XLT - B&O Speakers Upgrade

Jason L

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Is it possible to purchase the parts for the B&O and install them in an XLT as an upgrade?

Most important to me is the AMP and Kicker given the molding to fit behind the seat?

Or am I better off after market.
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VAMike

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Radio itself differs, not just speakers
 

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the b&o itself is a great system. I would recommend going with it if I had to reorder my truck.
 

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Radio itself differs, not just speakers
Do you have a link or some sort of proof that this is the case? I'd be interested in reading that.
 

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Do you have a link or some sort of proof that this is the case? I'd be interested in reading that.
the B&O radio has hd radio, the non-B&O does not. there are also different functions in the sound menu. I don't know how much is software defined, how much is hardware, or whether the software can be overridden.
 

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This is mainly a hardware limitation from what I have deduced. With my digging into the forScan options for the radio, all the functionality seems to be there to turn things on an off, but without the hardware many options just don't do anything.
 

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the B&O radio has hd radio, the non-B&O does not. there are also different functions in the sound menu. I don't know how much is software defined, how much is hardware, or whether the software can be overridden.
Thanks for expanding on that, I do wonder though if the outputs are really any different and if someone swapped the speakers if the sound would be much different. The stereo is certainly one thing that I have on my list to upgrade on my XLT.
 

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From what I have been able to deduce on my own the 3 tiers of Rangers all use different cab wire harnesses. They all plug into the main cab harness. So getting those and putting them in would be a major tear down
 

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I like the B&O over the non B&O stereo but it is not all that much better. The subwoofer is pretty small. If you are inclined - I would go aftermarket.
 

mlarma

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I like the B&O over the non B&O stereo but it is not all that much better. The subwoofer is pretty small. If you are inclined - I would go aftermarket.
I'm going to second this. The drivers on the B&O are nothing special and there's a few great videos about it on YouTube if you search. The best bang:buck is gonna be aftermarket. The best route I've seen to go, and since I haven't heard it I'm relying on years of audiophile experience, is setting the head unit to line-out with Forscan, getting good speakers and good class D amps that go under the dash.

Amplification:
==========
Class D is super efficient and tend to run very cool especially when compared to the class AB amps that were around when I was in high school (91 graduate so I'm not ancient quite yet). Don't skimp on the amp - watts are less important than quality here. 20w isn't twice as loud as 10w (only a 3dB gain). Twice as loud as 10w is 100w (10dB gain). That said, 50w will go very far, especially in a car, if the amp is of very good quality. One last thing - you don't have to listen to it super loud to enjoy a better quality amp. The amp is going to open up the sound and make it easier to drive the speakers at a normal volume. Too small of an amp, or one of poor quality will sound compressed and less natural - like the factory amplification in the units that aren't B&O, although it has speaker compromises... Also, with our trucks, keep the amp or amps at a reasonable size that will go under the dash (that's my suggestion, you may have other ideas and that's cool too)

Speakers:
=======
Tweeters (top of door): Would suggest avoiding 1/2" or metal tweeters. An exception to the metal material is the JBL tweeter. 3/4" isn't bad, but 1" would be better I believe (at least in terms of audio quality) It isn't bad, but keep an eye on the frequency range. Their resonance is too high which means your frequency range won't go as low resulting in a gap in the midrange. This is even a bigger deal as your woofer/midbass in the door points at your leg. Textile or other soft dome tweeters in the 1" size will give you a better result. I'm a fan of silk dome, but wouldn't say no to others that fit that category. I'd suggest HIGHLY to get this as a set with the door's woofer/midbass to have a better matchup unless you are an expert and want to tune a crossover/DSP.

Woofers/Midbass (front/rear doors): Here the front should match the tweeter (sold in a set). The rears should be coaxial (include tweeter mounted to the speaker). If you want to avoid a sub, make sure they go low, but without sacrificing their lower midrange performance. You don't want a gap in the vocal range. Speaking of which, general guidance I've heard has been that crossovers in the 300Hz to 3000Hz range have to be better due to that being the prime range of vocals. I think quality of the crossover is important and many of the units you'll find for the front will already include them.

Subwoofers: I'm gonna skip this one. You may not feel you need one after your setup is done, but if you do, finding one to fit is gonna be a pain. Would suggest making sure you have a 1/2" gap between it and the rear seat should you mount it there. It'll require its own amplifier as well, which I'd locate near the sub. Subs are thirsty for power, so you're gonna have to give it more juice than you would the other speakers. I'm less familiar with this piece of the car stereo puzzle beyond what I've shared, so consulting a car stereo expert would be suggested if you need a sub. Again, keeping a gap so that the woofer isn't constrained in movement is important. That I do know :)

Additional Suggestions:
================
I know it's hard to go places during covid, but vaccines are coming to an arm near you. Double masking is also excellent (I've done it - surgical mask with a 2 or 3 layer fabric one - NO POLYESTER - it doesn't breathe and you'll feel like you're suffocating. Would suggest getting a mask from www.donnalewisusa.com as they are two layer and breathe very well, especially when you double mask. The bigger thing is that they have hands down the best metal nose piece and you won't fog your glasses or blow air in your eyes.

Ok, back to audio... yeah, go and LISTEN to them before you buy if at all possible and more importantly, TAKE YOUR OWN MUSIC. That way, you're familiar with the song and know what it sounds like. It will help you know if something is too bright, dull, etc. especially if the car stereo dealer plays something that they are familiar with that you aren't - and that they know will cover up or sound good on that system. Bluetooth won't sound as good as a thumb drive, BUT I would suggest listening to it the way you normally would (which is either Bluetooth or Android Auto/Car Play) Sirius XM, HD Radio and FM (all broadcasts) are compressed and is a TERRIBLE choice when evaluating equipment. Never do that.

Found two sets that are relatively reasonably priced on Crutchfield. Not sure if these work well in our trucks, but they say that they fit, the criteria above fits, reviews are solid. I started this thread about them (from JL Audio and Alpine): (2) Anyone installed JL Audio C2-650 or Alpine R-S65 | 2019+ Ford Ranger and Raptor Forum (5th Generation) - Ranger5G.com
 
Last edited:

mlarma

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I'm going to second this. The drivers on the B&O are nothing special and there's a few great videos about it on YouTube if you search. The best bang:buck is gonna be aftermarket. The best route I've seen to go, and since I haven't heard it I'm relying on years of audiophile experience, is setting the head unit to line-out with Forscan, getting good speakers and good class D amps that go under the dash.

Amplification:
==========
Class D is super efficient and tend to run very cool especially when compared to the class AB amps that were around when I was in high school (91 graduate so I'm not ancient quite yet). Don't skimp on the amp - watts are less important than quality here. 20w isn't twice as loud as 10w (only a 3dB gain). Twice as loud as 10w is 100w (10dB gain). That said, 50w will go very far, especially in a car, if the amp is of very good quality. One last thing - you don't have to listen to it super loud to enjoy a better quality amp. The amp is going to open up the sound and make it easier to drive the speakers at a normal volume. Too small of an amp, or one of poor quality will sound compressed and less natural - like the factory amplification in the units that aren't B&O, although it has speaker compromises... Also, with our trucks, keep the amp or amps at a reasonable size that will go under the dash (that's my suggestion, you may have other ideas and that's cool too)

Speakers:
=======
Tweeters (top of door): Would suggest avoiding 1/2" or metal tweeters. An exception to the metal material is the JBL tweeter. 3/4" isn't bad, but 1" would be better I believe (at least in terms of audio quality) It isn't bad, but keep an eye on the frequency range. Their resonance is too high which means your frequency range won't go as low resulting in a gap in the midrange. This is even a bigger deal as your woofer/midbass in the door points at your leg. Textile or other soft dome tweeters in the 1" size will give you a better result. I'm a fan of silk dome, but wouldn't say no to others that fit that category. I'd suggest HIGHLY to get this as a set with the door's woofer/midbass to have a better matchup unless you are an expert and want to tune a crossover/DSP.

Woofers/Midbass (front/rear doors): Here the front should match the tweeter (sold in a set). The rears should be coaxial (include tweeter mounted to the speaker). If you want to avoid a sub, make sure they go low, but without sacrificing their lower midrange performance. You don't want a gap in the vocal range. Speaking of which, general guidance I've heard has been that crossovers in the 300Hz to 3000Hz range have to be better due to that being the prime range of vocals. I think quality of the crossover is important and many of the units you'll find for the front will already include them.

Subwoofers: I'm gonna skip this one. You may not feel you need one after your setup is done, but if you do, finding one to fit is gonna be a pain. Would suggest making sure you have a 1/2" gap between it and the rear seat should you mount it there. It'll require its own amplifier as well, which I'd locate near the sub. Subs are thirsty for power, so you're gonna have to give it more juice than you would the other speakers. I'm less familiar with this piece of the car stereo puzzle beyond what I've shared, so consulting a car stereo expert would be suggested if you need a sub. Again, keeping a gap so that the woofer isn't constrained in movement is important. That I do know :)

Additional Suggestions:
================
I know it's hard to go places during covid, but vaccines are coming to an arm near you. Double masking is also excellent (I've done it - surgical mask with a 2 or 3 layer fabric one - NO POLYESTER - it doesn't breathe and you'll feel like you're suffocating. Would suggest getting a mask from www.donnalewisusa.com as they are two layer and breathe very well, especially when you double mask. The bigger thing is that they have hands down the best metal nose piece and you won't fog your glasses or blow air in your eyes.

Ok, back to audio... yeah, go and LISTEN to them before you buy if at all possible and more importantly, TAKE YOUR OWN MUSIC. That way, you're familiar with the song and know what it sounds like. It will help you know if something is too bright, dull, etc. especially if the car stereo dealer plays something that they are familiar with that you aren't - and that they know will cover up or sound good on that system. Bluetooth won't sound as good as a thumb drive, BUT I would suggest listening to it the way you normally would (which is either Bluetooth or Android Auto/Car Play) Sirius XM, HD Radio and FM (all broadcasts) are compressed and is a TERRIBLE choice when evaluating equipment. Never do that.

Found two sets that are relatively reasonably priced on Crutchfield. Not sure if these work well in our trucks, but they say that they fit, the criteria above fits, reviews are solid. I started this thread about them (from JL Audio and Alpine): (2) Anyone installed JL Audio C2-650 or Alpine R-S65 | 2019+ Ford Ranger and Raptor Forum (5th Generation) - Ranger5G.com
Amplification:
==========
For most folks, would suggest looking at the Alpine power pack amps. They are super small and pack a punch. If you need to go beyond that for power, because of speaker inefficiency or deafness, I will say that I had trouble finding a good larger class D. You’ll probably need to go class AB which makes mounting locations potentially more challenging.

ok, I’m done from the long winded gallery lol
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