Audio upgrade shenanigans. (picture heavy)

[pocket_geek]

Hey all, I thought I'd post my audio upgrade adventure.

I have a 2019 supercab XLT so no B&O. I have Sync 3 and the 8" screen, upgraded to Sync 3.4.

The stock system wasn't terrible, but I wanted better. And I wanted to do it retaining the stock look.

Parts List:

T-harness
Speed wire
DS18 loc/line driver. This give me a summed sub woofer output.
Kicker Key 200.4 4 channel auto DSP amp
Kicker Key 500.1 auto DSP sub amp
JL Audio C1-660 Components
JL Audio 6.5" sub, 6W3v3-4
Plyboard
Sound deadening material
Poly fill
20 amp fuse taps.
Power and Ground wire.
Other miscellaneous hardware...

First thing I did was use Forscan to disable the built in DSP and to enable line level outputs. In my testing using 0db test tones and an oscilloscope with line outs enabled the head unit produces no distortion even at full volume. Without line level outputs enabled distortion starts at 20 on the dial. Line level outputs appear to be 2 volt.

Then I made the dash side of the wiring harness using the T-Harness:

For power I repurposed the two 20 amp fuses in the fuse box for the B&O system I don't have. This makes it so I don't have to drill a hole in the firewall for power.

I repurposed the space under the rear drivers side seat for my amp rack. I put the jack and accessories in my swing boxes.

With wires ran and amps mounted it looks like this:

Everything just fits, and I can get to all of the adjustments.

Now onto the speakers. I ordered them from Crutchfield and they sent along very good instructions on how to disassemble everything.

The new tweeters fit the stock locations like they were supposed to be there.

Note: I didn't use the tweeters for the rear channels, I run those full range.

New vs Old Speakers:

They look nice installed

On to the sub. For the sub I decided to use the space under the rear passenger side seat. I took out the plastic bin and then sound deadened the rest to within and inch of it's life. I used the holes were the three plastic retainers that hold the plastic bin on to hold on the top plate I made. I drilled out the holes a little bigger and used threaded rivet inserts.

I did add polyfil and foam strips to the back edges of the mounting plate to create a seal., but forgot to take pictures of that.

Final product

Everything put back together, looks stock still except for the yellow speakers.

If you sit in that seat you can tell something is under it but it's not bad. ...I'm mean no worse that sitting in that seat to begin with.


I probably missed some steps.

Questions? Ridicule?

Thanks!

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[Pinepig]

That came out pretty nice.

 

[Aragorn]

How does it sound?

 

[pocket_geek]

How does it sound?

I think it sounds much better than stock. I did have my expectations tempered though, a vehicle isn't really the ideal listening environment.

...I have a rattle to hunt down in my rear drivers side door.

 

[pocket_geek]

That came out pretty nice.

Thanks!

 

[Apples]

You need some Weathertech Floor Liners!

 

[geophb]

Looks good.

Have you seen the plugnplay powerbass door speakers? I was thinking of going that route.

 

[fusseli]

Nice setup. I also have a rattle to track down in a front door after my install... I think the crossover i zip tied in wiggled loose.

 

[Racket]

Nice, using existing fuses is a nice clean move. I presume disabling DSP bypasses 'fake engine noise'?

Did you add any sound proofing to the doors, foam surround for the 6.5 inch drivers?

For those who have yanked the door panels off, is there any factory acoustic dampening on the back of the plastic interior panels?

 

[cfhgarza]

You did a nice job. ?? How's it sound?

Where did you get that T-Harness? I would love to add a little sub to my XLT.

 

[pocket_geek]

Nice, using existing fuses is a nice clean move. I presume disabling DSP bypasses 'fake engine noise'?

Did you add any sound proofing to the doors, foam surround for the 6.5 inch drivers?

For those who have yanked the door panels off, is there any factory acoustic dampening on the back of the plastic interior panels?

Disabling the DSP got rid of the factory bass roll off and factory time alignment. I didn't have any fake engine noise to begin with.

There is dampening on the backside of the door panels, I probably should have added more though.

 

[Sandman Ranger]

A built in boom box.
Nice work.

 

[pocket_geek]

You did a nice job. ?? How's it sound?

Where did you get that T-Harness? I would love to add a little sub to my XLT.

I got the T-Harness here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D9W3CHY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It had a ground and power wire in it that I didn't use.

 

[pocket_geek]

Another thing to note: Since the park assist and other beeps and buzzers use the stereo speakers and don't have a volume control I set the gains on my amps so that was volume I wanted. If I had set the gains in the traditional way the park assist would have blown me out of the truck first time it came on.

The Forscan codes I used were:
ACM
727-01-01 xx50 Turns on line-outs.
727-01-02 00xx Turns off factory DSP.

 

[pocket_geek]

Looks good.

Have you seen the plugnplay powerbass door speakers? I was thinking of going that route.

I did, didn't really like the look of them though, and wanted components. They probably sound better than the stock speakers, would be a good deal for the price I think.

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