of this engine sound, but I did find one shop who knew how to remove ANC, they were very reluctant to help me but today we managed to convince them to help, result, no more ANC and the drone from the sub is gone, the engine sound is still there but doesn't seem to be interfering with the audio anymore.

They disconnected 2 wires from the white connector in the RHS A pillar, my Raptor has 3 small round microphones in the roof liner in addition to the phone microphone, guess they are the ANC microphones and what they disconnected today, BTW these things are glued into the liner, so left them intact.

Parts for my new audio upgrade almost together, importing everything from Europe and the US, way too expensive to buy here.

I will post details here when I start the build, setup is Audio Control D-4.800 DSP amp, front and rear Dynaudio Esotec components, passive rear, active fronts, Audio Control LC-1.800 amp for JL Audio 13TW5v2-4 subwoofer in custom shallow box behind the rear seat.

I made a rough sub box for a test last weekend, very rough but wanted to get as close to the 0.8ft3 volume as possible make sure I could close the seat, the JL sub is less than 2.5" deep and the box is around 0.7ft3 at the moment.
Here's a photo of the connector and the wires to remove, white with orange stripe and yellow with purple stripe.
Still keen to find a way to delete those engine sounds although it's now bearable.

 

[Edsel]

They disconnected 2 wires from the white connector in the RHS A pillar, my Raptor has 3 small round microphones in the roof liner in addition to the phone microphone, guess they are the ANC microphones and what they disconnected today, BTW these things are glued into the liner, so left them intact.

Interesting. I looked for those small round mics after watching an Aussie video on ANC and found none. I did find one larger, rectangular vent-like thing in the headliner right behind the driver seat. I am guessing that is the ANC mic. I plan to put a piece of tape over it and see what happens.

My conclusion at this point is that Rangers overseas and those here are slightly different. Also, a 2020 Raptor most likely has differences from a 2019 (US) Ranger.

In any event, good luck with the install and thanks for keeping us abreast of things as you uncover them.

 

[RaptorBKK]

Interesting. I looked for those small round mics after watching an Aussie video on ANC and found none. I did find one larger, rectangular vent-like thing in the headliner right behind the driver seat. I am guessing that is the ANC mic. I plan to put a piece of tape over it and see what happens.

My conclusion at this point is that Rangers overseas and those here are slightly different. Also, a 2020 Raptor most likely has differences from a 2019 (US) Ranger.

In any event, good luck with the install and thanks for keeping us abreast of things as you uncover them.

Yes, not sure how your US spec Rangers differ from here, I know the Ford factory here in Thailand supplies Raptors to Australia and other Asian countries.
The small rectangular thing in the headliner over driver seat pretty sure its the phone microphone.
That Mustang video posted in this thread previously was also a headliner mounted ANC microphone by the look of it.

 

[Zaph]

I believe ANC is a Lariat and a Raptor feature only. And I believe the issues they have to deal with for that is even worse than what the rest of us are trying to get rid of with fake engine noise.

That's why I can't find a mic in my truck. But you guys with ANC and installing subs are really going to want to disable it.

Can anyone with a Lariat check for that mic?

 

[Ed Venture]

Update: Got an answer from Safewireless. They didn't know if the harness worked for the 2019+ Ranger. He said:

"The harness works with the 2019 F-150 non amplified radio, you will need to contact any Ford dealer parts department with your VIN# to confirm if the same radio is used in your Ranger. Returns are always okay."

It fits!

 

[Edsel]

That Mustang video posted in this thread previously was also a headliner mounted ANC microphone by the look of it.

The funny thing about that video was that they never showed what it looked like from the headliner side or specifically where it is in the car. That said, it sure does look like what mine might look like from the headliner side.

Anybody know if the Ranger headliner is held up by magnets like the 'Stang? That sure would make things easy.

Sponsored